Høvåg: Bronze Age, village history and waterways

Høvåg in the municipality of Lillesand brings together traces of different eras: from the reconstructed Bronze Age farm and a former village school to historic museum buildings and a waterway for boat traffic. Families who enjoy discovering stories together will find a range of themes to consider when planning their holiday. The cultural and historical Høvåg Trail runs from the old harbour at Ågerøya through Høvåg to Bronseplassen, near the border with Kristiansand and Vest-Agder.

The Bronze Age and Viking Age at Bronseplassen

Bronseplassen is Norway’s oldest reconstructed Bronze Age farm and was completed in 1994. The site offers a tangible way to explore life in the Bronze Age. A Viking Age section complements this historical focus. Its reconstructions based on the Oseberg find include a large Viking tent, a large dragon bed and several everyday objects from the Viking Age. This brings two distinct historical periods together at Bronseplassen, making them easy to distinguish as you explore.

For families, this variety can provide a starting point for conversation: what belongs to a reconstructed farmstead, and what to a section about the Viking Age? This makes it possible to include historical themes in your travel plans without having to follow a set itinerary. If you are particularly interested in early history, you can make Bronseplassen one of the cultural highlights of Høvåg.

Sawmill, school and museum buildings

The Kornbrekke sawmill also tells a story of work in earlier times. The water-powered saw was in regular operation until the end of the 1950s. After several years out of use, it was made operational again in 2023 following minor repairs. The transition from its earlier operation to its later restoration is nonetheless noteworthy for understanding the region’s history.

The Gamle-Hellesund school served as a local school from 1876 to 1958 and is considered the best-preserved of Høvåg’s former village schools. Its history offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of earlier generations, while the Vesterhus Museum provides another way to explore the local past. It is housed in a building of the “Mandalsstue” type. The timber dates from the late 18th century, and carvings indicate that Poul Osmundsen Vesterhus built it in 1803. The permanent exhibition includes furniture and objects from the area.

The Vesterhus Museum is open on summer weekends. At other times, visits can be arranged by appointment. You can take these opening times into account if the museum is an important part of your stay. Every summer, the Høvåg Museum and Historical Society holds a summer festival at the Gamle-Hellesund school for local residents and summer visitors.

The Høvåg Trail and waterway

The cultural and historical Høvåg Trail gives the area’s history a geographical sequence: it starts at the old harbour at Ågerøya, runs through Høvåg and continues to Bronseplassen, near the border with Kristiansand and Vest-Agder. This means that the connection to the old harbour, the historical sites in the village and Bronseplassen are all stops to consider when exploring Høvåg.

Another distinctive feature is Kassenkanalen. The 200-metre passage in Høvåg allows boats to travel from Blindleia, via the Kvanneidfjord, into Kjerkekilen. This offers another perspective on the area: alongside farm reconstructions, museum buildings and school history, a specific waterway used by boat traffic is also among its notable features.

Considering Høvåg as a holiday destination

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Høvåg, your interests can help guide your choice: if you are mainly interested in the Bronze Age and Viking Age, Bronseplassen and its reconstructions are the main attractions. For village and everyday history, the former Gamle-Hellesund school, the Kornbrekke sawmill and the Vesterhus Museum offer different themes to explore. Kassenkanalen adds a waterway that is significant for boat traffic. This lets you choose Høvåg based on the experiences you want to include in your trip, without combining the different sites or themes into a single excursion.

If you are considering other places to visit on your trip, you can also explore Brekkestø and Lillesand.

Back to the main travel overview: Lillesand.