We woke up in the morning in our tent surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. After a peaceful breakfast and packing some snacks, we headed towards Segla. We were indeed at Ersfjord Beach and decided to leave the tent here for the day, planning to return to the same spot for the night because the location was so good. We did wonder if the tent would still be there when we came back, but we trusted that no one would steal someone else’s tent.
So, off we went towards Segla, Senja’s most popular mountain peak. It took about half an hour to reach the starting point of the Segla hiking trail, located on the outskirts of the village of Fjordgรฅrd.
There are two options for hiking here: either to the summit of Segla or alternatively to the summit of Hesten. The peaks are adjacent, with Segla offering a climb to a majestic summit, while Hesten provides amazing views of Segla itself. Both offer stunning mountain views, of course. Our plan was to climb Segla first and, if we had the energy and daylight, then head to the summit of Hesten.
Good footwear is essential for the hike because the trail ascends through rocky terrain where sturdy shoes are important. The Segla trail covers a total distance of 4.2 kilometers round trip, and Segla itself is a 639-meter-high mountain, so the total ascent is about 600 meters. We had read beforehand that it would take about 2 hours each way due to the steep ascent despite the relatively short distance.
We parked the car at a small parking area at the beginning of the Hesten trail, which had a few free spots, found nearby. From there, we walked a short distance along a dirt road until we reached the signposts for Segla.
It’s worth noting that if you park at the Segla parking lot marked on the map, it is a paid parking area, although poorly indicated.
Initially, the trail winds through the valley on small paths towards the towering Segla peak. The destination is always visible, and the trail is very clear. Gradually, the journey progressed. The first significant milestone is reached when arriving at a plateau, on the edge of the majestic mountain. The views from here, with the mountainside dropping vertically towards the sea and other magnificent peaks rising on all sides, are truly breathtaking.
This plateau area is quite large, and we noticed several tents set up here. We couldn’t help but envy them, thinking it would have been amazing to camp here if we had realized it was possible, but maybe next time!
This plateau seemed to be the final destination for many hikers without the intention of continuing towards the summit, and we fully understand why โ the views from here are already incredible! From this vantage point, looking at the towering Segla peak rising vertically from the sea is an incredibly impressive sight. You can also see Senja Island’s highest peak, Breitinden, which is 985 meters high.
We had some snacks and enjoyed the views peacefully until it was time to head towards the summit itself. From here, the next 300 meters of ascent were rocks upon rocks, steeply upwards. There was no actual trail; we made our way through the boulder field, finding the best route, but with the destination always in sight, navigation was straightforward.
As we climbed higher, the route became steeper and more challenging. For those with a fear of heights, this could be quite a challenging hike. As we ascended, the climbing almost became literal, practically crawling upwards.
Finally, the views are absolutely stunning, with the steep mountainsides rising vertically from the sea being truly impressive, and on the other side of the fjord, you can see other high mountains. Oh, this was definitely the most amazing place on our trip to Norway so far!
We spent so much time here that we decided not to continue to the Hesten trail but to leave it for next time.
We can wholeheartedly recommend Segla to everyone. There are two good options here: either to the plateau, which is a slightly easier hike, or all the way to the summit. Both offer truly stunning and majestic views that will not be easily forgotten.
