Kvamsøy: Hiking Trails, Coast and History

Kvamsøy can be explored for travel planning primarily through hiking, coastal scenery and historical traces. There are many marked hiking trails of varying lengths on Kvamsøya, along with sand dunes, sandy beaches and protected natural areas. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay on Kvamsøy, your preferred activities and landscapes can help determine the focus of your trip. The local routes differ in their destinations and described views; archaeological finds and traces of the Second World War also offer different historical perspectives.

Compare hiking trails by their destinations

Nonshornet is the highest mountain on Kvamsøya. The hiking trail of the same name starts at the ferry terminal and passes through Djupedalen, where there is a war memorial. The trail offers views of the sea and towards Riste, Sandsøya, Gurskøya, Vanylven and Stadtlandet. The hike thus combines a clearly identified summit destination with several named viewing directions.

The Myravatnet hiking trail also starts at the ferry terminal and ends at an altitude of 230 metres near Myravatnet. The route passes through woodland; along the way, it offers views of the sea towards Vanylvsgapet and Stadthavet. A detour leads to the Tareholmen 4H shelter. When comparing the two routes, you can use these different highlights as a guide: Nonshornet focuses on the summit and views towards several places, while Myravatnet features woodland, a destination near the lake and a detour to the shelter.

Nature, beaches and cycling

The Ristesundsanden nature reserve lies west of the settlement of Ristesund on Kvamsøya and includes sand dunes and sandy beaches. The Riste nature reserve, established on 28 May 2010, is separate from it. Kvamsøya also has many beautiful swimming beaches; swimming conditions vary seasonally. This lets you distinguish between the natural areas described and the swimming beaches when planning, and take the time of year into account if you plan to swim.

Cycling is recommended on Kvamsøya. Free bicycles are available to borrow at the Coop store. As availability may change, check in advance if you plan to borrow one.

Archaeological and wartime traces

On the eastern side of Kvamsøya are around 80 burial mounds, large and small, dating from about 500 to 1000 AD. They are attributed to the Merovingian and Viking periods. The approximate dating places the mounds across several centuries and clearly distinguishes them from the more recent traces from wartime.

German troops built gun emplacements during the Second World War at Basseneset in the southwest of Kvamsøya. Another event from the Second World War is connected with the passage by Kvamsøya: the German transport ship “Hans Leonhard” was set on fire by English aircraft on 1 June as it passed Kvamsøya. The gun emplacements are at Basseneset; for the ship, the location refers to its passage by Kvamsøya.

Getting there and practical information

Express boat route 1144 connects Haugsholmen, Storholmen, Kvamsøy, Voksa, Åram and Larsnes. The timetable applies until further notice. Check departures and possible disruptions in the FRAM journey planner. This lets you coordinate your trip with your planned activities on Kvamsøya without conflating the two hiking trails with route 1144.

Discover more destinations: Våge, Sørbrandal, Gjerdsvika, Gurskøy, Larsnes, Sandshamn, Hakallestranda, Gursken

For the main travel overview: Sande.