Photo: Panoramic view of Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Bunes Beach, Moskenesøya, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Bunes is one of the more scenic and isolated beaches on the Lofoten Islands. Though unfortunately this isolation does not always mean the beach is uncrowded. On a sunny summer day thick crowds of tourists will be waiting on the pier in Reine to catch the morning ferry over for the day. However, as afternoon approaches the crowds begin the walk back over the pass on their return to civilization. Now the beach becomes empty and quiet, likely only a few groups of campers will remain and have the place to themselves. Time is irrelevant in summer anyhow. The sun will shine until late in the night when it finally passes behind the mountains to the north.
The beach is larger than it first appears. From the end of the trail to the water is around 600-650 meters, while the beach is 750 meters across. High, glacially carved cliffs surround the beach, the massive 602 meter west face of Helvetestinden being the most impressive. The beach faces north-west and is a good place to catch a sunset from late summer to early autumn. Wander out to the cliffs on the left, past the single house, for the best view. Storms can unfortunately leave sections of the beach rather covered in debris, particularly towards the back. Though on the bright side, a ready supply of driftwood can be found for evening campfires.
Photo: Daytime long exposure with 10 stop neutral density filter, Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Photo: Daytime long exposure with 10 stop neutral density filter, Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Photo: Summer camping at Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Camping
The best camping is on the flat grassy dunes found at the back of the beach. The area is large so even if some other groups are present, there is no feeling of crowding. No supplies are available in Vindstad, so be sure to bring everything you would need for typical wilderness camping. Fresh water can be collected via several waterfalls towards the back-left side of the beach. A door-less drop toilet is on the side of the trail just before reaching the beach.
A note of caution should be made to the weather. The beach and camping areas are completely exposed to the north-west and any weather which my come from there. And once the afternoon ferry leaves you are stuck there until the following morning, so be sure to check the forecast for the following days if planning on camping. If bad weather does arrive, there are several large boulders on the Vindstad side of the pass that have enough room for 1-2 tents and should provide enough shelter from the wind, depending on the direction.
Photo: Afternoon nap in the sun, Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Photo: Sunny summer afternoon at camp, Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Photo: Toilet with a view, Bunes beach, Lofoten islands, Norway
Getting There
The easiest approach is to take the Ferry from Reine to the village of Vindstad. From there follow the easy path through the village and towards the back of the Fjord. After about 2 km the village will end at there will be a small trail on the left. This should be marked with a sign saying ‘Bunes,’ or something thereabouts. An easy and well worn trail leads over the small pass and down onto the beach. Be sure to measure how long you’ll need to get back to catch the ferry on time, but 1 hr should be plenty for most people.
The ferry time schedule can be found here: CLICK HERE
Photo: Reine ferry arriving to pick up passengers in Vindstad
Photo: Reine, showing locations of bus stop and Ferry port
