Discover Haugsværvatnet and Masfjorden in Haugsvær

An asphalt road runs along the entire southern side of Haugsværvatnet. A frisbee golf course follows the same road; an open shelter is also located along the road on the southern side of the lake. Before visiting, check the road’s current route and surface conditions locally. If frisbee golf is a key part of your plans, check in advance whether the course is currently available for use.

These local points of reference help make your trip planning more specific: would you like Haugsværvatnet to feature in your days, or would you also like to plan visits to other places in the wider destination of Masfjorden? When choosing a holiday apartment, it is worth first deciding which places matter for your trip, then comparing the accommodation’s location with them.

Hikes and landscapes in Masfjorden

In the wider destination of Masfjorden, the Nonkletten hike starts behind the shop in Haugsvær. The trailhead is signposted, and the path remains easy to follow. The hike offers views across Masfjorden. This makes Haugsvær a clearly identified starting point for a hike whose views extend beyond the village.

Other hiking destinations offer different points of reference. The Stegane trail to Hummelvatnet is about 0.5 kilometres long and has an elevation gain of 250 metres. At the summit, you can see interesting glacial potholes. On the prominent Ådneburen, a 797-metre summit in Masfjorden, the route passes through forest, along an old cattle trail, over steps and through scree. The view stretches from the Sognefjord in the north to Bergen in the south. The descriptions help distinguish the hikes: the approximate distance and elevation gain are given for the Stegane trail, while the terrain and direction of the views are described for Ådneburen.

Fjonfjella and Matrefjella also offer mountain hiking terrain in Masfjorden. In the western part of the destination, a West Norwegian skerry landscape is also ideal for paddling, swimming and boating. If you would rather spend your holiday on the water or in the coastal landscape than on mountain hikes, this contrast is a useful point of reference. The Fjon cable ferry crosses Masfjorden; check the timetable in advance if you plan to use it.

Another named place is the Fjordblikk day-trip cabin, on the shore at Grøttneset, between Mjanger and Kvingo in Masfjorden. The landscapes and hikes mentioned are spread across the destination. Before booking a holiday apartment, therefore, compare which places are most important for your trip rather than assuming a particular sequence of hikes.

Coastal culture and local history

Sandnes kyrkje is a rectangular wooden church built in 1845. Nothuset in Sandnes was built around 1880. Together with the Masfjord boats, Nothuset and the boats convey an important part of the local history of the municipality of Masfjorden and are part of its built coastal heritage.

At the Bjørn West Museum in Matre, you can learn more about the dramatic fighting during the final days of the war in 1945. The museum displays weapons, equipment and personal belongings of Bjørn West soldiers and local contacts. The exhibition at Kvamsdals Fargeri tells a different aspect of regional history: 60 years of small-scale industrial activity in Sandnes in Masfjorden. The former drying loft of the Fargeri now serves as an exhibition and concert venue.

Sandneskafeen in Sandnes is another named place to visit in Masfjorden. It serves homemade food prepared with local ingredients. You can weigh up your interests in hiking, the skerry landscape and cultural sites, then choose your holiday base according to which of these you would most like to explore.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Matre, Masfjordnes, Hosteland.

Back to the wider travel guide: Masfjorden.