The island with lovely white houses, peaks with mesmerizing views and only 600 inhabitants guarantee a wonderful day trip!
After spending the night in Lindesnes and its lighthouse, we packed our beloved van, and the trip continued west. We weren’t exactly sure where to go, but we found a small island not too far from us after checking the map.
Norway has a total of 239,057 islands. Out of them, only 2,000 are populated. Many of them you can reach with a ferry or a small boat however, some are only for pedestrians. Luckily our chosen island was reachable by car ferry.
Car ferry to the island
When driving through Norway, catching a car ferry can be an everyday thing due to all the fjords. Even though we have been on many ferry trips, I am fascinated by the views every time. I just can’t get enough of those dramatic sights of crazy big mountains disappearing in the sea. For most Norwegians, the ferry rides are part of their daily routine. It’s the way to school, to work, to the shop.
The island
Now a little bit more about this beautiful place, our chosen destination- Hidra island. The ferry trip didn’t take more than 20 minutes. If you look at the map, the island has only one big street, which connects the two harbors, and a few minor roads leading to houses.
A channel divides the island into two parts. On one side is the harbor of Rasvåg, and on the other Kirkehavn. The charming island has a total of 600 inhabitants on a land of 20.8 square kilometers. Only two stores, one accommodation place, and one restaurant can be found on the island. If you decide to stay there overnight, be careful as the stores close at 17 o’clock. Something we weren’t aware of and came pretty surprising, as we spontaneously decided to enjoy the island overnight. About this, I’ll tell you in a bit.
Kirkehavn & Hågåsen
We made our first stop in Kirkehavn- a lovely small village with a harbor, white houses, and a church. The view from the port is spectacular - a few small islands here and there spread around the ocean. Close by, we visited the open-air historical landmark of Hågåsen. You will find it on top of the mountain on the left side of Kirkehavn. With a big parking lot on the route and an easily accessible trail, you will enjoy a fantastic view and ruins dating back to WW2. They served as a coastal battery during the war. More than one hundred German soldiers were stationed there, during the Second World War.
An interesting fact that impressed me was that after the war, as everything was more or less destroyed, they decided to give the locals the remaining wood from the buildings. Some of the houses in the two villages are built with that same wood!