After yesterday's constant rainfall kept us inside all day, it was nice that today was dry. We drove over to the small, free parking lot for the hike to Kvalvika Beach and Ryten. It was good we arrived early, there are not many spots available. I think most hikers use the primary Ryten parking lot in Fredvang.
Our hike took us up and over a saddle and then down to the broad gold sands of Kvalvika Beach. I think on a blue sky day that this spot would be quite photogenic.
A whole lot of stone steps lead up from the beach to the Ryten trail. At the top of the stairs, there were some muddy patches - this is a popular hike, so there is a lot of foot traffic, and on days like this one, right after
heavy rainfall, mud gets churned up by the many boots. Boardwalks have been built in some of the worst stretches; hopefully that effort is extended to the worst of the eroded areas.
At the summit of Ryten, the only thing we could see was a large cairn built at the summit. There is a dramatic drop from the top, and Kvalvika Beach looks great seen from a height - but thick clouds
obscured everything. I looked back later in our hike, to see if the clouds dispersed, but they remained stubbornly around the peak. It is too bad that the clouds hung so low on the Ryten summit; views from the top on a clear day look quite nice when looking at trip photos from other hikers..
We opted for a different route back to the car. Halfway down the mountain, there was a little bit of scrambling over some rocky stretches and then the trail split. One route went to the parking area in Fredvang while the other went to the Kvalvika lot where we parked. Unfortunately, our trail was a muddy mess from all the rainfall of the previous day. Still, this was a hike worth doing.
Back at the parking area, we piled into the car and drove over to Ramberg Beach, one of the more famous beaches on the Lofoten Islands. The white sands are the attraction at Ramberg. Also, it is right off of the E10, so everyone drives right by it.
Ryten and Kvalvika Beach are both located in the Lofotodden National Park. Tomorrow's hike to Helvetestinden is also within the park boundaries.
