Discover Sandeid

Sandeid combines views across the Sandeidfjord with bathing areas, hiking trails and traces of earlier ways of life. When planning your trip, you can choose between short walks, longer hikes and a day by the water. Which holiday apartment in Sandeid is right for you also depends on which of these experiences you want to make the focus of your stay.

By the water: swim and enjoy the fjord views

The municipal beach offers opportunities for swimming and barbecuing, as well as views across the entire Sandeidfjord. Its facilities include a pier, a toilet and a barbecue shelter. The bathing area in Sandeid also has a pier and a small beach. If you want to spend a quiet part of your trip by the water, these spots are a practical alternative to a day on the hiking trails.

Sandeid’s Båthamna is also in the town centre. It has a guest pier and a service building with toilets and showers. There is also a motorhome waste-disposal station on the quay. These facilities belong to Båthamna, not to the municipal beach.

Hiking routes of varying lengths

For a short walk, the Sandeid sentrum–Helgevold route is one option: it is about 3 kilometres long, takes around 45 minutes and is rated easy and accessible. The Utkjikken route starts at the Technical Building in the centre and covers 8.5 kilometres there and back. The Hovda route also starts centrally, at Sandeid community hall. It is about 8 kilometres long and takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours for the return trip.

The Hest route starts in Fjellstøl and is a 6.4-kilometre circular walk; it takes about 1.5 hours. Along the way, there are views of the Sandeidfjord and the Ølensfjord. If you are planning a longer hike, consider the route over Døldarheia from Stuhaug in Sandeid. It is about 10 kilometres long and takes 4 to 5 hours there and back. The marked trail from Stuhaug Turisme goes above the tree line, past Måsarvatnet and on to Døldarvarden.

Fjellstøl, Olalia and the landscape

From Fjellstøl, the Olalia Tourist Cabin is accessible by bicycle, with a pushchair or in a wheelchair. The route to Olalia passes the small lake Tosko and Ongelsvatnet; the terrain changes along the way from woodland to open landscape. Fjellstøl also has a sledding hill and a floodlit cross-country ski trail right by the parking area. So, alongside the route to the cabin, winter activities are another reason to visit.

Ramnafjellet reaches 431 metres and offers views across Sandeid. Liå is home to deer, roe deer and a rich variety of birdlife. You can reach the Liå trail from the centre of Sandeid by crossing the suspension bridge. These nature experiences offer different highlights: the view from Ramnafjellet looks out over the town, while Liå is associated with wildlife and birdwatching.

Church history and summer farming

The first church in Sandeid was a stave church. It was built around 1100 at an ancient sacrificial site in a medieval churchyard. The present-day Sandeid Church is a wooden long church, consecrated in 1904. These details refer to two different church buildings and give the town a historical dimension distinct from its nature and hiking experiences.

Sønnanåstølen is another reminder of the former summer farming carried out there until well into the 20th century. The site was rebuilt in 1993; the barn beneath a large rock has retained its original form. The route there has benches and tables for breaks, as well as opportunities for fishing in Sønnanåtjernet. The privately run Stuhaug Turisme og Gardsmuseum in Sandeid comprises nearly ten buildings and more than 4,000 household objects; it is temporarily closed.

Discover more places

If you’d like to include more places in your trip planning, you’ll also find Nedre Vats, Skjold, Kvaløyna, Åmsosen, Øvre Vats, Bjoa, Vikebygd and Vikedal here.

For the broader travel overview: Vindafjord.