The hike up to the summit of Segla is one of Senja’s most popular hikes. And this was our main reason for visiting Senja.
Many visitors skip past Senja, heading directly to the Lofoten Islands. But those people are missing out seeing a gorgeous part of Norway and some hidden gems. That’s fine…that means less crowded hiking trails for people “in the know.”
The hike up Segla is short but it is surprisingly tough. You have to be prepared to work hard to get to the summit, but you will be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of Norway.
It’s worth traveling to Senja just to do this hike.
Table of Contents
How to Hike to Segla
Segla Hiking Stats
Distance: 5 km round trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 610 meters (2000 feet) with a max elevation of 639 meters at the peak
Length of time: 3 to 4 hours
When: May through September
Optional: You can combine this hike with Barden (more at the end of this post)
Segla Elevation Profile
Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead, stay on the trail, pack out what you bring to the hiking trail, properly dispose of waste, leave areas as you found them, be considerate of other hikers, and do not approach or feed wildlife.
Segla Trail Guide
Getting to the Trailhead
The trailhead is located in Fjordgard. From the Brensholmen – Botnhamn ferry it takes 25 minutes to drive here.
A small parking lot is located behind Senja Montessoriskole, the Fjordgard school. GPS coordinates: 69.504415, 17.625956
Next to the parking lot is a sign marking the trailhead.
On the Trail to Segla
A wide gravel path wastes no time in gaining elevation. It is a slow and steady climb until you come to a fork in the trail. Stay to the right to continue up to Segla or turn left to hike up Barden.
The start of the hike. The peak of Segla can be seen in this photo.
Optional Detour: You can take the trail to Barden, summit Barden, and then hike to Segla from here. We did not do this so I don’t have the details on how much elevation gain and distance this adds, but it’s quite a lot. If you have plenty of energy and a full day to do this, it looks like a great addition to the Segla hike.
After you pass through a small, almost flat valley, the trail narrows and becomes very rocky. It also gets steeper. This is just a preview of the climb that awaits you further up the trail.
As you pause to catch your breath and rest your legs, look back towards Fjordgard and enjoy the view.
The Final Climb
After hiking up the rocky trail through the forest, you end up on a plateau. The views really open up here and you get your first view of the final climb to the summit.
View of the final climb to the top of Segla.
To reach the top of Segla, a long, rocky, and very steep climb awaits you. It looks deceptively easier than it feels (and at times it feels like it will never end).
If you climb up just a short distance, you get one of the best views of the day (so far). Follow the view of the plateau out to Barden, with the jagged, gorgeous mountains making a stunning backdrop.
Looking back over the plateau. You can see the peak of Barden off in the distance.
It took us roughly 30 minutes to make the final climb up Segla. This is very steep and very strenuous. We would hike up a short distance, pause to catch our breath, and continue on again. At this point, you are climbing a trail with a 45° incline.
There is no single trail to the top. Over the years, previous hikers carved out several different trails to the top. If you take the trail that is on the far left you will hike near the edge of Segla. There are some outcroppings of rock here that give you a vantage point to see the sheer face of Segla. Segla does not look impressive, or beautiful, from the hiking trail. It’s not until you get a view of the cliff plunging into Mefjord that you truly appreciate the beauty of this mountain.
In this photo, you can get an idea of how steep the trail is.
Tim, standing on Segla.
Finally, we reached the summit of Segla and were rewarded with one of our most spectacular views of Norway.
Views from the Top of Segla
From the top of Segla, enjoy 360° panoramic views of Senja. Gorgeous, right?
Looking down at Fjordgard.
Sign the turboka (the signature book), take your photo at the summit, and spend some time enjoying this amazing view.
We spent an hour at the summit and for a little bit we had it all to ourselves.
Return Hike
Return to your car the same way or add on the hike to Barden. To hike to Barden, descend back down to the plateau, hike across the plateau, and then hike up to the summit of Barden for another amazing view. You can then take the trail directly from Barden back to the parking lot.
Video of the Segla Hike
Want to see more of the trail? Watch our video about the hike up Segla, including clips shot with our drone.
Our Experience
We did this hike as part of our road trip through northern Norway. The night before we slept in Sommarøy.
From Brensholmen, which is the ferry stop closest to Sommarøy, we took the first ferry of the day (8:45 am). We arrived in Botnhamn at 9:30 am and drove to Fjordgard. At 10 am, there were only 3 other cars in the parking lot for this hike. When we got to the peak of Segla, there was only one other group of hikers here. Once they left, we had the peak of Segla all to ourselves. It was wonderful.
By the time we began our hike back to our car, many more people were on the trail and the parking lot was full. It wasn’t too bad but if you would like to have a quieter experience, start this hike early in the day if your schedule allows.
What To Bring
- Sturdy shoes with good traction. Hiking shoes are ideal but we saw people wearing sneakers and they were doing just fine.
- Water
- Camera
- Sunblock
- Snacks
- Hiking poles (optional)
If you are new to hiking or are curious about what you should bring on a hike, check out our Hiking Gear Guide. Find out what we carry in our day packs and what we wear on the trails.
Be Careful!
Sections of the trail pass near the edge of Segla. Be careful here so that you don’t slip and fall. You can hike up Segla on one of the trails that do not get close to the edge, which is recommended if you are doing this with children or you have a fear of heights.
Hesten: The Iconic View of Segla
Segla looks the most impressive if you see it from the north. It’s important to know that you won’t get the view in the photo below on the hike to Segla, since you will be standing on top of it. We only got the view because we have a drone.
Our drone photo of Segla. You can get a similar view by hiking to Hesten.
If you are interested, you can get this view by hiking to Hesten. While on top of Segla, I spotted a trail that leaves from Fjordgard and heads to the Hesten and the mountains north of Segla.
There is only one trail up and down Segla and that is on the southern face. There is no trail that takes you down the north side of Segla. It’s almost a straight down drop and it would be extremely dangerous to attempt this. So if you want to hike Segla and get the iconic view of it, you will have to do two separate hikes.
Looking north from Segla. Hesten is one of the peaks near Mefjord.
Where We Stayed
We stayed in Mefjordvaer at Mefjord Brygge. This place was great. We had our own house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, and a full kitchen. It was awesome having so much space to spread out in. Mefjord Brygge also runs a restaurant that serves fresh fish and seafood and really good desserts. From the property we could look out over Mefjord and see Segla.
For more information on what to do and see on the island of Senja, check out this article by Amanda Williams.
If you have any questions about hiking Segla or visiting Senja, comment below!
More Information for Your Trip to Norway:
NORTHERN NORWAY ITINERARY: On this 10 day Norway itinerary, road trip through Senja and the Vesteralen Islands, two beautiful off the beaten path destinations, and visit the Lofoten Islands.
BEST OF NORWAY ITINERARY: In this guide, we share two different ways to plan a 10 day trip that includes both the Lofoten Islands and southern Norway.
LOFOTEN ISLANDS: For an overview of the best things to do, read our Lofoten Islands Top Ten List. Get lots of travel planning advice in our Lofoten Islands Itinerary. For advice on where to stay, read our Lofoten Islands Hotel Guide.
HIKES IN NORTHERN NORWAY: The Stave-Bleik Coastal Trail is a gorgeous hike in the Vesteralen Islands. In the Lofoten Islands, you can also hike to Ryten, hike Svolvaer Floya for views over Solvaer, or hike to the top of Reinebringen.
ADVENTURES IN NORWAY: Trolltunga and Kjeragbolten are two of the best hikes to do in Norway. For an even bigger adventure, climb Svolvaergeita in the Lofoten Islands. Traveling to Svalbard in the arctic circle is an adventure in itself, but you can also go glacier kayaking or hike to one of the tallest peaks on Spitsbergen.
MORE GREAT HIKES IN EUROPE: From thrilling trails in the Alps to easy walks along the coast, read our article 20 Best Hikes in Europe for some beautiful hiking trails to put on your travel wish list.
Read all of our articles about Norway in our Norway Travel Guide.
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Comments 14
Hey Julie,
Do you think this hike can be done in early December? I haven’t been able to find much info on any guided hikes or anyone having hiked it in December.
Thanks!
Author
It really depends on weather conditions. If the trail is snow-covered, it is not a good idea to do this hike in these conditions. However, the weather can be surprisingly mild in this part of Norway, due to the Atlantic Ocean, so if it hasn’t snowed recently and the trail is free of snow, I think that you could potentially do this hike. I’ve heard reports of people still hiking the Lofoten Islands during the winter months, which is really just down the road from Senja. So, keep an eye on the weather and your fingers crossed, but have a contingency plan, just in case. Cheers, Julie
hye ,
do u think hiking Segla with 6 yo and 4yo is possible?
🙂
thank you in advance
Author
I don’t think it is possible to do this with a 4 year old, or probably even with a 6 year old. The last uphill climb is very steep and I don’t think a 4 year old could do this. And unless you are in phenomenal shape, you wouldn’t be able to carry your child uphill on this section. I had a hard time just getting myself up the climb and that rarely happens on a hike.
I love your blog and it has been very helpful for our norway trip planning and i only hope i found it earlier.
BTW could you tell me the model of your drone? The videos are so impressive!
Thanks,
Author
Hello Alvin. We have the DJI Phantom 4. We love it but have been considering the Mavic 2 Pro because it is smaller, quieter, and shoots better video/photos. The Phantom 4 is loud and we worry that we are disturbing other people around us. Cheers, Julie
Hi Earth Trekkers!
Coming in HOT from Singapore here! Glad to see you enjoyed 4 days here sometime back. I will be heading to Tromso/Senja/Lofoten in the middle of May, bringing with me much of your advise and counsel! You have wonderful pictures, some of which I understand come from a drone.
How was your experience using drones in that region? Did you face many restrictions on flight paths during your hikes and climbs? I hope to bring some nice footage and shots back home after my trip, and will appreciate any tips on this.
PS : If you noticed a huge building-in-progress just outside of SIngapore Changi Airport during your visit, you’d like to know that the JEWEL has just been completed and open to all!
Take care!
Chris
Author
Hello Chris! From our experience, Norway is one of the most “drone-friendly” countries we have visited. No need to submit flight paths and get prior approval ahead of time (at least as of 2018…it’s always a good idea to double check before you go). We shot lots of drone footage of the hiking trails without an issues, but we also try to be mindful of other hiker’s privacy and not be too obnoxious with the drone (they can be loud and I dislike that they disturb the “peace”). Have fun! Cheers, Julie
Hello Julie,
Awesome article and pictures. We are planning a 9-day trip to the northern/northwestern part of Norway in July. However, it seems like there is a constant threat of rain in July. How was your experience? When did you do the Segla hike? Recommendations for contingency activities in the region in case of a washout?
Author
Hello Ravi. It tends to rain a lot in Norway all summer. We did this hike at the beginning of July. It was sunny in the morning and during the hike. In the afternoon it started raining and then didn’t stop for almost 24 hours. We got very lucky with this hike. We toured the northern coast of Senja in the rain…it’s nice, but it would have been nicer in the sunshine, but that’s just the way it goes. On our 10 day tour of northern Norway, it rained 5 of the 10 days (although not all 5 days were complete wash-outs). They have a saying in Norway, “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing.” 🙂 Cheers, Julie
Thanks Julie for the prompt reply. Did you see any correlation of rainfall with time of the day? For eg. when I hiked in the Himalayas, it almost always started raining in the afternoons.
Author
No, it’s just the way the rain moves in with the weather front…some days in rained in the morning, others in the afternoon, and occasionally you can get one or two solid days of rain. Just have to keep your fingers crossed. Cheers, Julie
Hi Julie,
Segla is drop-dead gorgeous!
Could you name your top 3 hikes in northern Norway (including Lofoten)? This should be one of them, I guess 🙂
Paul
Author
Matind, on the Vesteralen Islands was my favorite. Most hikes in northern Norway are thigh-burning, steep climbs up to the top of a mountain for an awesome view. They are worth the effort, and even though they are short, it’s hard to do more than one a day. Matind was different in that you didn’t have to climb so high, and then you get to walk along the coastline and get treated to lots of different views. It’s almost like you got a “bigger bang for your buck.” We don’t have a post on this yet but we will soon. Ryten, on the Lofoten Islands, was also one of my faves, simply because it turned out to be so much better than I expected and I love it when that happens (no post on that yet, either). Segla is great, but the best view of Segla came from our drone, not from the hike, so that could make a difference to some people. Ornfloya, near Sommaroy, is a great, easy hike without a lot of people and really great views of Sommaroy. And finally, there’s Reinebringen, where you get that iconic view of the Lofoten Islands, but it is a heavily trafficked trail and undergoing some erosion. We did more but these are the ones that stand out the most. 🙂 Cheers, Julie