The Mannen hike at Haukland Beach in the Lofoten Islands is one of the most beautiful hikes in all of Norway. In this post we will go over the hike in detail and prepare you for one of the best experiences you’ll have in the Lofoten Islands.
Mannen is the name of the steep mountain peak that overlooks the white sand of Haukland Beach below. The hike is steep, but short, and offers some of the best views in the Lofoten Islands. Read on to learn everything you need to know to have the perfect hike to Mannen at Haukland Beach.
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The Mannen Hike at a Glance
- Round trip distance: 2.6 miles (4.2 km)
- Difficulty level: Strenuous
- Total elevation gain: 1207 ft (368m)
- Estimated hiking time: 1-3 hours, depending on level of fitness and how many photos stops you want to take
- Trail starting point: Haukland Beach parking lot
- Trail condition: Mostly clear to follow, though often muddy
- Opening times: year round (24 hours of daylight from mid-May to end of July)
Travel Essentials
For booking rental cars in Europe we usually use Discovercars.com. They nearly always have the best rates. However, they unfortunately don’t have any agreements with any of the rental companies in the Lofoten Islands. So up in Lofoten we use Rentalcars.com. You can search for a rental car from Harstad/Narvik Airport or one of the other regional airports using the search bar below.
You’ll also want travel insurance. We use World Nomads, a very well known and respected travel insurance company. World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers in over 100 countries. Click on the banner below to purchase travel insurance with World Nomads.
Haukland Beach – Europe’s Best Beach!
Haukland Beach on the west coast of the Lofoten Islands in Norway is a white sand and turquoise water bay that looks like something you’d see in Turks and Caicos and not Norway.
In 2023 Lonely Planet named Haukland Beach as the best beach in Europe. What criteria they used to pick that we will never know. But it’s really not too crazy when you think about it. The beach is truly gorgeous.
It’s a cove beach, which is common in Lofoten due to the rugged, mountainous landscape. It’s separated from its neighbor Vik Beach by a small, green mountain. The two beaches share the cove and are flanked by steep mountain peaks on either side.
The Haukland Beach sand is a grainy white sand. It’s not powdery sand like you’d find on the Gulf of Mexico, but it’s soft and smooth.
It would be perfect for lying on the beach on a sunny day if it were warm enough to ever do that in Lofoten. A few times a year it gets warm enough to pretend you’re in southern Europe. But don’t count on it!
How to get to Haukland Beach
Haukland Beach is easily accessible by car. It’s about 15 minutes north of Leknes, the second biggest town in the Lofoten Islands, which sits on the E-10 highway, Lofoten’s main thoroughfare. Leknes is about the midway point of the E-10 through Lofoten and even has its own small regional airport.
If you’re wondering how to get to the Lofoten Islands themselves, be sure to check out my guide to getting to the Lofoten Islands.
At the beach there is a designated parking lot. It only holds maybe 30 vehicles though, so it can be tough to find a parking spot in the summer season. The parking lot is used by beachgoers, campers, and those doing the Mannen hike.
If you’re relying on the Lofoten bus system you can still get to Haukland Beach. The logistics will just be a whole lot more difficult. You’ll have to take the twice daily #765 bus from Leknes.
Yes, that’s right. It only runs twice per day. So if you’re planning on the Mannen hike, you’ll have to take the 9:30 AM bus from Leknes, which gives you about five hours before the afternoon bus heads back to town.
Where to stay at Haukland Beach
Haukland Beach is not a town or village and has very few accommodation options. But there are some luxurious cabins to rent on a nearby beach as well as a camping area directly on the beach. Let’s go through the accommodation options here.
Cabins
The cabins discussed below are all available for rent and offer fabulous views of Haukland Beach and Mannen.
- Haukland Beach House: this basic yet well-equipped cottage is just a short 5-minute walk down to the beach. It’s the closest you can stay to Haukland Beach with a roof over your head.
- Haukland Beach Panorama: a beautiful rustic cabin with a sauna and a direct view of Haukland Beach. It’s a few beaches over in a tiny residential area.
- Magic Views Haukland Beach: another beautiful cabin in the small residential area with amazing views. The most expensive option in the region but definitely the nicest.
- Haukland Camp Cabin: a small and cozy one-bedroom cabin with a view of Mannen peak.
Camping
If you don’t want to spend $300 USD per night and you want to stay at or near Haukland Beach then you can always camp. Camping at the beach is totally free. It’s primitive though. Other than the pay-for-use toilets (20 NOK) at the parking lot, you won’t find any other services at the campsite.
It’s also not really a campsite, but just an area of sand that you’re legally allowed to camp in. The exact area is always changing so consult the Haukland Beach website for the most recent camping zone.
If you’re driving a campervan there is also an overnight parking area for you. It’s not free like tent camping, but at 160 NOK it’s not crazy either.
What to do at Haukland Beach
Even if you’re not doing the Mannen Peak hike, visiting Haukland Beach is a must-do when on the west coast of the Lofoten Islands. The stunning color of the water will leave you wishing Arctic Norway was just a bit warmer in the summer!
If you’re not hiking, you won’t need a whole lot of time at the beach. Unless you get that rare hot day, of course. Most of the time, it’s too cold to do typical beach activities like laying out in the sun or going in the water.
Instead, Haukland Beach is great for photography and camping. Any angle of the beach is wonderful for photographers. And some of the best photos come in the winter, when the beach is covered in a thin layer of snow.
Kayaking
Kayaking is an extremely popular activity in the Lofoten Islands, though it’s mainly limited to the summer months (July through September). Haukland Beach is one of the best places to kayak in Lofoten due to its pristine beach and ease of access and parking. You can rent kayaks directly from Haukland Beach’s tourism department.
Surfing
The Lofoten Islands are a popular surfing destination. That might sound insane since the water is cold enough to literally kill you, but that’s what wetsuits are for. Every year tons of people come to Lofoten just to catch a wave.
Haukland Beach isn’t the best surfing spot in the Lofoten Islands. That superlative goes to Unsted beach to the north. But you can still have a nice day of surfing at Haukland if you have all your own gear.
Polar Plunge
While you’re enjoying a day at Haukland Beach why not take the polar plunge?! The polar plunge is a loose term that is used to describe going in water that is just above freezing. And Haukland Beach is the perfect place to take the plunge.
The water temperature varies year round. The water in July and August can be semi-bearable. But most of the rest of the year the water is hovering between just above freezing and about 9 degrees Celsius.
If you’ve never felt 9 degree water let me fill you in: it is frikin cold! You’ll have to run in as fast you can so it hits you all at once. Trying to inch your way in does not work when doing the polar plunge.
Be sure to not stay in the water too long, as you don’t want to get hypothermia. After a few seconds you’ll be dying to get back to the beach. It’s an exhilarating experiment though!
The Hike to Mannen at Haukland Beach
Now that we’ve gone over Haukland Beach, let’s get to what you came here for: the hike to Mannen peak. Norway has tons of amazing hikes. It’s one of the main reasons people choose to visit Norway over other northern destinations. The Mannen hike is just one of many, but it truly is one of the best.
From the top of the mountain you’ll get an incredible view of the beach and all the surrounding mountains in this ridiculously beautiful region of Norway.
Where the Mannen hike starts
The Mannen hike starts from Haukland Beach, the beach we just went over in depth. There is a small parking lot and pay-for-use toilets, as well as a small cafe in a shipping crate that is only open in the summer months. Haukland Beach plans to build a grand new visitor’s center, however, that is slated to open in late 2024.
Length of hike
The total length of the Mannen hike is only about 2.6 miles (4.2 km) round trip. You really won’t cover that much distance. But don’t be fooled, it’s literally straight up a steep mountain.
Elevation gain
From the Haukland Beach parking lot to the top of Mannen you’ll gain 1207 ft (368m) of elevation. It’s really not that much, and you start at sea level so you won’t have to worry about any effects of altitude (this isn’t hiking in Colorado after all). It is damn steep though, so don’t think the hike won’t be challenging.
Fitness Level and trail difficulty
As the overall length of the trail and the elevation gain is marginal, you don’t need to be super fit to do the Mannen hike. You do need some basic level of fitness though. While it’s short, it’s very strenuous the entire time with no downhill relief until you reach the top. If you struggle climbing stairs in your office building you might not enjoy the hike up.
The trail is well marked until you get to the ridge that leads you to the peak. Don’t worry though, you can’t get lost. There’s only one way to go, as either side of you drops down to the beaches below.
If you’re afraid of heights this is not a hike for you, as the ridge can be quite narrow at times. Do not get too close to the edge. One misstep and you’ll be falling to your certain death. Stay in the middle of the ridge and do not venture to the edges and you’ll be fine.
General Trail Description
Starting from the parking lot you’ll walk up a paved road for about 10 minutes before you reach a marking that directs you to go left into a grassy area at the foot of the mountain. Here you’ll climb some switchbacks on a dirt path before the trail straightens out.
After the switchbacks it’s straight up the Mannen peak to the top. There are some rocks to scramble up, but for the most part use of your hands is not needed. As mentioned previously, it’s a relatively narrow ridge with steep drops either side so don’t venture too close to the edge.
The trail can get pretty muddy as you get near the top of the mountain. Unless it hasn’t rained in days, expect to get your boots dirty. It’s not sloppy mud though (unless it’s raining heavily), so you probably won’t struggle with your footing. Just be prepared to meet some mud on the trail.
At the top of the mountain you’ll likely be greeted by strong winds. But the views will make it worth it. There is not a whole lot of room to sit and relax, but there are a few rocks that make for amazing photos over Haukland Beach and the mountains beyond.
Views along the way
Once you reach the ridge there will be epic views left and right, though mainly left. By that I mean that Haukland Beach is to the left. On the right you’ll see Uttakleive Beach, which is nice but not nearly as beautiful.
As you climb you’ll get different views of Haukland Beach. The higher you get the more dramatic the mountains to the south appear. There are plenty of amazing photo opportunities along the hike, arguably as nice as the view from the top.
The view from the top
From the top of Mannen peak you get a 360 degree view of the central Lofoten Islands as well as an epic view of Haukland Beach below. The top of the peak is definitely one of the most Instagrammable places in the Lofoten Islands. Even looking back inland is amazing. Take your time at the top. It’s not every day you get a view like this!
Typical weather at Haukland Beach
As with anywhere in the Lofoten Islands, the weather can be your biggest foe. One of the main things to know before visiting Lofoten is that the weather is often pretty miserable. No matter where you are on the islands, it’s highly mountainous. And the coastal mountains trap clouds, meaning it’s often cloudy in Lofoten.
The sunniest months are July and August. Even then, however, you can still have a week straight or nothing but clouds and rain. For getting your forecast for Haukland Beach use Norway’s official weather platform yr.no (there is no app for download).
Due to the muddy trail, it’s not advised to attempt the hike in heavy rain. If rain is light, the mud will be minimal and manageable. Also remember the best part about the Mannen hike is the amazing views. So why do the hike if you won’t be able to see anything!?
Mannen Hike at Haukland Beach – FAQs
Where is the starting point for the Mannen hike?
The Mannen hike starts from the Haukland Beach parking lot. You can see the exact location on Google Maps here.
Where is Haukland Beach?
Haukland Beach is on the west coast of the Lofoten Islands, a stunning chain of rugged islands in northern Norway. The closest town of substantial population is Leknes, the second most populated town on the islands.
Is Lofoten inside the Arctic Circle?
Yes, the Lofoten Islands are completely above the Arctic Circle. This means that they experience the Polar Night and the Midnight Sun. From late May to late July, the sun never sets, and from early May to early August it never actually gets dark. In the winter, the islands are not far enough north to stay fully dark. There are about 5-6 hours of twilight each day.
Final Word
The Mannen hike at Haukland Beach is one of the most scenic and spectacular hikes in the Lofoten Islands and all of Norway. A short and steep hike, it doesn’t take very long to get to the top, but it is a high intensity uphill climb the whole way. The view from the top is to die for, and will leave you longing to return back to the Lofoten Islands one day in the future!
