Våge: Hiking, Farm History and Paddling

Hiking, settlement history and paddling offer three different perspectives on Våge. The Nordsjøløypa leads to a clearly named destination, historic farm buildings tell the story of Vågatunet, and the “Stolmen rundt” paddling route offers a very different way to experience the landscape. When planning your trip, it is worth first considering which of these highlights you want to shape your stay.

Hiking trails with specific destinations

The Nordsjøløypa is listed as an existing hiking trail, marked according to national standards. It runs from Såto to the main road in Våge. This describes a specific route with a named endpoint—useful guidance if you are planning hikes in Våge.

Another option is the Globen–Såta hiking trail: a circular route is possible by following the Nordsjøløypa south to Våge. The two route ideas differ in their layout: one is the link from Såto to the main road, while the other is the option of a loop via Globen–Såta and the Nordsjøløypa. This lets you choose between a named destination and a circular route when planning.

Archaeological finds and farm history

For Stolmen–Våge, Austevoll’s cultural heritage plan for 2016–2028 identifies two automatically protected archaeological settlement and activity areas: Site 15 and Site 17. This designation brings together settlement and activity history, providing a historical context for the local landscape.

Vågatunet is also part of this history. Stolmastova was one of the houses in the Vågatunet cluster farm. The 500-year-old log house was built on Stolmen from timber grown on the island. The term “cluster farm” makes clear that Stolmastova was part of a group of farm buildings, not a standalone house.

Three barns with livestock sheds still stand in Våge; they were relocated from Vågatunet during land consolidation. Together, Stolmastova’s former connection to the farm and the relocated barns offer two different insights into the history of the farmstead: its earlier layout and the buildings that still stand in Våge.

Paddling “Stolmen rundt”

The “Stolmen rundt” paddling route offers another perspective on the landscape. A club guide published in 2022 describes a club trip that started in Våge and covered 17.3 kilometres. Along the route, steep cliffs, heather-covered hills and green areas of vegetation shape the scenery.

The exposed stretch from Våge to Fugløysundet can be challenging almost all year round. The route is therefore recommended in good weather or for experienced paddlers. This is an important difference from the hiking trails described above when planning your trip: for paddling, conditions and your own experience are explicit factors in the decision.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Våge, you can use your preferred activity as a starting point: hiking, local history or more challenging paddling each bring a different focus to your holiday.

Austevoll as the wider setting

The wider destination of Austevoll offers a broader landscape setting. Austevoll is an archipelago made up of 667 islands; its landscape includes rocky shores, narrow straits, heathland and pine forests. Marked hiking trails lead through forests and heathland to mountain peaks with views across the archipelago. Popular routes include those on Stolmen, Selbjørn, Hundvåkøy and Storekalsøy.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kalve, Vestre Vinnesvåg, Bakkasund, Stolmen, Kolbeinsvik, Litlakalsøy, Bekkjarvik, Torangsvåg.

Back to the main travel guide: Austevoll.