Keiservarden

Keiservarden is a flat rocky plateau at 366 metres above Bodo, and the cairn on it was built in 1889 for the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who came here as part of the fashion among European royalty for northern travel. The walk from Maskinisten takes about an hour on a good marked path, popular enough that on a fine evening a steady stream of local people goes up after work. From the top the view runs over Bodo and the airport, out to the Lofoten wall on the horizon, over the Vestfjord and inland to the Borvasstindan peaks. In summer the midnight sun is visible from here between early June and early July, which is when the plateau gets busiest.

Highlights

• The emperor's cairn - a stone marker built for the 1889 royal visit.
• The Lofoten view - the island wall on the horizon across the Vestfjord.
• The town below - Bodo, its harbour and the airport runway.
• The midnight sun - visible from the plateau in June and early July.

When to go

May to September for the easiest walking; June and early July for the midnight sun, which is the busiest period. The path is used year-round but ices badly in winter and needs spikes.

Before you go

The path is steady rather than steep but is rocky and wet in places. There is no shelter on the plateau and the wind can be strong. Cloud frequently hides the Lofoten view that most people come for.

Nearby

Bodo town and its Norwegian Aviation Museum are below; Saltstraumen and Kjerringoy lie south and north.

Key facts