Tourist information

This information covers the area around Bøstad, from the outer side of Lofoten with the fishing villages Eggum and Unstad, inwards Vestvågøy with the agriculture villages Bøstad/Liland, and the villages in the long valleys close to the southern mountains. Here, the foundation has been fishing and farming, and the district is still marked by that, even though there are fewer participants in the primary industries. The travel industry has had an increasing influence in this part of Lofoten, especially after "Lofotr Vikingmuseet" (Museum of Vikings) was established in the mid 1990's. This tourist enterprise, which is built on the chieftain seat on Borg, which had it's days of glory over a 1000 years ago, is the most visited attraction in Lofoten.

It can be this beautiful when the midnight sun is seen out in the ocean.

The scenery has been shaped through human activity over the centuries. Pasture-animals provide an open landscape, and here we've got hundreds of sheep grazing in the summer, and several heards of goats grazing from Borgfjorden and inwards Lauvdalen and Vendalsjord. On Saupstad there is also a goat-farm.
In Borgfjorden you can find the most marked elements of human influence, stone fences between home fields and outlying fields which twist at the foot of a mountain with a couple of summer cowsheds embed in the fence. Stone fences can also be found other places in the Bøstad area, but not as large and maintained.
A large share of the farming-area here is ecological, and corn is also grown for fodder. Two farms are running their own cheese factories with basis in ecological goat-milk.

The area around Borg has a big horse-community, where most of the horses are "Nordlandshester". It's a horse which has it's ancestry from northern Nordland and Lyngen in Troms. Up to 1940 Lofoten had its own horse, called Lofothest, presumably a close relative to the Nordlandshest. The only specimen of the Lofothest today is stuffed and you can view it in the museum of Bergen.

A flock of goats in Lauvdalen.

For those who are interested in flowers, it's an experience to walk around Mjåsundet with a large variety of species. It's a result of nutrient-rich and chalky soil. Here are plant species that usually exist in the high mountains further south, but also some seldom orchids. The first plants is active immediately after the snow disappears, while others blossom later in the summer.

In order to get out in the skerries or the ocean, there are no organized trips for the time being. It's up to the travelers to get in touch with the locals, to see if there are any opportunities to get on a boat, and experience the outer side of Lofoten from the sea. If you're lucky, you might pull a coalfish or two from the boat.
The actual Lofot-fishing is one of the largest cod fisheries in the world, takes place from the winter months into April. It's an exciting time with hectic operations at the fish-receivers on Eggum and Tangstad. You might be able to buy fresh cod, liver and roe which is the culinary highlight of the winter.

From Vika at Eggum and inwards to Lilandsvatnet at Borg, there is a unique system of freshwater lakes, where you could get both sea- and freshwater fish. You can also find the peculiar freshwater herring which is smaller than ordinary sea herring, and it's as tasteful as the sea herring. In the inner Borgpoll its mainly freshwater fish like salmon and trout that dominates, while Lilandsvatnet only has freshwater fish. The whole system is defined as freshwater, and the fishing-times are decided based on that.

During the winter it can be perfect weather for skiing-enthusiasts.

Fishing times: In the ocean/salt water you can fish the whole year round, but in water system with anadromous fish species the fishing time is set to july 15. to august 17. In the latter you are required to buy a fishing licence and make an agreement with the landowner(s). In Skrådalsvannet on Saupstad you will be able to buy a fishing licence locally.
You won't need a fishing licence to fish in lakes.

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