7 Days, Multiple Departures
Join us on an epic new trail-running adventure as we trail and sail our way around the Lofoten archipelago of northern Norway.
The Lofoten Islands are arguably one of the most impressive seascapes on earth, with a series of islands stretching some 200km in the Arctic Circle. Mountains rise straight out of the ocean towards the sky. This is a place that has been shaped and exposed by millennia of crashing waves, ice and snow, which has dramatically transformed Lofoten into a fairytale landscape. We can’t think of a more spectacular place for a trail running adventure, made even more unique by exploring the area by boat which gives great accessibility to some hidden gems.
Our home for the adventure is the sailing vessel Moondance. A durable 9-berth expedition ship that uses the force of the wind to take us to the most remote locations. Each day we’ll drop anchor in a different area, make our way to shore and explore a jaw-dropping trail run, running from one Fjord to the other where our ship will be waiting to greet us. You can expect amazing scenery at every turn, from mountain ridges, white beaches, green hills and grey cliffs. The views are breathtaking, especially during the twilight hours.
No two days will be the same as our journey objective sees us visit Ramberg, Unstad, Kvalvika, Horseidvika and the famous islands of Vaeroy, which is only accessible by boat.
The lengths of the trail are flexible each day but will range from 10km to 30km, and are easily shortened or extended to suit the general vibe of the group.
The start and finish location of the adventure is Bodø Gjestehavn harbour which is an easy 10-minute walk away from the airport. Flights to Bodo are convenient from the UK with a short stop over in Oslo en-route.
Meeting with the Moondance
On arrival into Bodø you will need to make your way to the harbour which is a short 10-minute walk, or even shorter taxi ride. From here you will board Moondance where your adventure begins.
We disembark at the same spot when the trip wraps up.
What fitness is required for the trip?
Experience in running is a must, but our trips are designed for a broad range of running levels. The best thing about this adventure is that it’s flexible, meaning every trail can be adapted. Every location will have different trail options, ranging from very easy to difficult, and your guide will adapt the route to the groups skill and fitness level. Most importantly, our goal is not to run a race but for everybody to experience a beautiful journey.
Life onboard Moondance, what's it like?
Living on a sailing vessel differs from any other type of holiday. We are dependent on the elements, which requires a flexible attitude towards the program, the people, and expectations. In principle, we take the lead and initiative in everything. The captain guides you in their choices and asks for input. Based on our experience, guests feel more involved when they can participate in everyday activities on board. We always ask for a flexible and proactive attitude. The space can sometimes feel small, which is why we will regularly check in with you to ensure everything is meeting your expectations.
This retreat has been forged together from love and desire to explore magnificent places whilst keeping fit and achieving something special along the way.
The whole team behind this retreat has many years of experience in trail running and the adventure travel industry. We’ve run and explored everything from 5km to 100-mile endurance feats.
We’ve been incredibly lucky to explore the lengths and breadths of the world through our work, but our combined experience puts us in the best stead to share our running adventures with you, whatever your running ability.
We arrange adventure running holidays to a range of remarkable destinations around the world. These are journeys rather than races, exploring the world one trail at a time.
We spend a lot of time scoping out the most amazing runs, selecting breathtaking routes that combine with cultural gems to deliver a trail-running holiday like no other.
We keep our group sizes super small (max. 12) and we use expert running guides. We stay in beautiful boutique hotels in major cities and towns, and comfortable mountain lodging when on the trail. We jam-pack our trips with lots of added extras to cover most bases on a trip.
We included flexible daily running options which cater for runners of all abilities.
Our trips are designed for people of all running abilities. Fast or slow, it doesn’t matter as we look to deliver flexible daily runs on all of our trips.
A typical daily distance on our trips would be somewhere between 6km - 15km per day, depending on the trip this could be a longer daily distance of up to 15 - 20km. Our longest days do not go much higher than this. Our daily distances are also dictated by the terrain we run on, sometimes we cross mountain passes which take a bit of time to walk over which naturally takes longer to cover the distances.
Most importantly though, these are journeys rather than races and our group trips are managed accordingly to individuals running requirements, splitting the group if necessary if the desire is to run slower or faster. If you wish to run longer, we can easily extend this for you.
We prefer to travel on beautiful, empty trails to places which are reasonably off the beaten path.
As a result, of our destination choices, there is a range of terrains which we run upon. You can expect everything from beech forests, lush meadows, open pastures and soft grass in entry valleys.
We also do a lot of running in the mountains, being surrounded by lofty peaks. As a result some of our days include walking or running if steep mountain passes as we traverse from one valley to the next. As we go higher we expect the terrain to become dryer as we move over cobbles, stones and boulder sections.
Occasionally, we run at altitudes higher than 2,500m, but typically our ascent will not go over 1,500m.
We prefer to stay in characterful, boutique hotels and lodges which offer personality, rather than staying in larger resorts.
Location is key as it’s nice to get out and explore rather than be bused in to go sightseeing or shopping.
When we are out on the trail we will make the most of staying in cosy, simpler village guesthouses. Often these are alpine-style, surrounded by meadows with cows grazing, the gentle sounds of streams trickling past and panoramic views from every room.
Delicious and varied local meals are also a guarantee. Expect big plates of mozzarella, salads, olives, cured meats and lashings of local beer and wine at the end of well-earned day on the trail.
All of our trail running groups are fully-supported which means that you are only required to travel with a light pack, allowing us to travel more fluidly and giving the chance to focus on enjoying the experience in the process.
On our European trail running adventures, our large luggage will be transported ahead of us each morning by mini-van and will be left waiting for us in our rooms for our arrival later that day.
In destinations such as the Himalayas and the Albanian Alps, our large luggage will be transported ahead of us via yak, mule or porter. For such trips, we recommend bringing softer duffel bags which are easier to transport. A typical example will see our large luggage being transport several hours ahead of the groups’ departure where you will be reunited with your luggage at the end of the day.
Whilst these are trail running holidays with daily runs included, it’s a holiday after all and we feel it’s important to make the most of cultural interaction with sightseeing included alongside the running.
We combine our breathtaking routes with cultural gems which are carefully crafted to give you unique travel experiences whilst exploring the trail.
At the same time though we are flexible. If on a day you are feeling a bit tired and would prefer to explore an ancient Roman ruin rather than run through a mountain valley, we’ll make it happen for you.
No problem, a majority of people who join our trips are solo travelers.
All of our trips are set up for twin or double rooms which works well when we stay in smaller boutique lodging. We offer single supplements on all of our trips if you would prefer your own room.
We include just about everything so you can focus on trail running in extraordinary places. All transfers, trail running, guiding, accommodation, most meals and cultural experiences are included.
The only additional costs you need to cover are for individual souvenirs, snacks, and beverages outside of what we offer. For example, if you fancy a local beer from a café partway through the day.
Yes. We specialize in arranging excellent land-only arrangements with our ground team and do not book international flights. As there is a great variety of value flights departing from all over the world to the range of destinations we work in.
Throughout your booking process, we will discuss our trusted and recommended ways to book international flights through excellent ATOL protected partners who offer great value, ease of service and flight protection.
Let us know your arrival and departure details in advance and we will take care of everything else from the moment your land.
Part of the joy of travelling to the destinations we visit is the local cuisine. Fresh eggs, salads, cured meats, fish, olives, curries, and rice dishes…the list is endless. We want you to experience the local culture at it’s best, which certainly involves diving into the huge diversity of delicious dishes we will find everywhere we visit.
In Nepal, we will eat tasty Dhal Bhat curries served with poppadoms, local vegetables, and steamed dumplings. In the Mediterranean fresh, vibrant salads will be delivered for lunch while in the evening we eat moussakas, paellas and other wonders which are complimented for great wines and beers.
Certainly your trail running shoes!
As each of our trips climates and terrains vary we will send out a trip specific adventure pack which will cover the types of kit and clothing required. We send this in advance so that there is time for you to purchase anything you do not already own.
No problem, we can take care of anything and everything. All destinations we deal with are used to catering with a variety of dietary requirements. Please inform us in advance and we will ensure this is taken care of for you.