Friday Photo #186 – Horseid Wildflowers

Photo: Summer wildflowers on Horseid beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway. July 11, 2016. 22:26

Since moving to Lofoten in the spring, I haven’t actually gotten many camping trips in so far. Mostly it is because the need is lost when I can just return home at 03:00 in the morning after sitting on a mountain for the best light of the midnight sun hours, so why carry a heavier backpack than necessary?

So I was quite happy when clients on a private tour in mid July wanted to spend a night in the wilderness of Lofoten, for their first ever night in a tent. I knew Horseid beach, as one of Lofoten’s most scenic locations would be the perfect spot! Now the only thing that needed to cooperate was the weather, which presented itself as heavy, low clouds for the first 2 nights (of 4 total) for the tour. However, on day 3 the forecast looked promising, so I knew this would be our only shot.

Getting on the ferry, I became a bit worried at the huge crowds standing on the pier in Reine. Fortunately, almost all where headed to Vindstad and Bunes beach, with only a few others departing in Kierkefjord for Horseid. Horseid is a nice location as the hike is long enough to thin out the crowds a bit – making it almost impossible for a day trip – yet still relatively easy for first time campers.

Arriving in late afternoon, the sun was shining and the light was fantastic, with layers of clouds rolling of the peaks as a north wind blew in from the sea. Later in the evening, I noticed the beginnings of a fog bank beginning to roll in so I quickly ran up a nearby hill earlier than expected, worried that the sun might get covered. Luckily though, the fog seemed to remain in place, and a nice golden evening light shined across the beach.

On the way down from the hill, I wandered my way through the dunes on the edge of the beach which where completely covered in yellow wildflowers at full bloom. The mountain peak in the distance was in and out of the clouds as they blew by, but I found what I thought would make a nice ‘summer of Lofoten’ type image and waited for the summit to emerge.

Camera Info:
Nikon D800
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
14mm
ISO 100
f 14
1/25 second
WB Daylight