Skrolsvik Kystferie

Once a mining town, Hamn (an hour and 20 minutes from base) has become a northerly holiday hotspot for all seasons. In the winter months, fjord safari boats take wildlife spotters out to meet seals, whales and sea eagles in the icy waters; in the summer, canoeists paddle the clear blue seas around the 98 offshore islands and cyclists pedal Route 86, one of Norway’s 18 National Scenic Routes past white sand beaches and saw-toothed mountain ranges. By ferry from Skrolsvik you can reach the island of Hinnøya and its cultural hub Harstad in just over a couple of hours: the town's busy in summer months for its arts festival and networks of caves, scuba trips around the Belgica shipwreck and a burgeoning restaurant scene. It’s also got a waterpark buried deep inside a mountain… and you won’t see anything like that south of the Arctic Circle.