Things to do in Sokndal municipality

Sokndal, the southernmost municipality along the coast of Rogaland county. Being a Cittaslow member, this community is the place to slow down and prioritise quality of life and the good life. In Sokndal, you are allowed to be a bit different and slightly crazy. The municipality has their own festival of love, Kjærlighedsvega, organised every autumn where the emphasis is on the nearness and what is genuine. There are no tourists here – only guests! Please find a selection of attractions to tick off your bucket list whilst visiting Sokndal:  

Let yourself be seduced by the slow pace of life in a listed cultural environment in Sogndalstrand. At the distinctive Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell, you are welcomed with open arms and smiles. In the bottom of the fjord, Jøssingfjord, you find Helleren, two extraordinary houses from the 17-1800s. This ancient settlement from the past is remarkable as the houses are beneath a large rock overhang some 60 metres long and 15 metres deep with a height of 30 metres. The rock forms a natural ceiling and shelter that has been used by settlements for thousands of years. The little houses are not thatched, precisely because this shelter protects them. A visit to Helleren is a “must do” when one is in this part of the region. Blåfjell Mines, near Hauge i Dalane, was operated in the period 1863-1876, and during this time, 90,000 tons of titanium iron ore were transported. This mineral is often used as the pigment in paint, plastic, paper and cosmetic products. An 8-kilometre railway was built between Blåfjell and Rekefjord in order to transporting the iron to the coast for shipping. Today there is a nice hiking trail along this path that guides you through beautiful nature, consisting of small ponds, rivers, gorgeous valleys and mountains. It is also possible to visit the mines; however, you then need a guide. Book a tour with Magma UNESCO Geopark to learn more about the mining history in the area. The mining tour takes you to both closed and active mines. Try to see if you can move the 74 ton heavy Ruggesteinen located on the way toward the Blåfjell Mines in Sokndal. You can actually rock a gigantic rock back and forward! It is the largest moveable bloc of rock in Northern Europe, and located in a way so that you don’t need all the strength in the world to move the giant thing. You can drive nearly all the way to the rock, and it is signposted from Hauge i Dalane.

Curious about how the life in a lighthouse used to be, we recommend a visit to Lille Prestekjær fyr (lighthouse). A lighthouse for ships entering the strait, built in Rekefjord in 1895. For 60 years, the work as the lighthouse keeper was passed on from father to son through three generations. Up until 1973, the entire lighthouse family lived their life in the lighthouse. If you are after an exotic experience, you could also spend the night here. Just imagine the roaring wind, the sea spraying against the windows, as you follow the light from the lighthouse across the black ocean when spending the night at the Lille Presteskjær fyr.

Would you like to try your luck at fishing still with your two feet on the mainland, there are excellent fishing opportunities in the salmon river Sokna, with great chances of catching some fish. A boat trip with Sjødis can be organised at Nesvåg. See the Magma UNESCO Memories of the past tour.