Tromsø Cycling — South Kvaløya Loop

This is Arctic cycling at its most spectacular. When I rode this route from Tromso, the midnight sun was up and the light on the mountains was unlike anything I had seen further south. The route loops around Kvaloya — one of the large islands west of the city — and the scenery is relentlessly dramatic from start to finish.

From Tromso the route heads northwest across the Sandnessund Bridge, which gives you an immediate panorama of the city, the cathedral, and the snow-capped peaks in every direction. Once on Kvaloya the road turns west and the climbing begins. Kattfjordeidet is the only real climb of the day — a steady haul to around 170 metres — but it earns its place. From the top, the descent toward the western coast opens up views of the Lyngen Alps and the open sea that stopped me in my tracks.

The western side of the island is exposed and wild. The mountains here rise above 1,000 metres — Store Blåmann at 1,044 and Hollendaren at 1,029 — and they come straight up out of the sea. The peaks are jagged, with snow clinging to the ridges well into summer. On this stretch is the Otervik tunnel, 607 metres, with a button at the entrance that switches on the lights — a small detail but worth knowing so you are not caught off guard in the dark. Near the halfway point the route passes close to Sommarøy, and the detour is worth every extra kilometre — white sand beaches and turquoise water that looks more Caribbean than Arctic.

The southern coast is quieter and flatter. The road hugs the shoreline with the fjord on one side and steep mountain walls on the other. I passed a handful of cars in thirty kilometres.

For supplies, Joker Austein is the main stop on the route. The day I was here they had everything I needed — drinks, snacks, and a bench outside with a view of the fjord. Reindeer appeared on the road twice during the ride, both times on the quieter southern section — they are not in a hurry and neither should you be.

The return to Tromso follows the eastern coast back toward the Sandnessund Bridge. The final kilometres are flat and fast, and arriving back in the city with the Arctic Cathedral ahead and the mountains behind felt like a proper homecoming after a long day in one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever ridden through.