Husene ved Helleren
© Brian Tallman Photography

The houses at Helleren

Nature and attractions

Explore lunar landscapes in a UNESCO Global Geopark

Last updated 2024-10-17

Walk on the moon, enjoy that rush of adrenaline on a climbing adventure, or enjoy the slow life in a historical village. Magma UNESCO Global Geopark is a landscape with extraordinary geology. The area offers nature hikes and special rock formations, but also small-town charm, climbing routes and exciting stories.

You can even stay the night in a hammock in a former tunnel. Geoparks are first and foremost areas of particular geology, however, it's also very much about the people and their stories.

Hikes in lunar landscapes

In Magma Geopark, there are 46 hikes, adventures, and places where you indirectly (and with some goodwill) get to walk on the moon. The ground you are walking on is made from the rock anorthosite – the same rock type that makes up the bright parts of the moon. Did you suddenly find yourself humming to the tune “Walking on Sunshine”? Not one hundred per cent moonlight, but still nice to march along to the rhythm. One of the hikes is the short, however steep walk to “Fladen”. Try out the 434 steps up the trolley track from 1918 and be rewarded with a fantastic view of the fjord on top.

Learn more

  • Hådyr

    Mountain hikes and walks

    Explore Magma

    Egersund

    Welcome to Magma UNESCO Global Geopark! In the far south of Rogaland, you will find an area with such unique geology that it has been recognised by UNESCO.

  • Tunnelstuo

    Camping

    Tunnelstuo

    Sogndalstrand

    Experience spectacular accommodation in Tunnelstuo, a disused tunnel from 1921. Sleep in hammocks under two large light openings in a 250-metre-long tunnel.

Migaren Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata means walking on iron, and the term is used on several similar hiking trails in different countries. The trail is a 400-meter-long climbing route along the mountainside, named Migaren after the waterfall you must cross on the way. With a guide from Magma Geopark, you don’t need any climbing experience either. A challenging experience suitable for most people.

Accommodation in Tunnelstuo

Sleeping in hammocks has become increasingly popular, however, doing so in a former tunnel is probably something few people have tried before. And the views to the fjord, valley and mountainsides are spectacular! In the heart of Jøssingfjord – a mountain climber’s paradise is where you find Tunnelstuo, also a popular picnic area for cyclists passing through. If you arrive by car, the tunnel is approximately 300 metres away.

More to see

  • Via Ferrata Migaren with a happy climber, view of the Jøssingfjord

    Climbing, canyoning and zip wire

    Migaren - Via Ferrata in Magma UNESCO Global Geopark

    Sogndalstrand

    Migaren is a 400-meter-long Via Ferrata that winds along the rock face and through a waterfall in the Jøssingfjord.

  • Helleren i Jøssingfjord

    Architecture and heritage

    Helleren and Jøssingfjord

    Sogndalstrand

    Perhaps you have driven past these, or seen a picture of these little two houses under Helleren in Jøssingfjord. If you drive along the North Sea Route, you can see them from the Rv 44 somewhere in between Egersund and Flekkefjord. 

  • Mountain hikes and walks

    Hellersheia

    Sogndalstrand

    Moonwalking at Hellersheia – Magma UNESCO Global Geopark.

New! The untouched tourist gem Nesvåghålo

Are you looking for less-travelled-to places? Nesvåghålo is just that. Be quick though, soon everyone has heard of it! Nesvåghålo is a pothole formed by running water under a melting glacier. If you walk up behind Nesvåghålo, you will see a smaller pothole where the rock that did the digging, still lies in the hole. Please note that if the sea is rough and the weather is wet, you should not do the hike, as it can be dangerous. This is a hike for calm and sunny days.

The houses at Helleren

From the viewing point at Tunnelstuo, the distance is short to the two houses with a location out of the ordinary. The houses are literally built under the mountainside so that the mountain forms a natural shelter – they do not have roof thatching - simply because they are protected by the mountain. They are several hundred years old, and archaeologists have found the remains of people living here from 6,000 years back in time. The houses are today on heritage-listed grounds. They are open for visitors, however, pay attention to the fact that they are not dimensioned for a lot of visitors at a time.

War history at the Jøssingfjord

Do you know your war history? If yes, you have probably heard of the Altmark affair that took place in the Jøssingfjord on 16 February 1940, where a German military ship was boarded by British marine vessels. But enough about the war. The Jøssingfjord is an experience in itself, surrounded by steep mountainsides and Helleren in the innermost part of the fjord. The fjord is also a paradise for mountain climbers, with mountains Hedlersfjellet and Profilveggen as the most popular climbing areas.

The spectacular, phallus-shaped stone formation Trollpikken

Trollpikken is a phenomenon created by the ice from the last ice age that ended more than 10,000 years ago. The area in which it is found is made up of the rock-type anorthosite. Anorthosite is a rock type formed by magma (melted rock) from underneath a large mountain range some 1 billion years ago. Long before we knew that anorthosite was the same rock type found on the moon, this area was often referred to as a moonlike landscape, mostly because there was little vegetation, and it was not fertile land. The area is characterised by a landscape that is moved around by the ice, and you will see several glacial striations made by the ice that once forced its way through the landscape. The more obvious traces of this, are the glacial erratics that are found in this area, which were moved back and forward by the ice. Trollpikken is such an erratic, however, it would have been moved just a short distance, and it never really broke free, but became locked in and jammed in its position once the ice melted. Trollpikken is also made of the moonrock anorthosite.

Trollpikken

Mountain hikes and walks

Trollpikken

Egersund

Trollpikken near Egersund is a phenomenon created by the ice during the last ice age. You too can explore the hike to the peculiar Trollpikken in Magma UNESCO Global Geopark.

Slow living in Sogndalstrand

The small community of Sogndalstrand used to be a staple port for sailing ships. Today, you may enjoy the slow life in what is one of seven heritage-listed cultural sites in Norway. Stroll alongside old wooden houses, and visit the local country retailer, gallery, and museum. The little community is a member of the Cittaslow movement and therefore embraces all things local as well as striving for quality of life by slowing down the overall pace. The focus is on an environmentally friendly and leisurely life. Stay the night at Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell, a hotel where you are met with smiles and warmth.

Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell

Hotel

Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell

Sogndalstrand

Sogndalstrand was originally an old rest stop from the sailing ship era. In this idyllic environment, you will find Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell in a newly restored wooden suit from the 19th century. Here, travellers are received with warmth and great hospitality.

Egersund

Egersund has a pleasant town centre with wooden housing from around 1750-1800. You should visit the area called “Haugen”, often referred to as Egersund’s medieval town. The town has a historical hotel, Grand Hotell Egersund, with unique architecture. It proudly stands in the heart of the town as a nice feature. You can choose to stay at a junior suite to satisfy your comfort genes with all the mod cons for a snug stay. The restaurant at the hotel, Eigra Kjøkken & Bar should not be underestimated. With an emphasis on local ingredients, such as crisp veggies and beets from Jæren, fish and shellfish from local fishermen, and cured meats and products from local producers, they give you delicious and nutritious food on the table.

In Egersund

  • Gågata

    On your own

    Egersund town centre

    Egersund

    Experience the historic town of Egersund: A cosy town filled with historic wooden houses and a beautiful centre with many restaurants, cafes and niche shops.

  • Fasade.

    Hotel

    Grand Hotell Egersund

    Egersund

    Grand Hotell Egersund is located in one of Norway's best-preserved wooden buildings - a short distance to shops, attractions, activities and trains.

  • Eigra kjøkken & bar food on plates and restaurant interior

    Restaurant

    Eigra kjøkken & bar in Egersund

    Egersund

    Welcome to Eigra Kjøkken & Bar! In the heart of Egersund city, you will find Grand Hotel Egersund's restaurant.

  • Alkemuggen

    Art and museums

    Egersund Faience Museum

    Egersund

    After Egersund Fayancefabrik shut down in 1979, Dalane Folkemuseum took over the factory's archives and item collections. Today, this gift constitutes the core collection at Egersund Fayancemuseum (the Egersund Pottery Museum), which was first established in 1986.

  • Trollpikken

    Mountain hikes and walks

    Trollpikken

    Egersund

    Trollpikken near Egersund is a phenomenon created by the ice during the last ice age. You too can explore the hike to the peculiar Trollpikken in Magma UNESCO Global Geopark.