Ask – Views, history and local life

Ask combines sweeping views across the fjord with a long history shaped by agriculture, church life and visitors from earlier times. There is a bench on Kongshaugen, which serves as a viewpoint; the hill is clearly visible and easy to access. At the same time, Ask is home to a variety of historical traces: an old farm, an imposing villa, a church and reminders of the area’s past economic life and visitors. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Ask, you can choose what to explore based on the themes that interest you most: the landscape, local history or a long-standing event.

Views and historical traces

Kongshaugen offers sweeping views across the fjord. It also features remains that are approximately 15 metres wide. The bench on the hill serves as a viewpoint, and Kongshaugen is clearly visible and easy to access. This brings views and history together in one place, without limiting its significance to just one or the other.

Ask farm is one of the oldest farms on Askøy and has been known since the 6th century. During the unification of the realm, Ask became one of the royal estates brought under Harald Hårfagre’s rule. In the late Middle Ages, the farm belonged to the Diocese of Bergen. These different historical connections tell the story of the farm’s long-standing importance: from its early renown and the unification of the realm to its later affiliation with the diocese.

Church, villa and local history

Ask Church is a wooden long church built in 1908 and the parish church of Ask. A stone cross also commemorates Ask’s old church site, which was in use from 1200 to 1741. The present church and the former church site therefore represent different periods in the area’s church history. Thomas Erichsens Minde is another of the area’s historic buildings: the imposing villa and its associated park were built in 1793 and listed for protection by resolution in 1923.

Ask’s history is also reflected in buildings connected with work and visitor traffic. The Bergen Tricotagefabrik employed many people. Its buildings in Lien, between Hopsvann and Askevann, were built in 1910, 1919 and 1940. Hotel Kongshoug opened in Ask in 1896; from 1898, Kafé Dyrteigen welcomed visitors from the city.

Agriculture and the Ask relay race

Ask has long been, and remains, one of Askøy municipality’s most important agricultural areas. The landscape also bears traces of its development: since the end of the last Ice Age, the mountain near Ask has weathered, creating a substantial layer of mineral-rich soil from mica schist. Open-air strawberry cultivation was also an important source of income on Askøy. “Askebær” strawberries were valued and in demand over several generations. This agricultural history adds another dimension to the area’s character alongside its architectural and church history.

A special tradition is the Ask relay race, held every year on 1 May since 1953. It is considered one of Norway’s oldest sporting events. Its regular date and long history make it a notable part of the events calendar. At times, Ask was a popular destination for holidaymakers from Bergen; Askehavn’s location on the Byfjord also played a role when agriculture was oriented towards the Bergen market.

If you are mainly interested in visiting the viewpoint and exploring the old farm’s history, you will find different highlights here than if your interests lie in the church, villa and agriculture.

Discover more places

More local guides: Kjerrgarden, Davanger, Kleppestø, Ramnanger, Hetlevik, Strusshamn, Herdla, Hauglandshella.

For the overarching travel guide: Askøy.