Senja is Norway’s second largest island, with an area of 1,586 km2 and around 8,000 inhabitants.
The island has a varied landscape, and has been called ‘a Norway in miniature’. Southern Senja is mountainous with an archipelago, rocky cliffs and pine forests. The inner/eastern parts consist of a friendly lowland with fertile hills and birch forests, while the outer and northern parts are wild with deep fjords and high mountains that run straight down into the sea.
Sometimes, the row of mountains are broken by the uttermost beautiful, white beaches. The most splendid of them all is perhaps the beach in the Erik’s fjord, or Ersfjorden as it is also called.
We have bathed here many times. It is basically a ‘must’ to go here and swim every time we visit Idun’s older brother Frode in Sørreisa.
This time, however, there were far more people watching than bathing. Strange…
Their loss, ‘Tobatheornottobathe’ think. We had a great bath!
The 40 inhabitants in Ersfjord have experienced a big change when the Geitskar tunnel opened in 2004. Previously, it was a 115 km drive to Senjahopen (the nearest village, with 300 inhabitants). Now it is 3 km. This has led to much more tourism, as it became possible to drive around Senja. What else is there to do in the Ersfjord? Visit Gulldassen (the Golden Toilet), of course! They are quite good at spectacular toilets at Senja. Square meter price for this one: NOK 300,000! Quite a price. But nice? Oh yes, it is.
A little ironic, though, that the architect had put in a window in the roof, to enable seeing the northern lights while contemplating and doing your business. But currently the toilet is closed both at night and in wintertime…
Bathing and rest room visits are just right in Ersfjorden!