Rognaldsvåg: Fishing Village and Trails on Reksta

Rognaldsvåg is a well-preserved, densely built fishing village on the island of Reksta. Its character is evident in the village itself and in the history of herring fishing: during the most active months, the population grew from about 300 permanent residents to more than 3,000. The general store, still operating today, and the hiking trails on Reksta also tell different sides of the place. If you are planning a trip, village history and exploring on foot or by bike are at the heart of a visit here.

A Fishing Village with a Storied Past

Rognaldsvåg is on Reksta and is separated from the island of Kinn by the Kinnasundet strait. In 1860, Rognaldsvåg was the largest settlement on the coast of Sogn og Fjordane. The fishing village’s importance at the time is also reflected in the sharp change in its population during the most active months of the herring fishery: around 300 permanent residents were joined by more than 3,000 people.

Most of the former sea-shed masonry remains. The ruins are intended to serve as a reminder of the significant herring fishery of the 19th century. Traces of the fishing industry’s history are therefore among the defining themes of a visit, alongside the densely built village itself. These historic walls should not be confused with the old sea sheds and houses on Rognsøya, which you can discover nearby on a cycling trip on Reksta.

Shopping in the Village

The general store in Rognaldsvåg was founded by Lyder Sunde in 1893 and is still operating today. The historic trading house housed the store for 100 years, until 1993. The history of trade is thus tied to a specific place in the village and adds to the picture of Rognaldsvåg’s past as a fishing settlement.

There is also a practical stopping point for visitors at the quay: the shop there has a shower and toilet in the basement. Visitors should ask at the shop. If you would like to take local amenities like this into account when planning your trip, in addition to the village’s history, this is a useful local tip.

Hiking on Reksta

The Reksta hike starts at the scheduled boat landing in Rognaldsvåg. It follows the southern side of the island to Selvåg and returns over three mountains; the full route is about 13 kilometres long. The trail alternates between a well-trodden, marked hiking path and paved village roads. So the route does not have the same surface throughout: village roads are also part of it.

The route passes through Ytre and Indre Reksta. If you are interested in a longer exploration on foot, you’ll find a clearly described route here, with a starting point, direction of travel and return leg. Along the way, you can experience a varied birdlife and are very likely to encounter sheep.

Explore by Bike

Another way to discover Reksta is a cycling trip over a bridge to Rognsøya. There you can see numerous old sea sheds and houses. The cycling trip and the hike have different highlights: here, the focus is on the buildings on Rognsøya, while the hiking route passes through Ytre and Indre Reksta and returns to Rognaldsvåg.

When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home in Rognaldsvåg, you can consider which of these aspects of the destination interests you most: the fishing village’s history, the hike across Reksta or the cycling trip to Rognsøya. The experiences described offer different reasons to include the place in your own travel plans.

More local pages: Barekstad, Eikefjord, Tansøy, Svortevik, Florø, Stavang.

For the broader travel overview: Flora.