North Cape

Magerøya – From the end of the world to the mother of all selfies

In the south of Magerøya, which no one knows yet everyone knows where it is, where even Google Maps sighs quietly, reindeer stand by the side of the road, staring with a mixture of pity and disbelief. Anyone who gets on a bike here either has a lost bet to settle or believes Strava awards a medal for typing the word "E69" correctly.

The wind whistles, but it's somewhat merciful: it could be much colder. There's no trace of warmth – but when you drive out of the 4km-long tunnel into the bright light, it feels as if the sun, which has been in the sky all day, has an effect beyond the brightness.

The 44-kilometer ride toward the North Cape is a real sense of awe at all the passionate cycling heroes, cyclists, rollerbladers, and surfers in crisis who travel from southern Norway to deliver the ultimate proof of their midlife crisis. In force 7 winds, and as the final test, the tunnel's 9% gradient – normally. Because the famous tunnel is simply ignored today. Who needs 200 meters under the sea and an experience like something out of a Norwegian legend? Today, there's a light adventure, without the free sweat of fear.

Arrival around midnight: Still bright as day. The sun is acting like a showman and just won't go down. People are posing in front of the globe at the North Cape, as Instagram filters allow. Busloads of endorphin-fueled tourists are cheering as if it were the World Cup final.

North Cape – where everyone wants to go, but no one really knows why. Maybe simply because it's beautiful or because it's the restaurant at the end of the world.