Date: 18. June 2014
Skibotn in Lyngenfjord is a popular bicycle destination. The marked trails, the dry climate and the beautiful nature are some of the reasons why people choose to jump on the bike seat and challenging themselves on the winding paths.
The dry climate in the area around Skibotn makes the marked trails perfect for an early bicycle season. Already in April-May, you can find good conditions in the forests and on the mountains for mountain biking, endure-cycling and downhill cycling. Two popular bike events take place here every year: Skibotn Stifestival and Lavkarittet. The trails that they use are well marked and can be used at any time.
Skibotn Stifestival
Skibotn Stifestival is a social gathering for anyone who is interested in cycling on paths and trails. The festival takes place every year in August between Friday-Sunday. Five guides are helping the participants to choose the right trails and they are offering different levels of bicycling depending on the people’s conditions and knowledge. Strandbu Camping is the high-camp for the festival where you can put up a tent, sit by the fire or hang around in the big tent where they serve food and drinks. The arrangement is unpretentious and the focus is to play with the bicycle and enjoy the nature and the gathering with other people, sharing the same interest.
Lavkarittet MTB race
The second weekend in August each year is the race Lavkarittet in Skibotn. It is the largest mountain bike-race in Northern Norway with 500 participants. The arrangement is for the whole family with three different competition levels. One is for children up to 10 years (Minilavka: 2,5 km), the other one is for 10-16 year olds and for anyone who want to cycle a bit shorter (Lavka30: 30km) and the third is the biggest one for everyone who have some experience and want to compete (Lavkarittet: 65km).
Lavkarittet starts in Hatteng by the food store. The racetrack runs up to Kitdalen on a gravel road and runs further higher up on the mountain and continues to follow the ridge with a fantastic view over Lyngenfjord and the valleys. 65 kilometres on winding paths and the race ends in Skibotn. Some participants are there to win, others just enjoying the adventurous cycling and the nature experience.
Professional cyclists from whole Scandinavia is meeting up to participate in the race and Lavkarittet is a truly festival for anyone who is nearby.
