TRAIL RUN LOFOTEN
BRAND NEW DATE FOR 2026:
27 JULY - 02 AUGUST 2026 - ONLY 4 SPOTS REMAINING
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS
(See the full itinerary, kit List, accommodation & FAQ)
EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
Join us on an epic new trail-running adventure as we trail and sail our way around the Lofoten archipelago of northern Norway.
The Lofoten Islands are arguably one of the most impressive seascapes on earth, with a series of islands stretching some 200km in the Arctic Circle. Mountains rise straight out of the ocean towards the sky. This is a place that has been shaped and exposed by millennia of crashing waves, ice and snow, which has dramatically transformed Lofoten into a fairytale landscape. We can’t think of a more spectacular place for a trail running adventure, made even more unique by exploring the area by boat which gives great accessibility to some hidden gems.
Our home for the adventure is the sailing vessel Moondance. A durable 9-berth expedition ship that uses the force of the wind to take us to the most remote locations. Each day we’ll drop anchor in a different area, make our way to shore and explore a jaw-dropping trail run, running from one Fjord to the other where our ship will be waiting to greet us. You can expect amazing scenery at every turn, from mountain ridges, white beaches, green hills and grey cliffs. The views are breathtaking, especially during the twilight hours.
No two days will be the same as our journey objective sees us visit Kerringjoy, Nordskott, Nusfjord, Reine, and the famous islands of Vaeroy, which is only accessible by boat.
The lengths of the trail are flexible each day but will range from 8 - 15km, and are easily shortened or extended to suit the general vibe of the group.
The start and finish location of the adventure is Bodø Gjestehavn harbour which is an easy 10-minute walk away from the airport. Flights to Bodo are convenient from the UK with a short stop over in Oslo en-route.
INCLUDES:
6 Nights / 7 Days on Moondance (Custom Dutch Koopmans) plus all facilities
1 Captain & 1 Crew
1 Pure Trails Running Guide throughout
On board there are 6 comfortable beds for guests (all in one guest cabin), a hot shower, ample heating throughout the ship, plenty of storage, a big saloon to relax and much more
Full board throughout (breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks)
Sailing suits & safety equipment
Trails & Trees: with every booking, we plant a tree
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
+ DAY 1: ARRIVE AT MOONDANCE IN BODO - SAIL TO KJERRINGOY
+ DAY 2: TRAIL RUN KVARVAN - NORDSKOTT
+ DAY 3: ISLAND TRAILS - NUSFJORD
+ DAY 4: MOUNTAIN TRAILS, TRAVERSE TO NESLAND - REIENE
+ DAY 5: RUN THE REINEBRIGEN - SAIL TO THE ISLAND OF VAEROY
+ DAY 6: MOUNTAIN & ISLAND TRAILS OF VAEROY - SAIL TO BODO
+ DAY 7: DEPART FROM BODO
Would you like to talk to a Pure Trails team member to learn more about this trip?
OUR ITINERARY
DAY 01 | ARRIVE AT MOONDANCE IN BODO
Welcome to the Lofoten Islands archipelago!
Arriving at Bodo Airport collect your baggage and make your way to the arrivals hall where your guide will be waiting to meet you with a ‘Pure Trails’ sign. We’ll be easy to spot.
We’ll make our way to the Moondance which is a 10-minute walk away and will be waiting for us in the guest harbour. We ask that you please arrive before 17:00 on arrival day as we aim to start sailing this evening.
We’ll board the ship, unpack and start settling in. Sitting down for some tea and coffee, with the rest of the group, we'll have a skipper's meeting with our captain Luuk, where we'll brief you on the plan, discuss everyone's expectations, and address safety matters.
Please keep in mind that we'll be dealing with the elements and changing weather conditions throughout this adventure, so the length, destination and duration of the trail or sail may vary each day. A fluid approach means we’ll get the very best of our time in Lofoten.
We plan to begin sailing towards Kjerringøy, a picture-perfect village in the Nordland where we’ll drop anchor and rest for the evening.
Overnight onboard Moondance in a shared berth cabin
DAY 02 | TRAIL RUN TO KVARVEN, SAIL TO NORDSKOT
TRAIL RUNNING: APPROX. 10KM - 15KM / 800M+
The day will commence with a healthy breakfast, gear check and start preparing our first trail run of the adventure.
We’ll leave Kerringjoy beyond and head towards the summit of Kvarven. The trail rises nicely taking us through a mixture of varied terrain. The views from the top are simply amazing as we look back from the summit towards the harbour. We then continue via the impressive summit ridge where at the top we can see majestic Strandåtind, the Steigen mountains, and the Lofoten wall which heads to the north.
We’ll return to the harbour back the same route, all downhill with time to shower and relax before setting sail this afternoon.
Our destination this afternoon is Nordskot, a small village in a perfect bay located in the Steigen mountains. The sailing time will be approx. 4 - 5 hours where there is an opportunity to try sailing, or simply relax on deck.
On arrival, we’ll make anchor in the bay.
Overnight onboard Moondance in a shared berth cabin
DAY 03 | EXPLORE NORDSKOT - HOPEN
TRAIL RUNNING: APPROX. 10 - 12 KM / 700M+
After a nutritious breakfast, we'll prepare the dinghy and make our way ashore. Our goal for today is Sørskottinden a beautiful mountain in the centre of this idyllic bay.
The route up takes us over a very quiet, and tranquil trail. Firstly through forests, via mountain lakes until we make an amazing approach to the top via a wide open ridge. From the top the views back down to the bay are unbeatable, where looking south you can see the huge wall that continues to the other side of Nordskot.
We’ll head back to the beach, with time to swim and relax before boarding the Moondance.
This afternoon we’ll make a crossing over to the Lofoten side with plenty of opportunity to help sail. We’ll likely make an anchor in a quiet bay near the village of Hopen.
Overnight onboard Moondance in a shared berth cabin
DAY 4 - RUN GLOMTINDEN, HENNINGSVEAR &
SAIL TO NUSFJORD
TRAIL RUNNING: APPROX. 15KM / 650M+
Hopen is a quiet and very charming village. We’ll take the dingy to a white sand beach which marks the start of our trail run today.
Our plan is to head towards Glomtinden an amazing trail where the views are simply magnificent. We’ll make a circular of this route, heading back from the old country road which loops back nicely to the bay.
We’ll return to the Moondance via Dinghy, have a delicious lunch and exchange stories, before we continue along the archipelago.
Along the way, we will pull into picture-perfect Henningsvear, a popular street-lined village with lots of shops, restaurants and bakeries. We’ll spend some time here, before continuing our journey to Nusfjord, our final destination for the day.
Nusfjord is a major highlight of the trip, and we’ll be sure to spend enough time here. This quintessential Norwegian fishing village is located in a tranquil natural harbour.
Overnight onboard Moondance in a shared berth cabin
DAY 05 | TRAIL RUN TO NESLAND & SAIL TO THE VEAROY ISLAND
TRAIL RUNNING: APPROX. 8KM / 350M+
This morning you have the opportunity to wander the old streets of Nusfjord where time has stood still for centuries. The old bakery is an essential visit.
We’ll have breakfast together on the Moondance before we start our coastal traverse to the small village of Nesland 8km away. The trail today weaves its way along coves, and forests and gives fine views of the mountains and the sea. We’ll take our time on this section as the views and trail are so perfect.
As we arrive in Nesland, we’ll radio through to Moondance and have ourselves collected by Dinghy. Boarding Moondance for lunch, our plan is to continue down the chain towards the remote island of Vaeroy which is at the very end of the archipelago.
Vearoy Island is only accessible by boat and is located at the southwestern tip of Lofoten. The shape of the island and its surroundings are truly remarkable. We’ll drop anchor in a very quiet bay - likely having the place to ourselves - where we’ll spend the evening.
Overnight onboard Moondance in a shared berth cabin
DAY 6 | TRAIL RUN VAEROY, SAIL TO BODO
TRAIL RUNNING: APPROX. 8 - 10KM / 500M+
There are a lot of options on the island and we can make the route as easy or challenging as we would like. It’s easy to head uphill as the island has several ridges that lead us to mountain summits ranging between 350 - 430m high, with stunning views from the top.
We’ll likely do a traverse of the island which takes us via white sand beaches and onto the old fishing village of Mastad. The whole Mastad peninsula is a natural park with abundant wildlife. It’s a perfect trail for spotting white-tailed eagles and puffins. If the seas are calm, there may even be opportunities to spot killer and humpback whales.
After exploring Vaeroy we’ll return to the Moondance. After a week of amazing trails and new perspectives, it's time to make our way back to Bodo as we depart.
We’ll begin our journey which will take up to 8 hours where there is plenty of opportunity to sail or relax on board.
Returning to the harbour provides us with an opportunity to savour a well-deserved beer in Bodo and final night on the Moondance together as a group.
Overnight onboard Moondance in a shared berth cabin
DAY 07 | DEPART FROM BODO
After breakfast, it’s time to hug it out with everybody and commemorate the end of your adventure.
We'll assist you with planning your travel route back to the airport, and say goodbye, looking forward to your next trail and sail adventure!
Please note this is a fluid itinerary that could change locally from day to day. We’ll do the best schedule around the weather forecast and elements to make the best of the trip.
MOONDANCE
MOONDANCE
The design of Moondance, a 56ft Koopmans, is based on designer Dick Koopmans’ own sailing ship “De Jager,” which won the “Round of Britain 2006” and “Coldhanded Cup 2007.” The Moondance is a one-of-a-kind vessel, built for expeditions and Arctic conditions.
The Moondance is a true sailing boat, which we find incredibly exciting. The cockpit is spacious and even has a real tiller. Inside, there is a roomy central lounge (3 meters high). The guests sleep in the front, and the crew sleeps in the back of the ship. On board, there are various types of heaters, hot water, a shower, toilet, plenty of storage space, and many other conveniences.
IMPORTANT NOTES
+ FLIGHTS
Fly to Bodø airport. This airport is well connected to Oslo, which is connected to many airports overseas.
We really recommend taking the Arctic circle train from Trondheim to Bodo which is a bucket list journey. You can also fly directly to Trondheim from the UK and take the train from there.
This takes about 11 hours from London. You can find more information about the train here.
+ MEETING WITH THE MOONDANCE
On arrival into Bodø you will need to make your way to the harbour which is a short 10-minute walk, or even shorter taxi ride. From here you will board Moondance where your adventure begins.
We disembark at the same spot when the trip wraps up.
+ VISAS
British, America, and Australian citizens can enter and remain in Norward for a maximum of 90 days in every 6-month period without a visa.
A visa is not required for other EU passport holders.
+ WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
We will send you a complete packing list in advance of the trip beginning so you are clear on what to pack.
+ WHAT FITNESS IS REQUIRED FOR THE TRIP?
Experience in running is a must, but our trips are designed for a broad range of running levels. The best thing about this adventure is that it’s flexible, meaning every trail can be adapted. Every location will have different trail options, ranging from very easy to difficult, and your guide will adapt the route to the groups skill and fitness level. Most importantly, our goal is not to run a race but for everybody to experience a beautiful journey.
+ LIFE ONBOARD MOONDANCE, WHAT'S IT LIKE?
Living on a sailing vessel differs from any other type of holiday. We are dependent on the elements, which requires a flexible attitude towards the program, the people, and expectations. In principle, we take the lead and initiative in everything. The captain guides you in their choices and asks for input. Based on our experience, guests feel more involved when they can participate in everyday activities on board. We always ask for a flexible and proactive attitude. The space can sometimes feel small, which is why we will regularly check in with you to ensure everything is meeting your expectations.