Rennesøy: Peaks, Hiking Trails and History

Rennesøy combines scenic viewpoints and marked hiking trails with archaeological traces, historic farmsteads and a medieval stone church. When planning your trip, you can focus on nature, outdoor activities or culture.

Landscape and Nature

The peak of Rennesøyhornet is 234 metres high and visible across much of Ryfylke. At its summit is a fortification dating from the Early Iron Age. Here, a scenic landmark and archaeological site meet in one place.

The selected cultural landscape on Rennesøy consists of three areas: Hodne-Dale-Sel, Førsvoll-Austbøheia and Helland-Bø. It is home to 480 plant species, including many rare or threatened species. Five of them are found nowhere else in Norway.

The Helland-Bø plateau and its steep slopes down to the Mastrafjord are important habitat for several bird species. These include the peregrine falcon and the eagle owl; their presence may vary seasonally. The wetlands around Førsvollvatnet form the Førsvollvatna nature reserve.

From the summit of Rennesøyhodnet, the view stretches from Haugalandet and Karmøy in the north, across inner Ryfylke, to Jæren in the south.

Hiking Trails and Viewpoints

The network of marked trails around Rennesøyhodnet offers both loop hikes and walks across the length of the island. Trailheads are in Vikevåg, Sel and Hegglandslia in Østhusvik. A separate trail leads from the prepared car park in Bø to the Nibben and Knott viewpoints.

A loop hike from the car park in Helland leads to the high plateaus of Kitlingen and Varabrekk, through a heathland area and down to Flekkstadmyra, then back to the starting point along an agricultural road. The marked trail network at Flekkstadmyra includes routes of 2.5 km, 5 km and 2 km, mostly through dry terrain.

The Flekkstadmyra loop is an easy, family-friendly hike through a landscape that is actively grazed. A cultural trail leads from the farmstead by the sea up to Dalestemmen. Local trail and access conditions may change; check the latest information before setting out.

Cultural History on Rennesøy

Sørbø Church is a medieval stone church on the island of Rennesøy. It was built between 1130 and 1150 and represents the transition from Old Norse beliefs to Christianity. Visitors can see a medieval baptismal font, a stained-glass window by Victor Sparre, and traces of the Viking Age and church power.

Bakken was a former smallholder’s cottage under the Dalakergarden farm on Rennesøy, located just off the road between Vikevåg and Østhusvik. The living quarters are built using the log construction method, while the barn uses post-and-beam construction. In log construction, load-bearing timber beams are stacked on top of one another; in post-and-beam construction, a framework of upright posts supports the structure.

Remains of a Stone Age settlement, believed to be 11,000 to 12,500 years old, have been found at the Galta farm in the northwest of Rennesøy. The historical evidence therefore spans from the settlement remains at Galta, through the Early Iron Age fortification, to Sørbø Church, built between 1130 and 1150.

Getting There and Planning

The E39 crosses Rennesøy via the undersea Rennfast road tunnels and is connected to the Mortavika–Arsvågen ferry route. As ferry services and road regulations may change, check the latest ferry timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Bru, Mosterøy, Østhusvik.

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