«It is just passed midnight. On the northern (outer) side of Lofoten, the sea and the mountains are flood lit by nice orange light. I have not seen the midnight sun before, but today I managed to persuade mum to let me stay awake long. We walk barefoot on the beach, the sun is warm and make the sea twinkle like diamonds. In the sand there are beautiful shells, a small crab that is washed ashore and …… a poop! There, in the middle of the idyllic moment is a poop covered by a napkin. This does not fit in very well with my summer memory!» 

Lise, 11 years old

Have you thought of that when you walk in nature you actually visit the animals in their home? When visiting anybody else, you would not have thought of throwing away neither toilet paper not garbage. Visiting nature should create good memories for you and it should not be possible for others to see that you have been there. Local people on the islands appreciate that you have decided to spend your holiday in Lofoten; because it means that you appreciate the nature here. People in Lofoten care very much about nature. In addition to the people and the fish, nature is the most precious we have and we need to look after it together.

«Nature, fish and people are the most important things we have!»

LARS, 9 Years Old

When you walk in the Lofoten mountains you need to know that we have not set up facilities for public toilets and waste disposal everywhere. If we had done that, we would have taken away a lot of the joy of being in nature, far away from people and built-up areas. But this means that you need to make plans. During the day, there is one thing we humans need to do. The thing we prefer not to do when we are on an outdoor trip. But if you are going on a long mountain walk or camping, there is a big chance you need to go to the toilet sooner or later. If you have to, you have to. But when you are out in nature, there is a little more to think about than when you have public toilets nearby. Here is some good advice from experienced outdoor kids in Lofoten.

Get a full overview of toiletfacilities an waste bins in Lofoten at Clean up Lofoten’s map.  

• Clean Up Lofoten Oversikt over offentlige toaletter/sanitæranlegg

Tips

• Go far away from the path. Other people going for a walk should not have to discover that you are on the toilet. So go away from the path and find a suitable «toilet area».Utedo med fuglekvitter. Grav deg et hull uten å ødelegge gresset, og vips så har du en helt unikt utedo akkompagnert av fuglekvitter i nydelige omgivelser.
• Outdoor toilet with bird song. Dig a hole without damaging the grass. Suddenly, you have a unique outdoor toilet accompanied by bird song in beautiful surroundings.
• Toilet paper is garbage. Always pick up your toilet paper and throw it in a garbage bin. This will prevent other guests from stepping into your outdoor toilet when they are going for a walk.  

Thank you for helping to keep Lofoten clean so that we can enjoy the magic of the midnight sun, totally free from poop. Welcome to Lofoten.