Verdenssvaet in Efjord

Efjord

Verdenssvaet, also called Svadet, is a mountain hike over a large, continuous granite surface in Efjord south of Narvik. Here you walk from pine forest and out onto polished rock, with views of the fjord, mountains and a raw northern Norwegian landscape.

Highlights

  • Experience a mountain hike over one of the world's largest continuous rock faces
  • Follow the path from the E6 through pine forest and further out onto the open swamp
  • See views of the Efjord, blue sea, and dramatic rock formations
  • Explore a tour popular with locals and visitors alike
  • Continue towards small lakes and open rock surfaces at the top
  • Suitable for: Children 8+
  • Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty level
  • Easy
Duration
  • 3-5 hours

Description

Verdenssvaet in Efjord is a mountain hike with a clear main experience: walking on a huge, smooth-cut granite surface shaped by the movements of the ice. Svaet is around 1.5 kilometers long and up to 350 meters wide, and is located in a fjord landscape where high mountains meet blue sea. The tour starts at the E6. From the parking lot, you cross the road and onto a path through pine forest before the landscape opens up and you come out onto the stone surface itself. From here, follow the granite upwards. The surface is knotty and provides good grip when dry, but dark and wet areas can be very slippery. Towards the top, the terrain becomes steeper. Here it is important to walk calmly and choose safe parts of the mountain. At the top, the landscape flattens out more, with small lakes and open rock surfaces that provide plenty of space for a breather and a view of the fjord landscape. The trip is especially popular in the evenings, when fjords and mountains are bathed in the midnight sun. Verdenssvaet shows much of what Efjord and the Narvik region has to offer: polished granite, fjord views, mountain peaks and a landscape shaped by ice, weather and time. The trip is easy and family-friendly, but has a significant climb and requires dry conditions and good judgement on rock.

Transport

Verdenssvaet ligger i Efjord, omtrent én times biltur sør for Narvik. Efjord er en fjordarm av Ofotfjorden i Narvik kommune. Det finnes ikke offentlig transport til startpunktet. Parkering ved parkeringsplassen i Leirpollmarka i Efjord, i oppstigningen til Skjellevikskaret.

Additional information

Length: 4.3 km round trip Ascent: 385 meters Duration: about 2 hours Level of difficulty: Easy / green Season: approximately June to September Do the hike only when the snow has melted and the snow is dry The trip is not recommended in rainy weather or when the rock is wet Avoid dark areas, running water, moss and algae growth, as this can be very slippery Exercise caution in the upper section, which is steepest The hike is suitable for children, but the last part can be a bit steep for the very little ones Substrate: path through pine forest and smooth-cut granite The tour is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers due to significant incline Be careful when crossing the E6 from the parking lot to reach the path on the other side of the road. The road has a curve close to the parking lot, and electric cars and other traffic can come quietly and quickly. There is no public transport to the starting point There are sanitary facilities at the Storøya rest area at the Efjord bridges, 4.5 km from the parking lot at the start of the trip

Map & Directions

1 hour

Drive to Efjord and park at the parking lot in Leirpollmarka, by the E6 in the ascent to Skjellevikskaret. From the parking lot, cross the E6 and follow the path into the pine forest. Be careful and listen carefully for cars when crossing the E6. After a short stretch, you come out on Verdenssvaet itself, where the trip continues up the granite surface.