Kirkeporten is a natural rock arch on the hillside above Skarsvåg, reached by a short but steep hike of about 45 minutes from the village. Through the arch, the North Cape cliff appears framed as if in a picture window — the same cliff that draws millions to the plateau, but seen from across the water and from a completely different angle. Many people who have stood at the globe monument on the plateau consider this the better view.
The hike is unmarked but easy enough to follow — you head uphill from the village and the arch becomes visible before you reach it. The ground is tundra: boggy in places, firm on the rock outcrops. Wear waterproof footwear regardless of the weather forecast. At the top, the wind can be fierce even on calm days below. In good conditions the view extends north to the open ocean and east along the coast of Magerøya.
Kirkeporten is worth visiting at midnight in summer, when the sun sits just above the horizon and the light turns the arch and the cliff beyond a deep orange-gold. This requires no special timing — the sun is simply up all night from mid-May to late July.