Helgeland coast
The Helgeland coast in Northern Norway is well known for its wonderful landscape with spectacular islands, mountains and fjords. Visiting Helgeland in the summer with daylight around the clock, you will meet a lot of cyclists from many countries. The roads are suitable for biking with relatively few cars (except for queues to and from ferries).
To cross fjords, ferries and express boats are available. The boat schedules need to be known (see https://www.reisnordland.no/).
Accomodations may need to be reserved early. Several options are available (hotels, cabins, AirBnB, campsites).
Bicycles may be rented at Visit Helgeland or in local bike shops. Biking on Helgeland in winter may be less attractive, due to cold and darkness.
Day 1. Brønnøysund – Torghatten – Brønnøysund (biking distance 29 km, map link)
The cycling tour described here starts in Brønnøysund, where one may stay overnight in the Thon hotel near the airport. Many bikers use a day to visit Torghatten, with its famous hole through the mountain. From the land side you can go up to the hole, which has been formed by the ocean at a time where the mountain was below sea level.
One may have lunch at a camping site or a guest house near by. Dinner is served at the hotel. There are also other options, as Hildurs Urtearium.
Day 2. Brønnøysund to Vega (biking distance 36 km, map link 1, map link 2)
Biking north from Brønnøysund, one may either go to the Vega islands by taking the ferry from Horn to Igerøy, or take the ferry to Andalsvågen and continue along road Fv17 towards Vevelstad. Our choice was Vega, where we continued east from Igerøy through a beautiful hilly landscape to a nice lunch at the Stavsmarken farm.
Then we continued north through a rural landscape to Vega Havhotell for dinner and overnight stay. A camping site or cabin rental are other options.
Staying one additional night on Vega would give an opportunity to visit the World Heritage Center and to climb Vegatrappa to the top of Ravnfloga mountain. The view over the Vega islands and the surrounding sea and mountains is fantastic.
Day 3. Vega to Herøy (biking distance 45 km, map link 1, map link 2, map link 3)
To leave Vega you must take an express boat or ferry, either from Gardsøy, Rørøy or Igerøy. We went back to Igerøy, this time via Gladstad, and took the ferry to Tjøtta. Here Tjøtta Gjestegård may be visited for lunch. On the way north towards Alstahaug, a visit at the Petter Dass museum is strongly recommended.
Instead of continuing further north along road Fv17 to Sandnessjøen, we stopped at Søvik to take the ferry out to the beautiful island Herøy. Here Herøy Brygge Restaurant can be recommended for dinner. Cabin rental is an alternative to Herøy Brygge Hotel for overnight stay.
Day 4. Herøy to Sandnessjøen (biking distance 34 km, map link)
On Herøy a visit to the eye-catching Etcetera shop can be recommended, before continuing through the spectacular coastal landscape over several bridges towards the Dønna island. A detour for lunch to Skolo is recommended (famous for its pizza).
From the western coast of Dønna, with a beautiful view to the sea, road Fv828 turns south-east, giving a marvellous view towards the Seven Sisters mountain range at Alstahaug. At Bjørn the ferry goes to Sandnessjøen, where Helgeland Kolonial or Sopranos are good options for a coffee stop. Scandic Hotel Syv Søstre may be chosen for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5. Sandnessjøen to Nesna (biking distance 35 km, map link)
Biking north from Sandnessjøen, road Fv17 goes along the famous Helgeland Bridge, between the Alsta Island and mainland Norway.
Fv17 continues north-east throuch a breathtaking mountainous landscape to Leland, which is conveniently placed for a lunch stop. The road continues to Levang, where the ferry takes you to Nesna.
In Nesna, Restaurant Smak og Behag can be recommended for dinner. Good AirBnB options and a camping site are available for overnight stay. A small hotel has recently been opened.
Day 6. Nesna to Lovund (map link1, map link 2)
After staying overnight in an AirBnB appartment, we made local bike trips along the beautiful fjords north-east and south-east of Nesna. Then we travelled by boat to the island Lovund, far out to the open sea. We stayed at Lovund Hotel, where we also enjoyed a lovely dinner.
It is a good idea to stay an additional night on Lovund. There are many things to do, as climbing to the top of the Lovund mountain, visiting the habitat for Puffins, The Coast Coffe and local museums.
Day 7. Lovund to Olvik (biking distance 18 km, map link)
After taking the ferry from Lovund to Stokkvågen, biking started again after lunch in an even more spectacular and mountainous coast landscape than at Southern Helgeland.
We had a nice stop in Aldersund by the sea, where we bought food for dinner in a local shop. We recommend to take the old road along the sea outside the tunnel between Aldersund and Olvik, where we rented an AirBnB cabin with a marvellous sea view.
Day 8. Olvik to Tjongsfjord (biking distance 37 km, map link 1, map link 2)
From Olvik, we biked on a gravel road along Olvikvatnet to get back on road Fv17, which gave us an easy ride through an amazing landscape down to the ferry at Kilboghamn. On its way to Jektvik, the ferry passes the Polar Circle and gives the first view of the Svartisen glacier.
From Jektvik, road Fv17 continues through a hilly and picturesque coast landscape. Biking through a 3.2 km long tunnel went fairly well.
A view point along the road after the tunnel is well equipped for a lunch break, with tables and benches under a roof. Fv17 continues along the fjord giving an easy ride, until the road becomes more hilly again at Tjongs.
Tjongsfjord Gjestegård can be recommended for dinner (which needs to be ordered on beforehand) and overnight stay.
Day 9. Tjongsfjord – Svartisen – Tjongsfjord (biking distance 40 km, map link 1, map link 2)
The next day we biked back to road Fv17 and further north to Ågskardet, to take the ferry to Forøy. We then biked east to Halsa, south over a hill and east along the fjord.
The view towards Svartisen glacier on the other side is magnificent. At Holandsvika a ferry takes tourists over the fjord to a kiosk and a nice lunch restaurant near Svartisen. It is possible to bike nearer to the glacier (and to walk to the glacier).
Day 10. Tjongsfjord to Rødøy (biking distance 9 km, map link)
After returning to Tjongsfjord on Day 9, we went sightseeing to visit a local museum at Tjong the next morning.
Then we biked to Vågaholmen to take the express boat to the beautiful Rødøy. A nice place for lunch on Rødøy is Klokkergården, near the spectacular Rødøyløva mountain.
From Rødøy, we went via Lovund, Nesna and Sandnessjøen back to Brønnøysund. Taking the Hurtigruten cruise ship part of the distance is a nice experience.
Biking the Helgeland Coast was a marvellous experience and we can highly recommend it.
