The peninsula and its neighbour Rybachy were the front line of the northern war. In 1941, German mountain troops attacked from Norway, aiming for Murmansk, and were stopped here on the Zapadnaya Litsa river after months of fighting. The line held until 1944, and the hills are littered with concrete bunkers, rusted barbed wire, and the foundations of gun positions. Today the area is a closed border zone, and the Northern Fleet's submarine bases lie close by, so access normally requires a permit, which should be arranged well ahead, and the rules can change.
The landscape is spare and beautiful. The ground is a mix of bare granite, bog and low scrub, with dwarf birch and juniper in sheltered hollows, crowberry and cloudberry across the flats, and lakes in every dip. The sea is cold and green. In summer, the light never really goes, and the colours are soft and bright. In autumn, the tundra turns red and orange, and the first snow comes in September or October. Reindeer and sea eagles are not uncommon, and you may see seals along the shore.
Expect broken slabs, potholes, mud and wind, and be ready for fog that cuts visibility to a few metres. A dual-sport bike, a puncture kit, and a plan for the weather are the minimum. The wind can blow so hard that it is hard to stand, and summer temperatures hover around ten degrees. Mosquitoes in July are vicious on the sheltered side of the hills.
Fuel is the main practical constraint. There are no services on the peninsula, and no mobile coverage in places, so bring food, water, a repair kit and warm clothes.
The tundra is quiet, the war is long over, and the sea is endless. Come for the light.