Stanghelle by the Veafjorden: Hiking and kayaking

Stanghelle lies at the entrance to the Veafjorden and is surrounded by high mountains such as Stanghellefjellet and Storafjellet. The water and mountain scenery give the village its distinctive character: you can include hikes ranging from short family outings to longer mountain treks in your trip, or choose to kayak on the fjord. Stanghelle has its own railway station. The journey to Bergen takes about 35–40 minutes, and to Voss about 40 minutes.

Hiking trails with different destinations

A hike from Stanghelle to Storafjellet takes about 1.5 hours. If you are looking for an easier route, you can follow the old path past Helle and along the Dalevågen to Dale. The two options described have different destinations and route characteristics: one focuses on Mount Storafjellet, while the other follows the old path by the Dalevågen.

In the western part of Stanghelle, on Tettaneset, you’ll find the day cabin Fjordsyn. The trail starts at Agnavika with about 80 metres along the road, then continues on a gently undulating, well-marked path through woodland and over rocks. After heavy rainfall, there are a few damp spots along the way. Fjordsyn cannot be reached with a pushchair or wheelchair—important information if you are planning outings with children or people with limited mobility.

There is parking for the walk to Fjordsyn at Agnavika, above the bridge from the E16. Alternatively, you can park after the E16 junction or by the playing field in western Stanghelle. This gives you several of the parking options mentioned to choose from; the route description itself starts at Agnavika.

Kayaking on the Veafjorden

Stanghelle Idrettslag offers kayak rental. Some of the rental kayaks are kept on a rack at the landing in Litlavika, below Ardalsvegen. Kayaks can also be rented at the paddling bridge on Ardalsvegen in Stanghelle. Fjordsyn can also be reached by water. From Stanghelle, you can kayak along the Dalevågen towards Vaksdal or explore the Veafjorden towards Stamnes.

Agnavika itself also offers several ways to enjoy the outdoors: it is located close to the centre of Stanghelle and has a sandy beach and a grassy area. There are also barbecue facilities and play equipment. This combination can be factored into your day’s plans if you’d like to combine time by the water with other activities.

Activities in the village

Stanghelle aktivitetspark includes a BMX track and a skate park. There is also play equipment, a sand volleyball court, a ball court and a play area. The various facilities offer specific places to visit on days when you want to focus on exercise and play. Together with the hiking and kayaking opportunities, these activities show that Stanghelle is not only a starting point for trips into the mountains or onto the fjord, but also offers activities in the village.

The history of the village includes the opening of the Vossebana in 1883. At that time, Stanghelle gained a railway station, a post office and a telegraph station. Today, the village still has its own railway station, while the walks and kayaking trips described here lead in different directions. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can therefore first consider whether your trip will focus more on hiking, experiences by the water or activities in the village.

Discover more places

For further trip planning, you can also discover these places: Vaksdal, Kyrkjebø, Eidslandet, Stamnes.

Go to the main travel overview: Vaksdal.