The Svolværgeita, the Svolvær Goat, is a pair of rock horns on a peak above the town, and climbers jump the gap between them for the thrill of it. That is the sort of place Svolvær is. It is the largest town in the Lofoten islands, with some four thousand people on the island of Austvågøya, and it sits on the edge of a harbour surrounded by jagged mountains that rise straight out of the sea.
Lofoten has been a fishing centre for more than a thousand years. Every winter, from about January to April, vast shoals of cod come south from the Barents Sea to spawn, and fishermen from across northern Norway used to gather here for the season. The fish is hung on tall wooden racks to dry in the cold, salty air, becoming stockfish, which was a major export to Italy and Portugal for centuries. The racks still stand, and in some places the smell reaches the road. Nearby Kabelvåg has an old fishing village and a small museum.
The road, the E10, is the great ride of the north. It runs west across the islands on bridges, causeways and tunnels, with the mountains pressing in on one side and the sea on the other, and the light changes constantly. The surface is good, the bends are moderate, and the speed limits are low, with cameras on the straighter sections. In summer, the midnight sun lasts from late May to mid-July, and you can ride at any hour with the sky glowing. In winter, snow and darkness change the character of the road, and the northern lights can appear.
Fuel is easy in Svolvær, with several stations, and in Kabelvåg and Leknes. Restaurants serve fresh cod, often in the form of boiled fillets, fish soup or tongues, a local delicacy, and the best meal is whatever came off the boats that morning. Book accommodation ahead in summer, as the islands fill with visitors. Wind and rain can arrive suddenly, so pack warm and waterproof clothing, even in July.