Leirfjord: Cultural Sites and Routes in the Municipality

If you are looking for a hotel in Leirfjord, you can plan your trip around historic sites, outdoor art and hiking trails in the municipality. Leirfjord is a coastal municipality in central Helgeland, Nordland. Leland is a useful reference point within the municipality, as it is the only settlement classified as a “tettsted”; this classification may change. Leland is on County Road 17, the Kystriksveien in Nordland, on the north side of the Leirfjord.

Cultural Sites in the Municipality

In outer Leirfjord, Bruneset is home to cultural heritage sites spanning several millennia. The cultural trail there is about three kilometres long and takes roughly two hours. Remains of a coastal fort from the Second World War have also been preserved at Bruneset. Because of steep slopes and barbed wire, visitors should stay on the path through the coastal fort at Bruneset.

With the sculpture Omkring, Leirfjord municipality participates in Skulpturlandskap Nordland. The artwork invites visitors to reflect on seeing and a state of precise observation. From a car park by the road, a path about 50 metres long leads across rocks to the sculpture. At Bruneset, different cultural themes sit side by side: millennia-old heritage sites, remnants from the Second World War and contemporary art.

Historic Buildings in Leland

In the centre of Leland stands Gammelskolen, now a museum. The building was constructed in 1884 and used as a school until the mid-1950s. It also served as a residence and as a place for pupils’ practical arts and crafts classes; in the 1970s, it was converted into a museum. Visits are possible by arrangement.

The Leirfjord Museum is housed in the old Bergh-brygga in Leland. The present building was erected in 1900; Bergh-brygga was damaged by fires several times, most recently in 1898. A shop operated there until 1985. Parts of the former shop fittings and range of goods have been preserved. During the museum year, various cultural history exhibitions are presented in the old storage rooms. The history of the place can also be traced through its former use for trade and its preserved furnishings.

Hikes and Scenery

The varied natural landscape of Leirfjord municipality includes fjords, mountains, and rivers and lakes rich in fish. The hike to Reinesaksla starts from a car park and follows a marked tractor track across a field and then into the forest. The marked trail passes several picnic spots and a picturesque pond. From the summit, views stretch east across Leirfjord, west towards the Helgeland Bridge and the Seven Sisters, and across much of the Helgeland coast in between.

The hike to Klampen is considered possible year-round; in winter, conditions depend on the snow and the route can be done on skis or snowshoes. Hikers can refill their water bottles at a stream along the route. From the summit, Lovund can be seen out at sea, as well as Dønnamannen and Alstenfjord to the southwest. The route also passes over the tunnel connecting the municipalities of Leirfjord and Vefsn.

For another route option, Forslandsdalen offers a different type of trail: the route along a gravel road is about twelve kilometres round trip and is suitable for walking, jogging and cycling. The road to the power station is closed to car traffic. The Øvre-Forsland trail starts at Forslandsvatnet; it is about six kilometres each way, gains around 120 metres in elevation and takes one to two hours each way. When planning, note that the distances are measured differently: the Forslandsdalen figure covers the round trip, while the Øvre-Forsland trail figures are each way.

When choosing a hotel in Leirfjord, you can first decide whether cultural sites, historic exhibitions or a hike will be the main focus of your trip. The route distances and walking times provided can help you fit your planned activities into your daily schedule.

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