Ekkerøy is not quite an island: a low ridge of rock connected to the mainland by a narrow sandy isthmus, about fifteen kilometres east of Vadsø, with a small village on the sheltered side and a sheer bird cliff on the seaward side. In summer that cliff holds a colony of kittiwakes in the thousands, and the noise and smell of them reach you long before you see the nests, packed on every ledge above the waves.
The island is a nature reserve, and a footpath runs along the top of the cliffs, giving close views of the birds without disturbing them. Ekkerøy is also one of the places where the Varanger region's reputation among birdwatchers was built: the shore and the sea around it attract waders, ducks and seabirds, and in winter the rare Steller's eider gathers in the fjord. The beaches are covered with driftwood and shells, and the light here, especially in the long summer evenings, is clear and silvery.
The ridge has a long history of settlement. Archaeologists have found traces of Stone Age dwellings on the island, and there are remains of old fishing settlements along the shore. During the Second World War the Germans built fortifications here, part of the coastal defences of Finnmark, and you can still see bunkers and gun positions among the rocks. The village today is a quiet place of old houses and fishing sheds.
The road from Vadsø to Ekkerøy follows the shore of the Varangerfjord, flat and open, with gentle curves and wide views. The surface is good, and traffic is minimal. The wind can lean on you hard and cold, and the forecast can be wrong by lunchtime. This is a ride for the atmosphere rather than the corners: the landscape is wide and empty, the sea is grey or silver, and the sky is enormous.
Ekkerøy has no real services beyond a few houses. Vadsø, about fifteen kilometres back toward the west, has fuel, shops and cafes. Take binoculars if you have them, walk along the cliff path, and give the birds plenty of room. In late June and early July, when the chicks hatch, the colony is at its most lively.