27 October 2019, by Oana Badiu
Hoven height: 368 m
Hoven trail difficulty: Easy
Hoven trail hike: 1.9 km one-way, 3.8 km round trip
Hoven trail time: 2 h (round trip)
Hoven mountain peak is situated on the island of Gimsøya, in Vågan Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. Gimsøya is located between the islands of Austvågøya and Vestvågøya in the Lofoten archipelago and has a population of around 180 people.
Hoven is more of a hill that rises 368 m above the sea level, but it offers some really impressive 360° views. Like all the peaks in Norway, once you reach the top there is a near vertical drop to the bottom that opens up amazing scenery.
Unlike other mountain peaks in Lofoten, the vertical drop doesn't look as scary because you are shielded by rocks, so the Hoven hiking trail is suitable for everyone.
Hoven is quite easy to reach, with a a nice drive through the mountains and scenery of Lofoten. Next to the hiking trail there is also a golfing course, called "Lofoten Links", where you can also find a parking place. We visited Lofoten in mid august, so the parking lot was almost empty and we just met a couple of people hiking here.
Hoven hiking trail was probably the most enjoyable trail I have hiked in Lofoten. It is only 1.9 km long and only reaches 368 m high, so the trail is not too steep. Like all the hikes in Lofoten, there are some parts that are a bit more demanding, but this trail keeps those to a minimum. The trail is a bit worn-out, so I can imagine that the trail might get a bit slippery if it rains, but probably nothing that you cannot manage. There is also a bit of grass and vegetation that you can make use of when you descend.
Already after a few meters of hiking you get beautiful views towards Hovsvika beach.
Once you get to the top of Hoven, there are beautiful views of the fjords and mountains all around. There are also the typical pile of rocks that the hikers are "maintaining" over the years. I also made my contribution :)
What is really nice about Hoven is that once you reach the top, you have space to move around and check out different angles. On the other side of Hoven there are breathtaking views of the Gimsøymyrene mountains.
All in all I think Hoven was the best hiking trail that I tried in Lofoten. What was very surprising is that it's not a very popular hike, so you can enjoy the top of Hoven all by yourself! I guess most of the people that are hiking in Lofoten are looking for more dangerous and difficult hikes, however, if you are not a very good hiker or you just don't have enough time to do the long and difficult hikes, Hoven Hiking Trail is an easy and fast hike with amazing typical Lofoten views!
We went to Hoven after our Sea eagle safari from Svolvær, so it was a great way to spend our day!
