We encourage you pay us a visit, to set aside your everyday commitments and enjoy the moment! There is plenty of space for everyone in Haugalandet.
Skudeneshavn, Norway’s Summer Town in 2004
A breeze that caresses you, the open spaces that give you wide-ranging views and allow you to breathe deeply and easily, and the feeling of chalk-white sand between your toes as the sun sinks into the sea. If you’re looking for fresh air and peace-filled days where you can relax and potter about replenishing your energy, then it only remains to bid you welcome to Haugalandet.
Recreation was sure enough an unknown word for the Vikings. They lived in harmony with nature through farming, fishing and hunting. Hard work, yes, but just the same, we can imagine stress was an unknown phenomenon for them. Here, in the home of the Vikings, you can relax and enjoy an intimate closeness to nature just as the Vikings did in their daily lives.
When all things are considered, the only real gift life has to offer is the moment of here and now. What you decide to make out of every single moment in life is entirely up to you. Maybe experiencing the elements of nature – the sea, sky, wind and weather – is something that makes you feel alive and that life is far more than just work and commitments.
The experience of a moment filled with peace and quiet, where your shoulders loosen and relax, can be found through taking a mountain hiking trip, through days spent lounging on the beach, or wandering around the beautiful cultural landscape. Think about sitting on a pier eyeing the fishing boats as they are made ready for their next expedition? Or chatting with a prawn fisher while tasting a sample of the day’s catch? Buy a kilo or two and take a walk to the end of the jetty enjoying life. Remember to bring a fishing rod so there is fresh fish for supper.
The mountains and wide expanses are an invitation to find peace in both mind and body. It is impossible to hit upon a hiking trail isn’t suitable. The coastal town of Haugesund has a hiking area within walking distance that takes the hiker to terrain similar to high mountains and is an Eldorado for day-trippers. The same terrain is also to be found in other coastal and fjord districts. If you’re looking for longer trips, or would like to go from cabin to cabin, then the Sauda and Etnefjellet Mountains are waiting to be discovered, also on skies during the winter. Otherwise, remember to wear good mountain boots when hiking.
In addition to fantastic experiences in nature, art can also provide you with the regeneration that you’re looking for. That’s how it was for the Vikings too: impressive discoveries of rings, jewellery and other handicrafts bear witness to a high level of artistic craftsmanship, and we can readily see the pleasure they derived from creating such beautiful objects. The same pleasure undoubtedly motivates the artists that are exhibited in all the galleries around Haugalandet. What about wandering out to Ryvarden Kulturfyr, a cultural centre established in a lighthouse, which is also a beautiful location by the open sea where it is virtually impossible not to feel the peace and quiet. The lighthouse is automated and the building formerly used by the keeper and his family is now filled with art. Here, you can enjoy art in fabulous surroundings and get a bite to eat in the café. But best of all, you can rent the adjacent house, once the living quarters of the light-keeper. Remember to book well in advance.
We encourage you pay us a visit, to set aside your everyday commitments and enjoy the moment! There is plenty of space for everyone in Haugalandet.