Kinnarodden

Kinnarodden lies at 71 degrees 8 minutes north on the Nordkyn peninsula, and it is the northernmost point of the European mainland, a distinction often wrongly given to Nordkapp, which sits on the island of Mageroya. Reaching it takes commitment: about twenty-five kilometres each way from Mehamn across open, treeless, largely trackless tundra with bog, rock and river crossings, usually done over two or three days with a tent or by using the unstaffed cabin along the route. There are no facilities, no shelter and no phone coverage for much of it, and the weather can turn to snow in July. At the end stands a cairn on a low headland above the Barents Sea.

What's there

• The mainland's northern tip - the true northernmost point of continental Europe.
• The tundra crossing - twenty-five kilometres of open trackless ground.
• The cairn - a marker on the headland above the Barents Sea.
• The Nordkyn peninsula - one of the emptiest landscapes in Norway.

When to go

July to September, the only realistic window; snow can fall in any month and fog is frequent. The midnight sun in June and July gives continuous light for walking, though the ground is wetter early in summer.

Practical notes

This is a serious expedition requiring navigation, self-sufficiency, proper gear and a plan for bad weather, not a day hike. Rescue is slow and coverage patchy. Many who set out turn back. The destination itself is a cairn and empty ground.

Nearby

Mehamn and Gamvik are on the coast; the Varanger peninsula lies east across the fjord.

Key facts