Anxious to snag a parking space, I opted to make coffee and begin my hour’s drive to the trailhead, preparing and eating breakfast once there. The drive from Camping Raften to the trailhead was stunning. I wanted to stop many times and take photos, soaking in all the scenery. Deciding that instead, I needed to prioritize hiking Matmora, I passed it all by. That not sitting well, I determined that I would return to Camping Raften after my hike and spend a second night so that I could stop and explore that stretch the following day.
The parking lot at Matmora is rather small. My 19′ (6 meters) vehicle was about the longest that could reasonably fit. I arrived around 9am. Only two spaces were remaining.
I set off on the hike and was prepared for a very vertical trail after my experience on Segla. Sure enough, the first section was straight up, albeit with very steep switchbacks. Apparently, switchbacks do exist in Norway! Once the initial climb was over, the trail flattened out and followed the base of an elevated valley. I could hear the sounds of sheep bells all around me. I also wandered through the ruins of an old farm hut. It was majestic!
After leaving the valley floor, the final climb began. It was utterly brutal. I caught up with a German hiker and with an exhausted half-smile, willed her with as much strength as I could muster.
I continued on until I needed to catch my breath, stopped, and turned around to see how far I had come. It was then that I noticed rain clouds were quickly rolling in. Oh no! They were clearly going to obscure my view. I continued on for another couple of minutes and then stopped, got my camera out, and started snapping photos in every direction just in case the clouds overtook the mountain.
The rain started spitting, and the visibility decreased rapidly. By the time I had made it to the top, every direction was obscured with a grey sheet. But I was alone on the summit and it was beautiful. I had made it!
I found an overhang to tuck under to have some lunch and wait, hoping the visibility would clear.
After a half hour, I was in luck! The rain was passing and the sky clearing. Eventually, the sun even came out and the beauty to behold from the top of Matmora was astounding. Not wanting to ever leave I walked along the ridge for another 45 minutes. Eventually, I began the descent.
Lessons from: Matmora
- There is actually more than one route up Matmora. I found myself confused when the route I chose was shorter than what I had read. That is because I hiked from the trailhead on the south end. There is also a trailhead on the north end which appeared to have a larger parking area. If I were to hike it again, I would choose the northernmost trailhead as that route traverses up and along the ridge. There would be amazing views nearly the entire route! I also think the climb would be much more gradual.
- It is so important to hike with layers in Norway. The weather can change rapidly. Always have rain gear ready and a rainproof cover for your backpack.
- If you have time to hunker down and wait out the weather it may very well pay off.
Something interesting: The Lofoten Islands fishing cabins
One iconic symbol of the islands is the fishing cabins. Many of these have been converted into lodging for vacationers but they do have a rich history in Norway.
The first rorbu (lit: a small house to live in) cabins were commissioned by King Øystein in 1120AD as housing for the fishermen during the fishing season in Lofoten. Most of them were very simple, built with poles partially out in the sea. They consisted of two rooms: one living room with beds and one storage room.
There are written sagas of fishing ventures into the Lofoten Islands in the winter season for cod before 900AD. People traveled for days or weeks in open rowing and sailing boats to reach this area. This created a need for accommodation and is a clear indication of how important the fishing industry was to the economy.
Most of them have now been decommissioned and provide a memorable lodging option for tourists. I did not stay in one during this trip but hope to this coming spring!
A look behind the curtain.
Admittedly, I was disappointed when the weather began to roll in. Little did I know at the time that this was just the beginning of weather affecting the remainder of my time in Norway. My gut knew that the disappointment was not well-founded. After all, I had been traveling in Norway for three weeks, and this was the first of the real weather I had faced.
But still, as I arrived at the top of Matmora, I felt disappointed that I could not see anything clearly. I have come so far! That hike was so hard! And now I am here, and I can’t even enjoy it? Fortunately, a more optimistic view began to take hold, and it was then that I looked for a spot to shelter away from the rain and see if waiting it out would be successful.
As I sat, partially protected from the rain, shivering in the cold and the wind, I felt a sense of peace take over me. A sense of calm. A sense that whatever happened was out of my control and I would be silly not to enjoy this moment for what it was. I was in Norway, hiking in the Lofoten Islands. I was so fortunate!
I did get lucky. The calm and the patience did pay off. I was able to experience the summit in its full glory. But I like to think that even if it hadn’t, I would still have walked away from the experience feeling incredibly fortunate.
She Simply Wanders 
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