Engnes in Skjervøy is a beautiful natural gem! This hike offers a wonderful view of the open sea, while the remnants of the German coastal fort will give you an insight into the history of World War II here.
Getting there
Drive through downtown Skjervøy and follow the road to the football field at the Skjervøy sports club, where there is ample car parking space. The walk to Egnes starts at the same place as the floodlit cross-country ski trail.
Hiking to Engnes
Follow this path where people ski in winter in a north-easterly direction. It follows an old, but well-maintained cart road that was developed in conjunction with the building of the coastal fort at the northern tip of Skjervøy.The hike out to Egnes takes about three hours and is roughly 7 km there and back. A rustic shelter and fireplace have been set up about 1 km from the start, where there are a variety of other places along the route to enjoy your picnic lunch and the wonderful views.In summer, the path is suitable for prams. Many also ride out to Engnes by mountain bike.
"The monkey playing the piano" at Engnes
After 3 km, you will reach the hill Engnesodden and have good views of the remnants of the World War II coastal fort.The path continues to Engnes, where you can see concrete observation posts and gun emplacements. There are also three tunnels in the mountainside which remain open. Remember to bring a torch or headlamp if you want to explore inside the tunnels.
Return via "The Troll"
If you want a longer hike, you can follow the route via "Trollet" (The Troll) down to the sports ground.To reach "Trollet", turn off to the west about 200 m before the Brennerpass rock. You will find a cairn here! When you reach "Trollet", you will be rewarded with wonderful views in every direction. From there, simply follow the well-marked path back to the sports ground.
- Did you know that the large concrete observation post at the coastal fort has become a wellknown landmark called ”Apen som spiller piano” (The monkey playing the piano)? You can see this clearly from the west.
