Woke to a grey and damp morning, but as I was looking out of a window it wasn’t too bad. I hadn’t yet had to pack up the tent in the rain and seemed to have dodged it again. Only a short day today, 20 kilometres but I didn’t know about the terrain. I cooked breakfast (porridge) in the hostel and chatted to some Germans, who told a good beer joke (conversations always turn to beer even at 8 in the morning). Packed the bike up in the porch of the hostel and set on my way. Got to the coop supermarket for provisions for my evening meal, and then got as far as the Bakery, to buy bread and turned into an extended coffee and cake session to avoid the weather. Eventually I set off and it was pretty tough, three quite stiff climbs across the mountains, each getting harder and the weather not letting up at all.

Made it into Gamvik, a string of small houses with a museum and a church. Had there been some form of shelter, I would have sorted out my wet gear and visited the museum but there wasn’t so I pushed on to the lighthouse. It gradually emerged from the mist, just as the road turned to a track (I believe it’s the most northerly road in mainland Europe).

The lighthouse has a brilliant setting with the classic tower surrounded by lower buildings. Found my way to the small cafe and was given a very warm welcome and shown my room, which suited the surroundings perfectly, and had a desk to start this blog! A fish burger for lunch, a tour of the lighthouse and then just time to enjoy this remote place.

The lighthouse has a five rooms, and various nationalities staying, mainly for bird watching. I cooked a gourmet dinner and had a couple of beers that I had brought with me, and waited for the midnight sun, everything just stayed grey all night.

25 June 2015, Distance cycled 25 km Total distance 703 km