Svolværgeita (‘The Svolvær Goat’)
Leap from one mountaintop to another, 984 feet above the town of Svolvær
No one traveling on the sea route to Svolvær could possibly miss the sight of Svolværgeita: Two rock formations shaped like goat horns that loom over the town. This double peak is 1,936 feet above sea level.
SPECTACULAR PANORAMAS ABOVE SVOLVÆR
As with many mountains in northern Norway, Fløya has been the subject of legend and superstition. In the past, many fishermen trekked up the mountain to offer the year's first catch of Lofot cod to the people of Svolværgeita. While some traditions have faded away, the vista from the top of the mountain remains spectacular. Anyone who climbs to the mountaintop is still rewarded with a panoramic view of Svolvær and out across the sea.
A CHANCE TO BE DARING
For the adventurous, there are a number of climbing routes up the mountainside. You’ll also get the chance to take on the biggest dare of all right at the mountaintop: Jumping about 5 feet from one goat's horn to the other.
The trio of Ferdinand Schjelderup, Alf Bonnevie Bryn, and Carl Wilhelm Rubenson first summited Svolværgeita on August 1, 1910. A hundred years later, nine-year-old Magnus Holm became the youngest person to reach the top. He also jumped between the horns.