Europe's Real Northernmost Point -- It comes as a surprise to some visitors that the continent's actual northernmost point is not the North Cape, but Knivskjelodden, which is west of the cape. Europe's northernmost point is at 71° 11[pr] 08[dp]. You can hike the trail, which is not too difficult if you're in good shape. Wear sturdy boots, of course. Figure on about 5 hours there and back. Once here, you'll have a panoramic sweep of the North Cape Plateau. After you've walked the world's northernmost hiking trail, you can sign your name in the hiking association's minute book at Knivskjelodden.
To reach Knivskjelodden, head southwest from the North Cape for 6km (3 3/4 miles) until you reach a car park. Once at the car park, you still have 3km (2 miles) to go to the northernmost point from the beginning of the Knivskjelodden Track. In all, it's a round trip of 18km (11 miles) from the North Cape.
A Trip to the North Cape -- The Nordkapp (North Cape) symbolizes the "top of Europe." In prehistoric times, the North Cape Horn was a Sami place of sacrifice. The North Cape's name used to be Knyskanes, but in 1553 it was named "North Cape" by the Lord Richard Chancellor of England, who was searching for a sea passage to China. The road to the North Cape is open to traffic from May 1 to October 20.
The first tour ships arrived in 1879. They anchored in Hornvika Bay, and the visitors had to climb 280m (918 ft.) up to the plateau. After the road from Honningsvåg opened in 1956, the flow of tourists turned into a flood. In summer, buses to the North Cape leave daily from outside the tourist office at Fergeveien 4 at Honningsvåg, stop briefly at the ferry terminal across from the Sifi Sommerhotell, and then continue to the visitor center at the North Cape. The one-way passage from Honningsvåg to the North Cape, a travel time of 45 minutes, is 100NOK ($15/£8.20) adults, 60NOK ($9.25/£4.95) children. For more information, call FFR (tel. 78-40-70-00).
On the road to the Cape is a Sami encampment. It's a bit contrived, but visitors do have an opportunity to go inside one of the tents, and they come away with an idea of how nomadic Sami used to live.
