Road trip to the North Cape (Norway). The northernmost point of Europe - the Norwegian cape North Cape (16 photos)

North Cape is a famous cape in the north of Norway. Only 308 meters high above sea level, flat as a table plateau - attracts the attention of numerous tourists and connoisseurs of the northern harsh nature from all over the world. In Europe it is considered North Cape(Nordkapp) northernmost cape European continent! Indeed - being on a cliff, looking into the distance, into the endless waters of the Arctic Ocean, identifying his location as at the end of the earth - I must admit, an exciting event!

01.
Nordkapp (eng. Nord Cape) - the name speaks for itself - the Northern Cape - is located on the island of Mageryu. Coordinates - 71° 10′ 21″ N, 25° 47′ 40″ E (for comparison, the coordinates of Murmansk are 68° 58′ 0″ N, 33° 5′ 0″ E)

02.
Places in the vicinity of the North Cape are deserted and harsh. The breath of the Arctic tangibly reminds of itself constantly blowing wind, and incredibly fast weather changes. But it is relatively warm here, the Gulf Stream passes nearby.

03.
The most common way to reach the cape is by car, and the most interesting way is by sea. I used the Hurtigruten transport line, which I will talk about shortly.

04.
The ferry makes a stop at the fishing village of Honningsvåg. Approximately 2500 people live in the village. The basis of the city's economy is fishing and tourism. Honningsvåg is the third most popular (!) port in Norway (after Bergen and Oslo), where more than 100 cruise ships(Of course, in addition to Hurtigruten - two ferries every day, all year round).

05.
Having some ideas about the state of northern settlements similar in remoteness in Russia, I never cease to be surprised at the state of their Norwegian counterparts. Judge for yourself by looking at my report on

06.
Honningsvåg is a village where you can not only work on shifts, but also live quite comfortably with the whole family.

07.
Due to the warm current of the Gulf Stream, the temperature here is usually 20C higher than in other places at this latitude. In the village, in addition to all the necessary comfortable life infrastructure facilities there are several (!) car rental points.))

08.
North Cape - located 35 km from the port. We slowly rise by bus to a height of 308 meters.

09.
Pretty dull for the uninitiated, but incredibly beautiful for amateurs northern nature- places.

10.
The reindeer is the absolute master of these places.

11.
"Paws of the North Cape"

13.
The wind here is serious, I want to scream, expressing incredible emotions. The power of the elements is felt even in absolutely calm and peaceful weather (as in the photo).

14.
An observation deck, and a well-recognized monument to the unity of all countries and peoples, in the form of a layout the globe- the ultimate goal of all trips to the North Cape.

16.
The Midnight Sun Monument with a broken north arrow.

17.
As I said, it is rather deserted here, the stony soil passes through its thick cover only lichens and moss. The building in the distance is a hat tourist center located for the most part(5000 km m) underground. Of course - souvenir shops, a bar, a restaurant, a museum, a cinema hall, Postal office, small hotel and also warm and cozy place where you can warm yourself from the penetrating wind everywhere.

18.
Monument "Children of the Earth" - founded in 1989 by seven children from different parts of the world, symbolizing friendship, cooperation, happiness and hope.

19.
Well round stone blocks are imprints of children's drawings

20.
Wishing happiness and hope to all!

21.
More than 200,000 people visit the North Cape every year. The atmosphere that reigns here - namely, unity, friendship, hope, cooperation - is clearly visible on the smiling faces of completely different races, cultures and language groups. The sharpness of these impressions probably remains for life!

22.
On the way back, we stopped in the middle of the tundra at a well-known shed called souvenirs. Of course, I am not a fan of such establishments, but I bet that many of you will not miss this part of the journey even in stories!

23.
And in the meantime, I’ll go say hello to the native, or rather to the Lapps (in Rus', the Sami were called Lapps)

25.
Grandpa is like a grandfather...

26.
hello spirits

27.
Such is mysterious nature extreme north.

28.
We returned to the port. Fisherman's Wharf

29.
Goodbye Honningsvag!

30.
Goodbye North Cape! You should definitely come back here, it is best in summer, on a polar day, and it would be nice at night! They say there will be even more impressions!

From the North Cape - the northernmost point of Norway and one of the island of Magerø - a wonderful panorama opens endless expanses and the meeting point of the waters of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans.

Location

Cape North Cape on the map is located in the west of the province of Finnmark, on the island of Magerø, in the North. The cape is separated from the North Pole only by the ocean and the Svalbard archipelago.

What is North Cape?

This cape is part of a large rock. It is divided by two cracks into 3 protrusions, the middle of which is the largest in size. This is the North Cape. Its upper part is rather flat and covered with small lakes and rocky tundras.

Climate

A distinctive feature of these places is the presence of a period of the midnight sun, which can be observed from mid-May to the end of July, when the sun does not set below the horizon. Summer on the cape is rather cool, the air temperature is +7…+10°C, the nights are cold. But during the midnight sun, crowds of tourists attack the North Cape in order to have time to enjoy the sun's rays even at night. The spectacle of contemplation, unfortunately, is often spoiled by fogs.

In winter, it is not too cold on the North Cape, the temperature thermometer shows an average of -3...-11°C. Exactly this best time to monitor northern lights.

Historical facts

The North Cape in Norway was discovered by the Englishman Richard Chancellor. This happened in 1553. Then the cape got its name. Among tourists, the beginning of visiting the North Cape in Norway was laid by the Italian Francesco Negri in 1664. Nowadays, about 200 thousand people visit the cape during the summer months.

What to see?

On the North Cape and in its immediate vicinity you can visit:

In addition, there is a restaurant and souvenir shops on the North Cape.

Rest near the North Cape

While traveling to the North Cape, you will have the opportunity to take part in several types of activities at once, for example:

• watch the northern lights (most favorable period- from 21:00 to 00:00 from mid-November to mid-March, mainly on clear and frosty nights);
• ride a snowmobile through the snowy expanses of the North Cape;
• go on a quad bike safari or try something more exotic like king crab hunting or bird safari;
• drive to dog sled;
• go on a snowshoe hike
• take part in sea fishing, winter period on the North Cape - subglacial.

Cost of visiting

Two-day visit to the Cape and information center is 260 kroons ($30.1), a ticket for 12 hours (does not include a cinema and an exhibition) - 170 kroons ($19.7). Tourists arriving by bus do not pay an entrance fee (the visit is included in the fare). Travelers arriving by bike, scooter or on foot can visit the cape for free.

How to get to North Cape?

Despite the remote location, you can get to the North Cape in Norway by going by plane, car, motorcycle, ferry or bus. Closest to the cape locality and a major transport hub of the country - the city of Honningsvåg.

Let's take a closer look at how to get to various types transport:

Cape North Cape is officially considered the northernmost point in Europe. If you delve a little into the mental nooks and crannies of Europeans, it will become clear that we are talking here not about a geographical concept, but about a geopolitical one. That is, in this case, we mean the territory of Europe with the exception of the European part of Russia. Well, what, right, Russia is a drowsy Asia, and there is no need to climb into our Europe with your golden domes. After all, yes? Be that as it may, in all popular European guidebooks without a twinge of conscience it is written: "Visit the North Cape - the northernmost point of Europe." The quote from the song of the Time Machine group is best suited here: “Only I state directly: this is complete nonsense!” Yes, the northernmost point in Europe is nothing more than beautiful legend for gullible travelers...

The only reason for its occurrence is a beautiful asphalt road ending right at the cape: everyone can easily get here by any convenient transport from a bicycle to a motorhome.

Let's search for the truth together. Let's start with the fact that the North Cape is located on the island, which, although connected to the mainland underwater tunnel but it is still an island. Therefore, if we are talking about the northernmost point of continental Europe, then this is Cape Nordkin, located 60 kilometers east of the North Cape. The peninsula, the end of which this cape is, is also called in the same way, therefore, in order not to be confused, this cape is called in the Norwegian language (in Norwegian - Kinnarodden). It is 5700 meters south of the North Cape, but it is really the northernmost geographical point continental Europe (as well as its western and southwestern points, respectively, are located in Portugal and). A 24-kilometer long hiking trail leads to Cape Nordkin (this is one way), so there are not so many who suffer from visiting it.

If we talk about the island of Magerøya, then here the North Cape is not at all the northernmost point. A few kilometers to the west is Cape Knivskjellodden (Norwegian - Knivskjelodden), which extends north beyond the North Cape for a kilometer and a half. A hiking trail also leads here, this time its length is 9 kilometers one way.

To make it easier to understand, I have prepared for you a map of the capes of Northern Norway.

Magerya, by the way, is far to the most north island Europe. If we, in the European manner, do not take into account the territory of Russia, then the northernmost point of Europe will be located somewhere in the north of the Svalbard archipelago. It's a thousand miles north of the North Cape. Well, if we discard geopolitics and look solely from the point of view of geography, then the northernmost point of Europe is the northern coast of Rudolf Island, which is part of the Franz Josef Land archipelago. It is also the northernmost point of Russia and the northernmost point of Eurasia.

In general, if any title can be given to the North Cape, then only "the northernmost point in Europe, where you can get on asphalt." This fact is successfully exploited for commercial purposes - there is a large tourist complex, entry into whose territory costs NOK 245, which is almost 1500 Russian rubles. The ticket allows you to return an unlimited number of times within 48 hours.

Here you can find a museum, a hotel, several cafes, a souvenir shop, a post office and even a cinema, which periodically plays scientific and educational films.

Here it is - the northern border of Europe. Something very similar to, located in its southwest.

It is 4,300 kilometers from here in a straight line. If on asphalt - then about 5600. And if you ride a bike along the coast, you will get as much as 8186 kilometers. And after all, someone rides - there is an official European cycling route "EuroVelo 1", or "EV1" for short, starting at the North Cape, then passing through the territory of Norway, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal and ending in Sagres.

Monument "Children of the World". Installed in 1989. Sketches of the monument were drawn by children from different countries.

From the North Cape you can clearly see the northernmost point of the island of Magerøya - Cape Knivskjellodden. You can get there only on foot, the walk will take at least half a day.

Cape North Cape has been known since ancient times - even in the early Middle Ages, the Viking sea route to Bjarmia ran here.

Despite this, the North Cape also has an official discovery date: in 1553, the English traveler Richard Chancellor visited here during an expedition in search of the Northern Sea Route to India and. His journey then ended in the area White Sea, and its result was the beginning of trade relations between England and Russia.

It was Richard Chancellor who gave the cape modern name- North Cape, in Norwegian - Nordkapp, in English - North Cape - "Northern Cape".

In 1664, the Italian priest Francesco Negri arrived here. He was fascinated by the beauty of the cape, and called it "the most amazing place in the world". It is he who is considered the first traveler to visit the top of the plateau.

In the 19th century, the North Cape becomes quite popular place. Need I say that then the journey to northern border Europe was considered a great feat and was always celebrated with a glass of champagne. In 1873, the king of Sweden and Norway, Oscar II, visited the cape, by decree of which, just two years later, the first a cruise ship with tourists.

The extreme point is a plateau at the tip of the cape, rising 307 meters above the ocean. For a long time, travelers had to climb here along a steep path, until an asphalt highway was built in 1965.

Around - the boundless North Arctic Ocean. Although, to be absolutely precise, it is the Barents Sea. From here to the North Pole is about 2100 kilometers. The main thing is not to forget that approximately in the middle between the North Pole and the North Cape there is a fairly large archipelago of Svalbard. So to say that we are at the very edge of the earth is somewhat incorrect. But who cares?

The symbol of the North Cape is a metal globe on the edge of the plateau.

In summer it is always crowded here. But to hide from the bustle of the world is quite simple - just move away from the globe literally a hundred meters. An inconspicuous path leading along the very edge of the cliff will lead the suffering solitude to a small rocky area.

Here you can comfortably sit right on the edge of the cliff and silently contemplate the majestic three-hundred-meter cliffs for a long time. A cold arctic wind will blow in your face, blowing away all the affairs and problems of everyday life, and cold ocean waves will roar menacingly below...

On a small rocky ledge, on the very edge of the abyss, a small monument hides from prying eyes, a sacred memory of one of my very good friend. The inscription in Norwegian reads: "To those who have gone too soon..."

Moments will turn into minutes, minutes will turn into hours, and soon evening will fall on the northern border of Europe. It’s the middle of July outside, which means the sun will never hide in the depths of the ocean — so after a very short time, the evening will smoothly flow into the morning.

On the horizon, nature will play its next colorful performance.

And I will go further, leaving a piece of my soul on a small platform near the cliff, and instead taking with me an expensive souvenir from a local shop. A few days later, a neat sticker on the package will remind me that it was purchased at the northernmost point in Europe ... Well, yes, who would doubt it!

There are many very, very places in the world and geographical objects- the most high mountain, the deepest oceanic trench, the longest and most deep river, the pole of heat and the pole of cold, the most extreme points continents and many, many other "most-most". Some of these positions have an unambiguous interpretation, some "record holders" are still arguing with each other, and some are completely arbitrary. This is exactly the curious and ambiguous situation with the northernmost point of Europe, located, if you look at the map, at the “very top” of Norway. In fact, we can say that there are three such northernmost points: “cult” - Cape North Cape, “real” - Cape Knivshellodden and “continental” - Cape Nordkin.

In the vast majority of sources, the majestic North Cape (English North Cape - “Northern Cape”) is considered the northernmost point of Europe. The North Cape was named by the English explorer Richard Chancellor in 1553 when he passed near the cape in search of the North Passage; subsequently, many famous scientists and researchers visited here, and over time, the North Cape turned into a cult tourist place, where every year thousands of tourists come from all over the world to stand on the "top of Europe". Cape North Cape looks really amazing - it is a huge granite rock protruding into the sea 307 meters high, the upper part of which is flat, covered with rocky tundra with small lakes. It is difficult to argue with the fact that it is such a rock, like no other, that fits the “title” of the northernmost point in Europe, but the most interesting thing is that in fact ... the North Cape is not the northernmost point of Europe. The North Cape coordinate is 71°10`21`` north latitude, and located 4.5 kilometers west of the low and nondescript Knivskjellodden cape - 71°11`08`` north latitude, i.e. Knivskjöllodden juts out into the sea 1.5 kilometers to the north. But even here, not everything is so simple - the fact is that both the North Cape and Knivskellodden are located on big island Mageroy, separated from the mainland by the Mageroysundet strait. And the northernmost point of continental Europe is Cape Nordkin (Nordkinn), located on the peninsula of the same name, 80 kilometers east of the North Cape. The coordinate of Cape Nordkin is 71°08`39`` north latitude.

These are the "competitions"! And now, after a short introductory preamble, we have to get acquainted with the most northern borders Europe with our own eyes - the climax of our expedition is coming! After leaving Havoisund, the MS "Midnatsol" follows the Masoysundet strait, then passes a small open area and soon enters the Mageroysundet strait, which separates the island of Mageroy from the mainland. Long time this large island, whose northernmost tip is the North Cape and Knivskjellodden, was connected to the mainland only ferry crossings, but in 1999, the construction of a tunnel under the strait, which lasted 4 years, ended - and now the route that runs through all of Norway from South to North, starting in the southern part of the country, connects Norway with a continuous thread - from Oslo and Bergen to the very North Cape.

1. Tanker at the oil depot near Hönningsvåg:

5. At the beginning of the twelfth, a panorama of Hönningsvåg opens from the side - the bridgehead from which our journey to the North Cape will begin.

At 11-45 MS "Midnatsol" moored at the quay of the village of Honningsvag. Here, Hurtigruten ferries have a long stop: it is from here that tourists are taken by bus to the northern part of Mageroy Island, to the North Cape, the northernmost tip of Europe. A few minutes left before boarding the buses, you can have time to briefly examine the village itself - however, it is quite small, and this time is quite enough to get a general idea about the village, which is the center of the municipality of Nordkapp.

And then the excursion to the North Cape begins - a group of buses leaves from the Hurtigruten terminal and heads to the northern part of the island. We were lucky - both there and back we rode ahead of the column, in the very first bus. From Hönningsvåg to Nordkapp is about 30 kilometers. The road winds among the granite rocks that make up the island of Mageroy and most of north coast Norway. In early May, it is full of snow, and transparent lakes with bluish water are still covered with ice.

However, despite the fact that the most Northern part Norway is located on the 70-71st latitude, the climate here is quite mild - the mighty Gulf Stream, having divided into several currents off the coast of Europe, does its job: the sea never freezes here, the average annual temperature is about zero, and the average winter temperature rarely exceeds 5 degrees of frost. However, in the summer it is not at all hot here - it is rarely higher than 5-10 degrees, plus all year round strong winds, storm, rain. Yes, this is not the sharply continental climate of Central and Eastern Siberia with its +40 in summer and -60 in winter!

Here and there, herds of reindeer flash by, of which there are a huge number in these parts. I have been to the north a lot, but I have never seen reindeer before - as, indeed, most bus tourists: when another herd appeared on the side of the bus, the most active part of which, naturally, was a group of enthusiasts, jumped up from their seats and they began to rush around the cabin, "aiming" representatives of the local fauna into the lenses of their cameras.

Finally, our journey is complete - the bus stops on the flat top of the cape, on which a large tourist complex called Nordkapphallen (the North Cape Hall) has been built - there is a museum with a number of very interesting expositions, seminars are held here, here you can watch an amazingly beautiful film about the North Cape, buy souvenirs, have a bite to eat in a cafe or restaurant, there is even a special post office where you can say hello to your friends or relatives by sending a letter or postcard from the northernmost point of Europe. But the most interesting, of course, is not this - behind the "Northcaphall" there is a large flat area, in the middle of which a 5-meter globe rises, and behind it a mighty rock from a 300-meter height breaks down into the abyss, into the boundless sea stretching into the distance, into the Arctic ocean. It was here that we so aspired, this place is the crown of our trip!

12. From here forward in a straight line - 2093 kilometers to the North Pole:

15. And here is the neighboring Cape Knivskjellodden - the "real" northernmost point of Europe.

It is not easy to get there - a rather extreme 15-kilometer trail leads from the North Cape to this cape. Here is what travelers who have been there write about Knivskjöllodden:

Starting from the road leading to the North Cape, the trail to Knivskjellodden slowly descends to sea level and passes tundra, wet bog and sharp, sheer cliffs. The path is quite difficult, and those who decide to do it constantly need to look under their feet, despite the exciting unique landscapes and thought-provoking atmosphere. It really is a bit like going to the ends of the earth, which in a sense it is. hiking trails in Norway are not as clearly marked as in other countries, and travelers here often prefer to make their own way on the ground. However, from time to time there are still red crosses mounted on high poles sticking out above the snow in winter, which indicate that you are going in the right direction. And signs like these, along with the art-like rock formations, do a pretty good job of providing a rough guide to Knivskjellodden.

Due to inaccessibility to tourist buses, the difficulty of hiking and unpredictable weather conditions, Knivskjellodden remains an isolated area and lacks the prominence of its southern neighbor, the North Cape, where the buzzing tourist hive includes a huge car park, a variety of tourist shops, cafes, restaurants, monuments, a chapel, its own post office, and, even by Norwegian standards, local cost. In contrast, the real northernmost point of Europe is marked by a modest monument, fixing the latitude of 71° 11" 08" and a small wooden box in which there is a book where you can write down your name and visitor number. Later, you can request a certificate confirming your arrival at Cape Knivskjöllodden by giving your number at the nearby Kirkeporten campsite. And the real reward for reaching Knivskjellodden is the feeling of accomplishment, the serenity of staring north and dreaming only of water running towards the North Pole, as well as abundance marine life, bird life, wildflowers and berries all make the hike very worth it.

16. It takes a whole day to visit Knivskjellodden, and, unfortunately, we did not have such a reserve, so we could admire the "real" tip of Europe only from the height of the North Cape - its famous, but slightly more southerly, neighbor ...

17. On the site near the "North Cape Hall" there is a monument "Children of the Earth", founded on the North Cape in 1989 by seven children from different parts of the world and symbolizing friendship, cooperation, happiness and hope.

20. Soon on the way back ... North Cape is an amazing place where I would very much like to return someday ...

21. I really don't want to leave. There is an unusually strong energy here, until the last moment, under the piercing wind, you stand in front of the one that spreads for many kilometers in front of you. harsh ocean. It’s hard to say where else life will throw you, where you’ll be able to visit, what to experience and what to see, but it’s safe to say that these half-hours at the “Top of Europe” are one of those that you remember for many, many years…

The North Cape made a very strong impression on all tourists, but the philosophical thoughts hovering on the bus were suddenly violated in the most unexpected way - a herd of reindeer who decided to slowly cross the road right in front of the bus. Deer are sacred: you have to wait.

On the way back, our bus made a stop at a small settlement where a Sami family lives. The Saami are one of the indigenous peoples of the north, who have long lived in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia (in our country - in Karelia and Kola Peninsula). Previously, the Sami made up the bulk of the population of these places. Now this, of course, is not so, and the current ethnic Saami, of course, in addition to field yurts, have capital housing, cars, and all sorts of other modern life delights, but even now they greatly honor their culture and do everything to preserve it passing on its traditions and customs from generation to generation.