Why I’m Doing This Hike

First off, for those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about: NPL, or Norge på langs, means hiking the entire length of Norway, either from south to north or the other way around. As the title of this blog suggests, I’ve chosen to walk from south to north.

The journey starts at Lindesnes Lighthouse, the southernmost point of Norway, and leads all the way through the country, across the Arctic Circle, toward Nordkapp. Technically, Nordkapp is not the absolute northernmost point, but it is the iconic finish most people associate with this journey. And for me, that’s enough.

So why am I doing this hike?

Because to me, this is more than a vacation. And it is more than a sporty challenge.

It feels like a journey through a country; and at the same time, a journey back to myself.

I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and a big part of childhood back then happened outdoors. We met friends in real life. We made things up. We were bored sometimes, and that boredom often turned into creativity. I used to have a vivid imagination as a kid. Life felt more direct somehow.

But growing up – and watching the world become more and more digital – changed something in me. Over time, I have often felt numb, distracted, and a little aimless. So much of life now happens online. We collect digital connections, constant input, constant noise. Sometimes it feels like we almost need a separate word for the people we actually know in real life.

The first time I thought about hiking Norge på langs was about six years ago. I had watched a TV show about someone biking through different countries and continents all the way to southern Africa, and I remember thinking, That’s incredible. What stayed with me was not just the physical achievement, but the way he reflected on the journey and what it changed in him.

That got me curious. I started looking into similar adventures, and since I had moved to Norway the year before, I quickly discovered that NPL was a thing. But back then, I filed it away under a mental category I knew very well: later.

Fast forward six years, and I’m still in Norway. Still living here. Still working here. And that drawer labelled later has been opened a few times since then, only to be shut again almost immediately. Too difficult. Too scary. Too advanced. Too far away from the person I felt I currently was.

But a few weeks ago, something shifted.

I was going through a mentally and emotionally difficult time, and I realised I had no real sense of direction. No real perspective on where I wanted to go in life. And I also realised something else: if I kept living the way I had been living these past few years, then five years from now I would probably still be standing in the same place internally.

That thought hit me harder than I expected.

Life is too short to spend it sitting at home, overthinking everything, wondering about meaning, and collecting “what ifs” instead of experiences.

A project like this demands planning. Not days or weeks, but months, maybe even years. And that is exactly why it matters. It forces me to stop drifting and start building something real.

So at some point, I told myself: You know what? I’m doing this.

Not because I already feel ready.
Not because I’m in top physical shape.
Not because I have years of outdoor experience behind me.

Quite the opposite.

Right now, I do not have the physical foundation I would like to have. I do not have a big outdoor background to build on. And there are still plenty of unknowns I need to figure out before a hike like this becomes reality.

But I also know this: if I never commit to a start year, I will keep postponing it forever.

So here I am, writing my second blog post about why I want to hike Norge på langs, with one thing already decided for sure:

2027.

I do not know exactly who I will be when I reach the north. But I know I do not want to stay where I am now.

So this hike is not just about crossing Norway.
It is about finally moving forward.

Cheers,
Stefan