Gjesvaerstappan

The Stappan are three main islands and several skerries lying a few kilometres off Gjesvaer on the northwestern corner of Mageroya, and they hold one of the largest seabird concentrations in Finnmark: puffins in the hundreds of thousands, along with gannets, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, shags and white-tailed eagles, protected as a nature reserve. Boats run out from Gjesvaer harbour in summer, taking one to two hours and circling the cliffs close enough to see individual birds on the ledges. Landing is not permitted during the breeding season. Gjesvaer itself is a small fishing village at the end of a side road from the E69, well away from the Nordkapp traffic.

The landscape

• The puffin colonies - hundreds of thousands of birds on the slopes.
• The gannet cliffs - Norway's northern gannet colony on the ledges.
• The sea eagles - white-tailed eagles hunting around the islands.
• The boat circuit - a summer trip around the reserve from Gjesvaer.

When to go

May to August, when the birds are breeding; puffins arrive in late April and most leave by early August. Trips run in summer only and are cancelled in wind, which is frequent on this coast.

What to expect

Boat trips are cold, exposed and often rough, and unsuitable for anyone prone to seasickness. Landing on the islands is prohibited in the breeding season. Seabird numbers here, as across Norway, have fallen significantly in recent decades.

Nearby

Nordkapp and Knivskjellodden lie east on the same island; Honningsvag is the port town.

Key facts