Storfjellet Hike 徒步
July 5, 2026
Today we docked in Honningsvåg, the gateway to the North Cape. Since we had already visited the iconic globe monument at the North Cape in 2023, I decided to skip the excursion there and instead join a hike to Storfjellet, led by one of the expedition staff members along with several fellow passengers.
The hike began right at the pier and took us through the town center. The real climb started with approximately 1,000 stone steps, commonly known as the Sherpa Stairs, leading up to a hytta near the summit of Storfjellet. Across Norway, skilled Sherpas from Nepal have built stone stairways on many popular hiking trails to reduce erosion while preserving the natural character of the landscape. The craftsmanship was remarkable. Although the trail is carefully engineered, it still feels like a natural mountain path rather than a constructed staircase.
At the summit, a modern hytta welcomed hikers with a wood-burning stove and simple wooden benches. We gathered inside to warm up with a hot drink while enjoying the panoramic views.
Our descent followed a gentler trail marked by stone cairns. Under beautiful sunny skies, we enjoyed spectacular views of Honningsvåg Harbor and the surrounding coastline. Along the way, our expedition guide introduced us to several Arctic plants, including compass rose and alpine bistort. I even tasted the small bulbils of the alpine bistort, which are edible and have a mild, nutty flavor. The hike covered about 5 km (3.1 miles) with approximately 1,000 feet (300 m) of elevation gain. It was another memorable Arctic hike.
By the time we returned to the ship, it had started to rain. My enthusiasm for exploring, however, hadn’t faded, so despite the weather, I headed back into town for another walk.
We had learned an amusing fact about Honningsvåg: to qualify as a city under Norwegian law, it supposedly had to have a roundabout. The roundabout is so tiny that many vehicles simply drive over it rather than around it. I happened to catch the perfect moment—a van driving straight over the little roundabout—and took a picture.
As we departed Honningsvåg, we attended another Norway’s Coastal Kitchen presentation, featuring a tasting of reindeer meat and an introduction to this traditional local food. Later, we enjoyed a Sámi-inspired dinner, giving us another opportunity to experience the cuisine of northern Norway.
In the evening, we attended a lecture about the Sámi people, the Indigenous people of northern Europe. Their traditional homeland, known as Sápmi, stretches across the northern regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It was an interesting introduction to their history, culture, and traditional way of life.
Then the ship sailed past the dramatic North Cape Cliff and Knivskjellodden, the true northernmost point of mainland Europe, marked by a small lighthouse. Although North Cape itself is not the continent’s northernmost point, its broad plateau is far more accessible, which is why it has become one of Norway’s most famous landmarks.
In the late evening, we joined our fellow passengers to watch the Norway vs. Brazil soccer match. When Norway defeated Brazil, the entire lounge erupted in cheers, and everyone celebrated the exciting victory together.
2026年7月5日
今天，我们停靠在霍宁斯沃格（Honningsvåg）。这里是前往北角（North Cape）的门户，因此许多乘客都选择参加前往北角的岸上活动。由于我们在2023年已经到访过北角，也看过著名的地球仪雕塑，这次我参加由船上人员带领的Storfjellet徒步，与几位同行乘客一起徒步北极荒原。而佩民则自己下船去镇上走走。
徒步从码头开始，先穿过镇中心。根据挪威法律，要获得“城市”的资格，当地必须建造一个环岛。霍宁斯沃格的环岛小得惊人，许多汽车几乎可以直接从上面开过去。
真正的登山从大约1,000级石阶开始。这些石阶被称为Sherpa Stairs（夏尔巴石阶），通往山顶附近的一座Hytta（挪威山间木屋）。近年来，来自尼泊尔的夏尔巴工匠在挪威许多热门登山步道修建石阶，以减少水土流失，同时保留步道的自然风貌。石阶的工艺十分精湛，虽然经过精心修筑，却依然保有天然山径的感觉，而不像人工楼梯。
山顶的现代化Hytta向徒步者敞开大门。屋内设有燃木火炉和木制长椅，我们围坐在里面，一边喝着热饮，一边欣赏窗外壮阔的景色。
下山时，我们改走另一条坡度较缓的路线，沿途依靠一个个石堆路标（cairns）辨认方向。在晴朗的天气下，霍宁斯沃格港口及周围海岸线的景色格外迷人。探险队员一路介绍了多种北极植物，包括罗盘花（Compass Rose）和高山拳参（Alpine Bistort）。我还品尝了高山拳参的小珠芽（bulbils），味道淡淡的，略带坚果香。全程约5公里，累计爬升约300米（1,000英尺），又是一趟令人难忘的北极徒步。
回到船上时，天空开始下起雨来，但我的游玩兴致丝毫没有减退。我又冒着细雨回到镇上，悠闲地漫步了一圈。
离开霍宁斯沃格后，邮轮驶过壮观的北角悬崖（North Cape Cliff）。在远远距离，我们可以看到欧洲大陆真正最北端，Knivskjellodden。虽然北角并非欧洲大陆最北点，但由于它拥有宽阔平坦、交通便利的海岬，因此成为挪威最著名、游客最多的地标之一。
晚上，我们和船上的游客们一起观看了挪威对巴西的比赛。当挪威队战胜巴西时，整个大厅欢声雷动，大家共同为这场精彩的胜利欢呼。