Meistervik: Trails, Lavvos and Culture

Meistervik offers a range of routes and destinations to help you plan your trip: from an illuminated circular ski trail and short hiking destinations to routes leading up to lavvos. Cultural sites and the landscape of the wider Balsfjord destination also offer reasons to tailor your stay to your interests.

Hiking Destinations and Lavvos near Meistervik

Above the residential area of Mestervik lies Sagelvlavvoen, also known as Mebillavvoen. It can be reached via a marked, well-trodden trail of about 1.6 kilometres and is open to everyone. Another destination is Arvidlavvoen on Reingjerdåsen: the route there climbs about 2.3 kilometres along a forest road. Arvidlavvoen is a popular hiking destination year-round.

If you are looking for a shorter hiking destination, Øverste benken is an accessible option about one kilometre from the residential area of Mestervik. The distances to Øverste benken, Sagelvlavvoen and Arvidlavvoen refer to different destinations and route descriptions. When choosing, it is therefore worth considering the type of route as well: a marked, well-trodden trail leads to Sagelvlavvoen, while a forest road climbs to Arvidlavvoen.

The hike to Nilssætra also starts in Mestervik. The marked trail first leads towards the lavvo and then continues to Nilssætra. Follow the current signs and trail markers along the way. The recommended parking place for this hike is Miljøbygget, Malangsveien 818, 9055 Mestervik.

More Options in the Village

MEBIL’s Postkassetrimmen includes six letterbox checkpoints in Mestervik that are open to visitors. The destinations have varying levels of difficulty. This offers a different way to plan a trip than the routes to the named lavvos: here, you can take the different difficulty levels of each checkpoint into account.

An illuminated circular ski trail of about two kilometres also runs above the residential area of Mestervik. It is a separate option for cross-country skiing alongside the hiking destinations. Mestervik kapell is located in the former school building in Mestervik, adding a place with a historical connection to the building’s former use to the range of options.

Balsfjord as a Wider Travel Destination

The wider Balsfjord destination also offers its own points of interest for trip planning. Balsfjorden is a threshold fjord with its own stock of Pacific herring, its own capelin stock and a resident cod population. The Balsfjord wetland system includes the Sørkjosleira and Kobbevågen nature reserves, which are protected as Ramsar sites. In summer, mountain hikes, fishing and paddling are particularly popular in Balsfjord.

For regional orientation: the E6 runs through Balsfjord; the E6 and E8 meet in Nordkjosbotn. Bus services connect Balsfjord with Tromsø and several other places in Troms. Check the current timetable before travelling, as routes and times may vary.

Cultural destinations in Balsfjord include the rock carvings at Tennes: more than 55 figures carved into stone were created over 6,000 years ago. Footpaths, signs and lighting make it easier to find your way around the rock-carving site. Aursfjordsaga is the only surviving water-powered sawmill with a frame saw in Northern Norway and was originally built by Ingebregt Eliassen in 1796. Visits for groups and school classes are available by request from May to September.

In Storsteinnes, the Balsfjord Fjordmuseum/Våtmarkssenter presents natural and cultural history. The natural history exhibitions cover, among other topics, birdlife, predators, insects, plants and the geology of the surrounding area; the programme may vary. This lets you combine your choice of stay in Meistervik with other nature and culture themes across the wider Balsfjord destination.

Discover more destinations: Nordkjosbotn, Storsteinnes, Balsfjord, Laksvatn, Mortenhals.

Return to the wider travel overview: Balsfjord.