Vaeroy

Vaeroy lies beyond the end of the Lofoten chain across the Moskstraumen, a small island of around seven hundred people dominated by steep mountains with enormous seabird cliffs on the western side, holding puffins, kittiwakes, guillemots and one of Norway's stronger sea eagle populations. On the far side, reached by a walk of about two hours over a pass, lies Mastad, an abandoned village whose people lived largely by hunting puffins, using a distinctive breed of dog, the Lundehund, with six toes on each foot and unusual joint flexibility for reaching into the cliff burrows. The village was left in the 1950s and its houses stand empty. Bird numbers on the cliffs have declined sharply in recent decades.

What you actually see

• The bird cliffs - large seabird colonies on the western coast.
• Mastad - an abandoned puffin-hunting village reached on foot.
• The Lundehund story - the six-toed dog bred for the cliff hunt.
• The mountain crossing - a steep walk over the pass to the far shore.

When to go

June to August, when the birds are on the cliffs and the ferry runs its summer schedule; the colonies empty from August. Weather is exposed and crossings can be rough or cancelled at any time.

Honest expectations

The ferry is long and often rough, and sailings are cancelled in wind. The walk to Mastad is steep, boggy and exposed with unfenced cliffs. Accommodation and food options are very limited and need booking well ahead.

Nearby

Rost lies further out; Moskenes, Å and the Moskstraumen are back toward the Lofoten mainland.