Måtinden is likely one of the most popular hiking trails on the island of Andøya, and it’s easy to see why—the scenery is breathtaking. Måtinden also serves as a great alternative to the popular Ryten/Kvalvika Beach hike in the Lofoten Islands, offering dramatic coastal cliffs and a beautiful beach that can be admired from above or visited by hiking down.
Måtinden is located on Andøya Island, part of the Vesterålen archipelago just north of the Lofoten Islands. It’s an easy detour if you’re visiting the Lofoten Islands, as the drive from the E10 highway takes only about 1.5 hours.
Two starting points for the Måtinden hike – Stave & Baugtua
There are two starting points for the Måtinden hike: Baugtua and Stave. The trail is similar from both points, with a round-trip distance of about 7.6 km. Both routes begin with a steep about 500-meter uphill, followed by a more moderate climb through undulating tundra.
We began our hike from Stave, which we highly recommend as the starting point. From here, the trail follows the coastline for most of the way, offering stunning views throughout the hike. The Stave trailhead is small, with parking available for only a few cars. However, when we started the hike, there were only two other cars, making it a peaceful option. The trailhead also leads to Høyvika Beach, about 1.9 km each way. You can combine this with the Måtinden hike, as we did on our return journey.
Stave to Måtinden
Trail Length: 7.6 km round-trip, approximately 10 km if detouring to Høyvika Beach
Difficulty: Hard (The initial climb and descent to the beach increase the difficulty)
Starting Points: Stave / Baugtua
Peak Elevation: 408 meters
Scenery: Steep cliffs descending into the sea, sharp rock formations, beaches surrounding the peak
The Initial ascent is a challenge
The trail from Stave to Måtinden begins with a steep and challenging 500-meter climb. This initial stretch is a serious workout, but the effort is quickly rewarded as the first views open up at the top, and the hike becomes easier.
The Stave route, unlike Baugtua, starts from the coast, allowing you to enjoy coastal views immediately after the climb. Even the initial ascent offers impressive views of the Andøya coastline, but it’s best to stop and turn around to fully appreciate them.
Once you reach the top, hidden below the rugged slope between the cliffs, lies the secluded Høyvika Beach, with its white sands and turquoise waters. On the other side of the path, the tundra meadows roll gently, often dotted with grazing sheep. As you pass one group of sheep, the bells of the next group can already be heard in the distance.
Choose your path wisely
The trail continues with a slight incline, occasionally dipping into small stream valleys, offering some extra elevation gain. The path is fairly clear, especially in the beginning, but eventually, multiple trails begin to branch off, leading to slight detours and extra climbing if not careful. While we followed the route using GPS, we occasionally strayed off the main path, leading to additional elevation gain. Following the main trail more closely would likely result in a more straightforward hike. Nevertheless, you’ll find your way to the summit, but an unwise choice of path may add some distance and elevation.
We often use the AllTrails app to map out our routes, as it offers detailed descriptions, user comments, GPS tracking, elevation profiles, and more. The app has both free and paid versions.
The Summit Views Are Worth the Effort
The final ascent to the summit is steeper but not as challenging as the initial climb. Any fatigue from the final stretch quickly fades away upon reaching the top. The views are simply stunning! From the summit, the cliffs drop steeply into the sea, and the jagged rocks embraced by the ocean create a spectacular landscape. In the distance, the Andøya mountains were beautifully draped in a blanket of clouds, with only the peaks visible above.
There’s plenty of space at the summit, so even if there are other hikers, you’ll find a quiet spot to take in the views. The scenery varies slightly depending on where you stand at the summit, so it’s worth exploring a bit, but be careful, as the drops are steep and high.
We did this hike during the midnight sun, enjoying the endless daylight. We weren’t alone at the summit, with a few other people and individual hikers still arriving after midnight.
A Light jog back via Høyvika beach
The return journey is much easier, as it’s mostly downhill, allowing for a quicker pace. We decided to take a detour to Høyvika Beach, which we had admired both during the ascent and from the summit. The path down follows the stream that we crossed earlier, though the trail can be muddy and somewhat steep in places. However, by taking it slowly, we reached the beach without any issues.
At the beach, we were immediately greeted by a flock of sheep, who briefly stared at us before losing interest and returning to their lounging. The scenery at the beach continued the same stunning pattern that had followed us throughout the hike—fine, light sand and gently rolling crystal-clear waves framed by towering mountains created a serene atmosphere.
There’s also a marked trail directly to Høyvika Beach from the Stave trailhead, about 1.9 km each way. This is an excellent option if you want to enjoy just the beach.
The beach is very peaceful, with only one building in the center, possibly a summer cabin. Other than the sheep, we saw no one else there, although it was around 2 a.m., which explains the lack of other visitors.
A Final climb and echoes between the cliffs
We walked along the beach towards the car, thinking that this was a nice, relaxing end to the hike, with no more hills to climb and the trail following the coastal cliffs around the headland.
But of course, this is Norway, and there’s rarely a trail without at least a small climb. After a short walk along the rocky beach, the path led us over a small hill between the higher peaks.
While not insurmountable, this climb was something we could have done without at this point in the hike. At the top, a welcoming committee of three sheep was perched on a large rock and watching our progress. It’s always impressive how well these sheep navigate the rocky terrain despite their seemingly awkward build. We encountered several more sheep scattered across the slopes. They seemed to be calling out to each other or perhaps warning of our presence, their bleats echoing beautifully between the cliffs.
After this, the trail continued downhill and across flat terrain until we reached the starting point.
Måtinden was a fantastic hike, a destination worthy of a trip to Andøya in itself, and we highly recommend it. It’s rare to find a hike where you can enjoy incredible views for the entire journey. Here, after the initial climb, you don’t just stare at your feet and the trail ahead—the path along the coast offers stunning scenery all the way to the top.
