Byrknesøy: Fishing History and Island Trails

Byrknesøy focuses on fishing history and trails across a low, hilly island north of the mouth of the Fensfjord. On Byrknesøyna, the highlights include a museum with several historic uses, hiking destinations around Veten and a west coast shaped by fjords and coves. These themes give you different ways to plan your stay around culture, scenery and activities.

Fishing history at the Våningshuset

The Gulen Fiskarbondemuseum documents and shares knowledge about the lives of local fishing-farming families. The museum’s Våningshuset was built in 1842 and was home to various fishing-farming families. It also served as a school for the island’s residents and as a prison for Gjest Bårdsen. The building’s use as a home, school and prison represents three distinct chapters in its history.

The museum school’s fishing programme includes fish soup and fish cakes, which are prepared and served when the museum opens for the season. If this programme matters to your trip, check the current visiting and food-service arrangements in advance.

Hiking around Byrknesfjellet and Veten

The circular route over Byrknesfjellet passes Siletjønna, Veten and Røyrgata. The hike starts at Siletjønna on Byrknesvegen, about two kilometres before Byrknes. At 194 metres above sea level, Veten is the highest point on Byrknesøyna. From there, the view stretches across Ytre Gulen, towards Solund, Øygarden and Fedje, and west out to sea.

The summit also features in the local Øytrimmen programme, where Veten is a summit checkpoint worth three points. The programme offers marked hiking routes and summit hikes; Byrknesøyna is one of the areas with scoring checkpoints. If you’d like to include the points in your plans, check the latest programme and participation details.

Another route, the Vårflorturen, passes several remains of traditional vårflorar, including a restored vårflor. It offers a glimpse of coastal livestock farming, when animals were fed seaweed and heather in winter. The hike therefore combines a walking route with an insight into a historic land-management practice.

Coast, cultural landscape and kayaking

Small fjords and coves shape the west coast of Byrknesøyna. The waters west of the island are used for recreational fishing and kayaking. YGIL rents out six kayaks in Tausevika on Byrknesøyna during the rental season. If you’re planning to hire one, it’s a good idea to confirm seasonal availability before you arrive.

The landscape at Grime also has a special protection status: part of the area visited there on Byrknesøyna is a nature reserve. Sheep grazing helps keep the cultural landscape at Grime open. This combination of natural environment and maintained landscape complements the history brought to light along the Vårflorturen.

Plan your journey and events

The Brandangersundbrua connects Byrknesøyna by road to Mjømna, Sandøy and the mainland at Sløvåg. A car ferry also connects the island with Leirvåg on the Lindåshalvøya. If you plan to take the ferry, check the latest departure times before travelling.

Kongeløpet and Kongemarsjen take place every year on the second weekend of September. Kongeløpet runs from Joker on Byrknesøyna to Skjerjehamn on Sandøy. The 13-kilometre route crosses bridges and islands and follows both asphalt and gravel roads. For your travel plans, confirm the exact event date in advance.

More culture in the wider Gulen destination

The wider destination of Gulen offers a distinct historical highlight at Gulatinget. From 900 to 1300, it was a regional Viking Age assembly site where people from western Norway discussed politics, made laws and administered justice. The Tusenårsstaden Gulatinget in Flolid features monumental works of art by Bård Breivik. There are also cultural trails around Gulatinget in Eivindvik and Flolid, which you can follow using a mobile phone or iPad. These regional cultural attractions complement Byrknesøyna’s fishing heritage and hiking trails without being equated with them.

Discover more destinations: Åsheim, Dalsöyra, Brekke, Byrknes, Gulen, Eivindvik, Ånneland, Mjømna.

Back to the main travel overview: Gulen.