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Photo by: Jan Rabben
GEOSITES
A more thorough description of the sites and geology can be found here.
TRAIL CODES
Green – Lett, skjerma farvatn. Blue – Middels vanskegrad, krev noko erfaring. Red – Krevjande. Kun for erfarne padlarar.
Ryvarden
Geosite 1
The 2 km long path to the Ryvarden cultural lighthouse leads through some of the oldest rocks in the geopark, 1.5 billion year old ice-polished Auge gneiss. From the lighthouse you have a view of the Hardangerfjord, which flows into the North Sea, and of the landscape on the north side of the fjord, which has been shaped by more recent seabed volcanism.
The Lobster Park
Geosite 2
A picturesque fishing village with around 50 permanent residents, located far out towards the North Sea. A centre for the herring fishery in the 19th century. Narrow roads between well-preserved traditional houses, a shop, restaurant, lobster huts, the Baadehuset Museum and Norway’s largest lobster park, awarded the Europa Nostra Diploma. Sheltered paddling inside the archipelago, but exposed access. Scheduled boat service between Eidesvik and Espevær.
Open during summer season.
Espevær village
Geosite 3
A pittoresque village built on small islets at the brim of the North Sea. No cars, and appr. 45 inhabitants during winter time. The centre for the herring fisheries during the 19th century.
Nearest parking and launching in Eidesvik.
Close to Hespriholmen.
Sokkamyro
Geosite 4
Launching or landing is possible at the boat harbor at the end of Langevåg, right by Sokkamyro. Langevåg is calm, but the Bømlafjord outside can be demanding.
Sætrehillaren
Geosite 5
A rockshelter where several artifacts was found, e.g. a bone comb dated 600 AD with the first known poem from Norway. An example of the many rockshelters here used as hunting stations during Stone Age.
Fine forhold for landgang i Sætrevika like ved hillaren, men værhardt område utanfor vika. Næraste sjøsetting i Eidesvik.
Hespriholmen
Geosite 6
The area where Hespriholmen is located offers exciting waters for sea kayaking, but it is exposed to the open sea and requires solid kayaking and boating experience. Landing is possible on the south and east sides, but only in completely calm weather. The nearest launch site is in Eidesvik.
Get there with private boat, or contact the Geopark.
Bergesfjell
Geosite 7
The upper half of Bergesfjell consist of gabbro, 60 million years older than the rocks beneath. The gabbro, during orogenic events, have been thrusted on top of the Silurian sedimentary rocks with Early Silurian fossils.
Skjervika
Geosite 8
A quarry for the red micro-quartz (jasper) for tools in early Stone Age, formed on the sea floor close to hydrothermal events related to sea floor volcanism.
Accessible on path from Berge, or easily by boat.
Grutlebrekka
Geosite 9
A roadcut through extremely brecciated lava flows solidified between 472 and 466 mill. yrs ago, representing numerous eruptions from one or few volcanoes from the last episode of volcanism in the geopark.
Holsøyane
Geosite 10
Holsøyane is an exciting sea kayaking destination, but is very exposed and requires solid kayak and boat experience. The nearest launch is in Eidesvik.
Søre Lyklingholmen
Geosite 11
Søre Lyklingholmen is exposed to the sea and requires solid kayaking and boating experience. Possible landing in a small cove on the south side in calm weather, right next to the site which is in the floodplain. Nearest launch and paid parking in Kulleseidkanalen Gjestehamn, possibly in Åreidalen. Approximately 1.5-2 hours of paddling.
Urda
Geosite 12
The area around Hespriholmen offers exciting waters for sea kayaking, but it is exposed to the open sea and requires solid kayaking and boating experience. Landing is possible on the south and east sides, but only in completely calm weather. The nearest launch site is in Eidesvik.
Goldmines in Lykling
lokalitet 13 – lange Tour für Fortgeschrittene
Gruvedrift etter gull frå 1880-1910 i kvarts og fast fjell, ofiolitt avsett ved orogenese. Ca 200 kg gull vart teke ut, primært av engelske selskap. Tilkomst m. bil og parkering v/infoskilt. Ligg til sjø med spor etter drifta synleg frå sjøen. Svært værhardt, men mulighet for landgong i Lyklingesjøen. Gullvegen Gardstun tilbyr overnatting.
Kulleseid Canal
Geosite 14
Built 1854-56 to make safe access to the herring fisheries around Espevær. 3 km of length crossing east-west over Bømlo. A major infrastructure project in Norway when built.
Helgeneset
Geosite 15
The entire Finnåsvika bay offers great waters for kayaking, with excellent conditions for launching and parking in nearby Åreiddalen.
Please contact the farmer if you have any questions about parking or the driveway. +4790985254
Kjøl
Geosite 16
Spectacular ridge of beach stones and gravel from the last part of the last ice age, about 35 metres above today's sea level. A unique natural monument and the most significant ornithological site as well as a major sanctuary for birds with 197 recorded species (source: Odd Hallaråker, Birdlife Vestland).has been an important bird area, with 197 recorded species (ref: Odd Hallaråker, Birdlife Vestland)
Tverråno
Geosite 17
One of the most important scientific localities for the development of geological understanding of the area. It provides critical information regarding the affinity of different rocks as well as timing of key tectonic events (S-type granite).
Steganeset
Geosite 18
Here it is possible to view granite weathering, displaying rounded edges typical of long-lasting chemical weathering processes, deviating from the typical glacial erosion most frequently seen in Norway.
The Goddo fault
Geosite 19
This inconspicuous site holds important information about the Norwegian landscape in several clayey furrow areas created by faults: Permian 265 Ma., Triassic 200 Ma. and Early Cretaceous 125 Ma.
Utslåttøy
Geosite 20
The nearest launch sites are by the school museum at Skinnhueneset, the kayak dock of Brandasund Kultur og Fritid at Skjeret, or Erestraumen on Sæverudsøy. Fairytale waters for kayaking, but partly very exposed. Landing is possible in the bay on the south side of the island.
Accessible by boat.
Ørnavikhaugen
Geosite 21
The narrow road up north on Bømlo leads through a barren landscape of islands and skerries. A good site to enjoy the strandflat archipelago sculptured by glaciers, and the granodiorite with pegmatitic veins.
Slåtterøy lighthouse
Geosite 22
Built in 1859 of cast iron, 25 meters high and with the strongest rays of light in a Norwegian lighthouse (5,180,000 candela). The island of Slåtterøy is an island of polished white granite, with the red lighthouse on top.
Accessible by boat. Or hitching a hike from Brandasund 975 66 056.
Ospholmsbleikja
Geosite 23
Roleg farvatn ved Ospholmsbleikja, men næraste etablerte sjøsettingsplass m. parkering er kajakkbrygga til Brandasund Kultur og Fritid på Skjeret, evt. Erestraumen på Sæverudsøy.
Boat needed.
Idledalen
Geosite 24
A key site for research on remains of Mesozoic elements within the Quaternary landscape, accentuated by the discovery of petroleum in granitic rocks in the North Sea. Saprolite and granodiorite blocks within a fracture zone indicates sub-tropical weathering (210 Ma).
The Wichmann smithy
Geosite 25
The cradle for The Wichmann 2 hp engine, made by a 18 year old boy in 1902. This engine developed to a company producing the dominating boat engine in the Norwegian fishing fleet during the 20. century.
Private museum, call +47 905 16 326 for appointment.
Siggjo
Geosite 26
Iconic mountain peak with neolithic arrow-head quarries, erratic blocks and a great view. The trail from the east side has partly "sherpa-stairs" to the top 474 m.a.s.l. The rhyolite quarry is by the pond at the northern end of the top.
Moster Amfi & Moster church
Geosite 27
A cultural centre for the transformation from pagan- to christian religion, the oldest medieval stone church in Norway, a theater amphi and the main visitor centre for the Geopark.
Nr. 27 Moster gml kyrkje og Moster Amfi: ((Addition to existing text): . Ca 300 meter frå hamna og opp til amfiet og kyrkja. Skjerma farvatn i hamna, men eksponert i Bømlafjorden. Fint turmål med kajakk f. eks frå Åreid gjennom Røyksundkanalen til Mosterhamn (ca 2 timar).
Einstapevoll
Geosite 28
Farm with houses from 1816, built after baroque principles of symmetrics. Roofs, walls and fences of local shale (augen gneis). Private farm, the houses not open to the public. Protected since 1923.
Digernesklubben
Geosite 29
A colorful site of laminated chert, made of sedimented chisel algaes on the bottom of the Iapetus Sea 450-490 Ma ago.
Park just north of the tunnel, entrance over fence between bridge and bridgetower.
Sagvåg school
Geosite 30
In the schoolyard you can study the conglomerates of the Utslettefjell Formation, the youngest rocks represented within our geopark.
The clasts of the conglomerate comprise a range of lithologies such as quartzite, granite, gabbro, volcanics, jasper and limestone.
Stordø mines
Geosite 31
Based on large sulfide deposit formed by black smokers in an ocean basin close to 500 Ma. From 1865 a mining society was built with a strong political identity, valuable engineering skills and 90 km of tunnels.
Organised for the public in season, possibly on request (tel. +47 994 99 457)
Kattnakken
Geosite 32
The volcanic rocks of this spectacular landmark 713 m.a.s.l.range in composition from basaltic to rhyolitic and represent similar type of rocks as seen on Siggjo on Bømlo. A popular trail for both hiking and geological research.
Dalskarvatnet
Geosite 33
The best-preserved fossil locality in Western Norway, telling the stories of important events on land as well as in the ocean 440Ma. Related to fossils of similar age found in northern America.
Trail access via Litlabø mines.
Fitjar centre
Geosite 34
Fitjartun, located in the center of the village, is a fine example of the use of local granite. The wall was carved and built by the Finn Hjalmar Taipale in 1952.
The stone fence around Fitjar church is remains from the old stone church from early 1100 wich was replaced in 1867.
Sjøsio guest harbor in the center of Fitjar is a great starting point for kayak trips in the Fitjar Islands.
Fitjar islands
Geosite 35
A beautiful archipelago of granite, specifically a 468 Ma granodioritic pluton formed in an uplifted magma chamber and shaped by Quaternary glaciations. A cultural landscape of national interest (KULA). Ideal waters for leisure boats and kayaking, with Fitjar town as a convenient starting point.
Ideal waters for leisure boats and kayaks, preferably with Sjøsio guest harbor in the center of Fitjar as a starting point.
Entrance by your own boat, evt. Fitjar tourist info: +47 951 89 950
Raugholmen
Geosite 36
Walk on red rocks from the interior of the Earth. Peridotite, harzburgite and olivin, formed in the transition zone between the Earth’s interior (the mantle) and the oceanic crust. 500m from Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri.
Access by boat, but the same bedrock is found along the promenade on land around the island.
Easily accessible by kayak. The islet itself lies close to land and is relatively sheltered, but the Bekkjarvik Strait is very exposed to southerly winds. The nearest launch site is at the nearby Bekkjarvik guest harbor.
Røyrvikeskaget
Geosite 37
A spectacular coastal landscape on the western edge of Møkster, where granite veins intruded into marble and quartzite when a magma chamber exploded deep beneath the volcanic island arc formed during the collision of Laurentia and Baltica, 474 Ma. Accessible by boat or ferry; kayaking possible but very exposed.
Accessible by ferry or private boat, or possibly by kayak, but the waters are extremely exposed and weather-beaten.
Bårdhaugen
Geosite 38
The rocks furthest west on Reksteren gives unique insight in the contact between two magma chambers (granite and gabbro) when the Sunnhordland batolite was made.
Boat needed.
Russøy
Geosite 39
The overgrown features of the small island are quarries and remains from medieval soapstone working, left around 800 years ago, probably by the monks of the Munkeliv Monastery in Bergen.
Access by boat or kayak, possibly from Våge.
Boat needed.
Flakkavåg
Geosite 40
The existing lime oven in Flakkavåg was built in 1870, but burning of marble for lime was done at most farms in this area since medieval time. Production in Flakkavåg ended in 1900.
Årbakka
Geosite 41
Prehistoric burial site with 4 bautas. Originally there were 6-7 menhirs and at least 35 mounds, cairns and stone rings. Pottery and weaponry have been found in the mounds, but most of it is lost today. Traditional shop near by, open during summer.
Pottery and weapon remains were found during early excavations. Traditional shop nearby, open in summer.
Parking available nearby; alternatively, access by boat or kayak to the trading post, which is open during the summer season.
Seløy
Geosite 42
One of the most spectacular marble mines in Sunnhordland, where an inclined layer of marble has been hollowed out by underground mining from the 17th century. Several entrances to the mine, separated by columns of remaining marble.
Also a nature reserve due to a rich and rare vegetation with holly, mountain lichen, yews, lime pine forests and noble broadleaf forests.
Accessible by private boat or kayak, preferably from the guest harbor in Onarheim. Seløy is located right next to the rich nature reserve of Ånuglo.
Halsnøy Monastery and ice age moraine
Geosite 43
Halsnøy Moraine stretches across the fjord and extends over Halsnøy. The monastery was established here in 1163 due to the agricultural potential of the moraine soil and marble resources near by.
The monastery with café and exhibition is open during the summer season.
It is possible to dock with a kayak at the monastery's quay on the south side of the monastery, but it is too shallow for boats. Launching is possible at the boat harbor in Sæbøvik, or alternatively down in Klostervågen.
Etne terraces
Geosite 44
A glaciomarine delta where a King was raised. Thick Quaternary deposits and characteristic landforms well-suited for explaining the geological history. Large concentrations of burial mounds from the Bronze Age and Iron Age in western Norway.
The stone church of Stødle was built in 1160 by Erling Skakke, the father of King Magnus.
Skånevik, The Love Path
Geosite 45
A scenic area with well-prepared trails along the prominent moraine ridge between the stream Milja and Valdra. Old planted beech forest, supposedly one of the northernmost of its kind in the country.
Easy access from the Skånevik Hotel.
Vannes
Geosite 46
In Vannes, you can travel back in time to the depths of the earth's crust, from the volcanic rocks on the older surface to the younger gabbro rocks of the deep crust. The latter are criss-crossed by diabase veins, which probably feed the volcanoes on the surface.
Skånevik and Vannes, at the entrance to the Åkrafjord, offer great waters for kayaking, though the area around Vannes can be very weather-beaten. Vannes Nature Camp is worth a visit during the summer. Launching can be done at Skånevik Guest Harbor.
Ulvanosa
Geosite 47
A textbook example of how climate, glaciers and bedrock have shaped the landscape over time. The majestic mountain rises 1246 metres above sea level and is a popular hiking destination from Holmedal and up along the Dyrrinda moraine.
Skorpo
Geosite 48
A glacial sculpture made of solid rock. Shaped by the plastic ice cap that penetrated into the fjord basin and, with its fast subglacial meltwater streams, enriched with gravel and under high hydrostatic pressure, polished the relatively soft phyllite.
Det The ice-scoured rock on the southwest side drops straight into the sea. You can get right up close by boat or kayak to see the formations at close range, but landing is not possible. Launching can be done in Rosendal or Herøysund boat harbor.
Fuglebergåsen
Geosite 49
The medieval source of baking stones of talc-bearing, green chlorite schist, most likely a tuff deposition. Exploited early and high Middle Ages, c. 1025-1250 cal AD. The standard finished baking stones were c. 1 cm thick, rounded and 25-50 cm in diameter. Distributed widely.
Attramadal
Geosite 50
One of Norway’s oldest metallic ore mines, and the first in Norway (1655) to employ black powder. Mainly pyrite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite, formed by hot metalliferous water circulating in the rocks near volcanoes on the sea floor (Cambro-Ordovician time)
Bergspytt-Garden Nordbø
Geosite 51
Soapstone quarry. Stone from here was used in the churches of Kvinnherad and Ænes in the 13th century. One of the few places in Norway where it is possible to see a medieval stone church and the quarry within a short walk.
A short paddle from Rosendal Fjordhotel. Calm, smooth waters.
For visits - call Linda: 950 87 744.
More info about Besøksgarden here.
Nordli Moraine
Geosite 52
Walk along the edge of a former fjord glacier 900 m.a.s.l. The elongated ridges, generally 2-3 m high and 10 m wide, are very distinct against the barren bedrock in the treeless landscape. An excellent school example of a lateral moraine formed by a fjord glacier (Younger Dryas). Nordli moraine, is a part of the National Park protected due to the variations in habitats and nature types.
Nordli moraine is part of the national park, protected due to the variations in habitats and nature types.
Kvinnherad church
Geosite 53
Built in 1250 using local soapstone from Bergspytt. In the church stand two marble sarcophagi for Baron Londemann and his wife, made by the bell ringer Sakseide at the Marble Factory near Finnås Rectory (1749) where the Herzberg priests resided for three generations.
54. Melderskin
Geosite 54
A 1426-meter-high pearl amidst glacial landscapes. A geomorphological site offering expansive views in all directions, providing a good impression of the variety of landscapes within the geopark. Melderskin is part of the National Park, protected due to the variety of habitats and natural environments.
Popular, but difficult hiking destination.
The Barony Rosendal
Geosite 55
A manor from 1665 built of money earned on trading timber with Scotland and Shetland. The barony offers concerts, exhibitions, a beautiful rose garden, accomodation and a fine restaurant.
Open during summer season.
Ænes church
Geosite 56
A medieval stone church (1190-1200) made of local soapstone (Bergspytt). Ænes is a pittoresque U-valley leading up to the glacier.
For visiting, call: 905 31 910
Bondhusdalen
57
Bondhusdalen is a landscape protection area bordering Folgefonna National Park, protected due to its diverse habitats and natural environments.
Møsevatn
Geosite 58
A drive from Rosendal community to the mountainous area close to the Folgefonna glacier goes through a spectacular landscape of enormous granitic and gabbroic rock complexes (plutons). Møsevatn, is part of the National Park protected due to the variations in habitats and nature types.
Guida kajakkturar til brefronten er mogleg med Folgefonni Breførarlag.
Guided kayak-tours to the glacier are available on Møsevatn, +47 951 17 792.
Langfoss
Geosite 59
A spectacular waterfall, veiling a total drop of 612 m. Ranked by CNN Travel as one of the 10 most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Precambrian granite belonging to the Sirdal Belt.
Can be viewed from the road, or by its entire length along a hiking trail that start at the parking lot by the main road (E134).
The trip from Fjæra and around Eljarvik to Langfoss is magnificent. Launching is possible at Fjæra boat harbor, or via the stairs down at Langfoss. Generally calm waters, but do evaluate the wind conditions!
Giant's kettles in Rullestad
Geosite 60
20 to 30 big and spectacular glacial potholes 270-320 m a.s.l, incised in the steep ice-polished Precambrian granite surface by melting water during one summer season 11300 years ago.
The descent is secured with chains and steel steps inserted into the rock..