Ascent to the spike-shaped 639 meters high mountain above the arctic fjord? That´s the hike to Segla the most beautiful cliffed mountain on Norwegian island Senja. If You are searching for the most breathtaking places of nordic nature as well as being alone in the mountains this place suits the best for your soul.
Download GPS file with waypoints and route to Your device HERE
The complete gallery from hiking Segla mountain
Introduction
Segla and Hesten two peaks located far behind the polar circle on island Senja one of the most beautiful islands of Norway. Segla itself is a spike-shaped summit with an incredibly high cliff falling down to the fjord. That cliff is not only higher, but also much less visited than so popular Pulpit Rock. Cliff itself is home to many birds and sometimes can a fight with them while they are nesting so be cautious while hiking Segla they are protecting their homes. The best place to enjoy the magnificence of the iconic mountain Segla is from near summit Hesten. From this point, You will enjoy great 360 degrees views around Senja island as well as views to the small village Fjordgård.
Senja is a wonderful island in north Norway surprisingly not so crowded as it´s close neighbor Lofoten. Despite Senja is much smaller than Lofoten island it´s packed with natural beauties and mystery. It´s definitely worth to visit when planning a trip to northern Norway and hike to Segla is a must while here.
Best time for hiking Segla
Thanks to the Gulf stream and relatively warm ocean You will never get so much cold here like in Norwegian inland. The dark side of it is quite high precipitation and unpredictable weather. It can be sunshine at one side of the fjord as well as rain on the other side, so don´t trust the weather forecast too much. The best time of the year for the weather is a period between May to September. From my personal experience with nordic countries rather take the second half of the summer.
Of course, you can take your skis and hiking Segla or Hesten in wintertime which can be a very strong experience. Climbing in winter to Segla can be very hard due to the presence of hard snow and ice. Therefore I rather recommend going only to the Hesten summit as it´s more visually attractive and still pretty easy.
Also, I recommend climbing later in the afternoon as You can have a pretty big chance to get low mists which makes the place more attractive for photographers.
How to get there?
By Air:
- The nearest airport if you wish to hike to Segla is the biggest town behind the polar circle and capital of northern Norway Tromsø.
By Ferry:
- Tromsø – Senja: There are regular ferries between Tromsø and Senja island. The ferry is going from Tromsø Prostneset hurtigbåtkai to Senja´s Lysnes hurtigbåtkai.
- Andenes – Gryllefjord: From another direction, You can arrive from Western islands to island Senja. The line is from Andenes and reaching Gryllefjord.
By Bus:
- There is a bus nr. 110 from Tromso to Finnsenes over Nordkjosbotn which takes around 3,5 hours.
- The bus number 370 or 380 from ferry port Lysnes to Mefjordvær is stopping at Fjordgård. Fjordgård which is the best place to start the trek.
- Once You decide to arrive on island Senja from Andenes You will have to take the bus to Finnsnes and than change the bus and go to Fjordgård.
By car:
- The easiest and most convenient way is to arrive for a hike to Segla is by car. Either the rental car or your own is the best and the most comfortable solution. Distances in Norway are enormous and the road network is designed to drive slowly and you have to patient. Don´t ever drive over the limits! I experienced driving over 20 km/h outside of the town and I paid 600 EUR!
Where to stay?
- Hotel or Appartments: There are some options for bed and breakfast around on island Senja. You will find also accommodation in Fjordgård, but prices are always over 100 EUR per night for not-so-comfortable rooms.
- Camping: There is an official camping place in Finnsenes
- Free Camping: Despite the attractiveness of the area It´s still allowed to stay in campervans almost on every parking. Visit iOverlander where I´m inserting interesting and beautiful free camping spots.
- Tent: Allowed everywhere! Thanks to benevolent Norwegian law granting a right to move freely in nature and to stay overnight anywhere. Feel free to pitch a tent everywhere You like while hiking to Segla! Just keep the place clean after you leave.
What to pack for hiking Segla?
Well, nothing extraordinary. The hike is not long and also not so difficult to undertake. Just allow to take an extra layer of clothes and always take long trousers as well as a rainproof jacket. Also, take water with You as there is no opportunity to replenish.
The trail is very visible and easy to navigate and You will probably not have any issues with navigation. You never know so rather take a GPS and download our GPS file HERE for the case of emergency. The weather can change rapidly and can lead you to trouble.
The Hike to Segla and Hesten
Hiking to Hesten
Distance: 4 km round trip
Ascend: 420 m+
Hiking time: 3 h
Difficulty: Medium
Ascend to Hesten
From my point of view, this trip is visually much more attractive than the hike to Segla itself. Not only for the wonderful views on the Segla which appears literally like a spike from a certain angle. But also for the opportunity to walk on the edge of the cliff falling steeply to the fjord, which is not the for faint-hearted natures.
For ascending to Hesten peak the best is to start the trip from the center of upper Fjorgard. Fjordard is, in my opinion, the most beautiful and quietest fishing village on Senja island so enjoy it! You can find here a small parking lot where we´ve spent a night in our campervan. There is also a small wooden shelter nearby where you can spend an evening, overnight or just to have a meal under the roof.
Start walking up pointing to the saddle between Segla and Hesten on the very obvious path towards the small skiing lift. The path can be boggy in some period of time and therefore there are often provisional boardwalks to avoid sinking. Soon the path becomes more steep and rocky tending more to the right side towards the pass on the right side of Hesten. Continue climbing the steep section until You reach the pass and now is the time to turn around and look. The amazing shape of iconic Segla mountain will amaze You.
Following the airy cliff and the way back
For better views and more breathtaking angles of the peak continue on the ridge to Hesten peak. Be careful on the top it´s not noticeable, but you have over 400 meters of a vertical cliff under Your feet. Stop for a while and enjoy 360 degrees of view around the island Senja. I recommend following the ridge towards Segla and its pass. You will have plenty of time admiring cliff falling down to the ocean, but don´t go to close no one will ever find You down there.
Also, be prepared for attacks of birds in case You are coming in nesting period. They can be very bothering and dangerous. I experienced many times a bird impacting my head trying to scare me, and he did. Luckily birds are nesting on the cliff, but some of them are the edge with their eggs so don´t disturb them.
From the pass between Hesten and Segla, there is no other way than to go back to the Fjorgard as there is no other option to hike to the top of Segla. There is also no option to go around the peak to shorten the hike to climb Segla. Unfortunately, there is no path and mossy stones are slippery and it´s irritating to go over them.
Hiking to Segla
Distance: 4 km round trip
Ascend: 500 m+
Hiking time: 3 h
Difficulty: Medium
Ascending to the cliff ridge
Despite the hike to Segla is not so visually attractive as hiking to Hesten as you will miss the spiky shape o fit, but still worth to do. The starting point for the hike to Segla is in the southern part of Fjordgard near the school and kindergarten. From here start to climb on the right side of the narrow mountain spring. Be aware of wet terrain and rather take high shoes to be able to step sometimes to the water.
At one moment the pat his splitting into two parts, so you follow the steep one straight to the ridge. On the ridge turn right and again be cautious there is the surprisingly steep cliff that is not forgiving. The hike to Segla on the ridge is nothing challenging. The pat his pretty wide, but some stony sections can be very slippery even in the summer season. Be also very careful with approaching aggressive birds trying to také you down in the nesting period.
Summiting Segla and the way back down
The final section is pretty hard, but only by matters of steep ascent. If You do not go too close to the edge of the cliff You shouldn´t be in a big danger. As the mountain looks almost unreachable from the northern face the southern is really easy. I personally found the ascent to Hesten more difficult as some sections were airy and usage of hands was necessary. When You reach the summit enjoy the feeling like being on the top of the world. Observe the entire island Senja from there and it´s peaks covered with leftover snow patches. Unfortunately, there is no other option going down the same way You came up. So follow the same steps You reached the summit. I recommend to not shorten the distance as walking on the path is much more comfortable than jumping on stones.
Looking back and forward
Did you enjoy the trip on Senja island to Segla? Let us know how You like in the comments comments below, or in case you are missing any information or You wish to add anything don’t hesitate and contact us.
If you love nordic landscapes we fully recommend to visit our other posts for inspiration: The Faroe Islands top attractions or Arctic circle trail in Greenland. For Norway lovers, I recommend visiting: The ultimate hiking guide to Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen)
