The western side of Værøy is a different world from the sheltered harbor at Sørland. Here the island ends in sheer basalt cliffs dropping straight into the Atlantic, and every ledge, crack, and overhang holds birds. Puffins, razorbills, common guillemots, kittiwakes, shags, and cormorants nest here in numbers that have to be seen to be believed. On a calm summer morning the cliffs are alive with motion — birds launching off ledges, spiraling out over the water, returning with fish. The sound is a constant roar.
The boat trips from Sørland harbor are the way to see this. Departures are typically in the morning during summer, running daily when weather permits. The boats get close enough to the cliffs that you're looking up at the nesting birds from below — a perspective that makes the scale of the colony immediately apparent. Bring a layer; it's colder on the water than it looks from shore, and the spray adds to it.
On a clear day the crossing out to the western face also gives you a full view of the island's ridge from the sea — the spine of mountains that divides Sørland from the Atlantic coast, sharp and green in summer. Even without the birds this would be a worthwhile boat trip. With them, it's one of the best wildlife experiences in Lofoten.
The cliffs are inaccessible on foot from the main village — the ridge is traversable by fit hikers, but reaching the cliff edge safely is another matter. Stick with the boat trips unless you're an experienced mountain walker who knows the terrain. The operators know these waters and will get you close.