Senja and Andøya: Norway in miniature

Route description

From Tromsø follow the E8 and then the E6 and route 86 south to Finnsnes, where a bridge crosses to Senja, Norway’s second-largest island. The inner side is farmland and birch woods; the drama is on the outer coast facing the Atlantic.

Cross the island to the fishing villages of Senjahopen and Mefjordvær, then follow the National Scenic Route Senja south-west. At Tungeneset a walkway leads over the rocks towards the Okshornan peaks; further on, the Bergsbotn platform looks down the length of Bergsfjorden.

The road winds through tunnels and past white beaches to Gryllefjord. In summer a car ferry sails from here to Andenes on Andøya, taking under two hours; out of season you must drive back via Finnsnes and the E6, which takes most of a day.

Andenes has the lighthouse, a whale centre and boat trips out to the sperm whales that feed along the edge of the continental shelf. Several tunnels and narrow sections on Senja are fine for motorhomes but need patience; the midnight sun lasts from late May to late July, and from September the northern lights return.