ENGLISH Bicycle trips in Sunnhordland visitsunnhordland.no 2 The Barony Rosendal, Kvinnherad Cycling in SunnhordlandE16 E39 Trondheim Hardanger Cascading waterfalls, flocks of sheep along the Kvanndal roadside and the smell of the sea. Experiences are Utne closer and more intense from the seat of a bike. Enjoy Samnanger 7 Bergen Norheimsund Kinsarvik local home-made food and drink en route, as cycling certainly uses up a lot of energy! Imagine returning Tørvikbygd E39 Jondal 550 from a holiday in better shape than when you left. It’s 48 a great feeling! Hatvik 49 Venjaneset Fusa 13 Sunnhordland is a region of contrast and variety. Halhjem You can experience islands and skerries one day Hufthamar Varaldsøy Sundal 48 and fjords and mountains the next. Several cycling AUSTE VOLL Gjermundshavn Odda 546 Våge Årsnes routes have been developed in Sunnhordland. Some n Husavik e T YS NES d Løfallstrand Bekkjarvik or Folgefonna of the cycling routes have been broken down into rfj ge 13 Sandvikvåg 49 an Rosendal rd appropriate daily stages, with pleasant breaks on an a H FITJ A R E39 K VINNHER A D express boat or ferry and lots of great experiences Hodnanes Jektavik E134 545 SUNNHORDLAND along the way. Nordhuglo Rubbestad- Sunde Oslo neset S TO R D Ranavik In Austevoll, Bømlo, Etne, Fitjar, Kvinnherad, Stord, Svortland Utåker Leirvik Halsnøy Matre E T N E Sveio and Tysnes, you can choose between long or Skjershlm. B ØMLO Sydnes 48 Moster- Fjellberg Skånevik short day trips. These trips start and end in the same hamn E134 place, so you don’t have to bring your luggage. The 541 Utbjoa Sauda Etne Førde day trips vary from 4 to 65 km. Spend a whole day on Langevåg Buavåg Ølen a trip or take a trip as a training exercise. S V E I O Sandeid 520 E39 46 Ropeid Sand 13 Publisher: Samarbeidsrådet for Sunnhordland IKS. The 47 Aksdal cycling guide is financed through commercial development Haugesund Marvik measures/ compensation funds for increased national insurance funds managed by Hordaland County Council. Nedstrand Jelsa We reserve the right to make changes and do not take Nesvik responsibility for any errors in this guide. Sjernarøyane Ombo Karmøy Hjelmeland Bokn Cover: Cycling in Kvinnherad - Norske Bygdeopplevelser Arsvågen Finnøy BeFisrgenter ÅrdalNORGE Oslo Photo: Gro Jensen Gjerde, Gro Røhne Andersen, Kjartan Skudeneshavn Mortavika Rennesøy SUNNHORDLAN13 D Pettersen, Terje Rakke, Karen L Våge, Rosendal Turisthotell, Atle FjordNorge Strøm- Tau Sandefjord Helland, Norske Bygdeopplevelser, Kristina Bergesen, Ellen Tveit, Larvik stad Mekjarvik SVERIGE Kjell Pettersen, Kristian Birkeland, Ragna Flotve, Jan Morten JørpelandStavanger Lysefjorden W. Nesse, Ove Gjerde, Svein Andersland, Vestfoto ved Tove V. Stavanger Kristiansand Kristiansand Bråthen, Øyvind Stavenjord, Erik Kvalheim, Ida Wollum, Ragna Oanes Hirtshals Frederikshavn Flotve, Reidun Rykkje, Dagfinn Bjørge, Toralv Brekke, Jon Olav ForsandD ANMARK Kiel København Rolfsnes and Samarbeidsrådet for Sunnhordland. Edited 2015. Sandnes Frafjord 45 E39 3 View towards Rosendal, Kvinnherad Tips Turtips • As a general rule, it may be a good idea to plan • Bring an extra inner tube, repair kit, pump and travelling around 10 km per hour including short spanner. breaks. • Pack saddlebags rather than a rucksack. A low • Never plan cycling stages that are so long that you centre of gravity is important. don’t have time for unforeseen experiences en route. • Eat little and often, and drink water frequently. • Well-inflated tyres don’t puncture as easily. Ensure you have easy access to high-energy food (nuts, fruit). • Remember not to leave a trail behind you – show due consideration with respect to campfires, • Be prepared for fluctuating temperatures. It is better grazing animals and keeping dogs on a lead. to wear several thin layers than one thick layer. Remember that cycling is at your own risk; have fun and wear a helmet! Map: Sunnhordland has GPS tracking units for many of its cycling routes. These can be downloaded from visitsunnhordland.no. You can also print detailed maps and route descriptions. Our trip recommendations give you an opportunity to take detours. Have a rest on a small wharf, a beach or at a viewpoint. You can find more information about attractions, activities, accommodation etc. in the Sunnhordland guide. The Sunnhordland guide is available at tourist information offices in Hordaland, or you can order a copy by sending an email to: [email protected]. i Practical information Accommodation: Bike hire in Sunnhordland: Cyclist-friendly accommodation • Intersport Bekkjarvik, tel.: (+47) 56 18 08 56 is specially adapted for cyclists. • Intersport Bremnes/Svortland, tel.: (+47) 53 42 12 80 This includes, among other • Langevåg Bygdatun, tel.: (+47) 53 42 18 75/99 42 81 82 things, safe bike parking, the • Rosendal Sport, tel.: (+47) 53 48 11 05 opportunity to dry clothes and • Fugl Fønix Hotell Etne, tel.: (+47) 53 77 14 40 bike tools/wheel repair kits on • Varehuset Larsen, Fitjar, tel.: (+47) 53 45 75 00 site. The accommodation enterprises have a special • Joker Bakkasund, tel.: (+47) 56 18 32 05 emblem on the outer door. It is often a good idea to • Sveio Golfpark, tel.: (+47) 53 74 20 25 book in advance. • G sport Stord, tel.: (+47) 53 40 30 14 4 Trip suggestions - Austevoll Bekkjarvik Bekkjarvik – Stolmen (22,7 km) Austevoll municipality has become an ideal area for cycling now that the largest islands are con- nected by fantastic bridges. Cycling enthusiasts now have an opportunity to see a lot of Austevoll from the seat of their bike. Lundøya Starting in Bekkjarvik, you can cycle south to Stolmen via Salthella. The roads are great for cycling, and there is little traffic. Take time to Kvalvåg enjoy the views as you cycle across Stolmen bridge. On Stolmen, you can park your bike at the shop at Årland and go for a walk on the newly- Bekkjarvik Selbjørn marked North Sea Trail. Stolmen Våge Bekkjarvik 200m 0m 0m 5km 10km 15km 20km Difficulty level: Medium Length: 22,7 km Surface: Tarmac Max. altitude: 107 m Trip suggestions - Austevoll 5 At Storekalsøy Bekkjarvik – Bakkasund (65 km) ‘Smile to the west’ For those who would like to cycle a longer trip, Bakkasund a good alternative is to cycle from Bekkjarvik to Kalve Bakkasund. Hundvåkøy There are 26 km of excellent cycling paths from Bekkjarvik to Bak- Storebø kasund. If you are going to cycle there and back, the east side of Austevoll is recommended on the return trip. Cycling via Vinnes and Haukanes is like going back in time. You will see lovely green plains with impressive stone dykes, and the wild sheep will inquisitively watch you as you whiz past. In Storebø, you can have a bite to eat at Kultur- bakeriet bakery. Huftarøy From Storebø, you then cycle across Austevollsbrua bridge to Aus- tevollshella. Take the time to enjoy the views to the west from up on Austevollsbrua bridge. Here, you can enjoy great open views of the sea Bekkjarvik Stolmen from the seat of your bike. There are also two lovely picnic areas on Selbjørn the series of bridges for those who have brought a packed lunch. Cycle across Hundvåkøy on another great series of bridges to Storekalsøy and Bakkasund. The shop at Bahus on Bakkasund is worth a visit. The marina is a busy and lively place during summer. On Bakkasund, you can cycle out to Kalve and walk the marked North Sea Trail out to Skansen. There are wide open views of Sotra, Marstein- en lighthouse and the ocean from Skansen. The sea has worn the rock 200m at Skansen into special formations, and the sea shows its power and commands respect on windy days. 0m 0m 12km 24km 36km 48km 60km You can cycle the whole ‘smile to the west’ circuit. From Bekkjarvik to Stolmen, return via Bekkjarvik and on to Bakkasund via the east side of Difficulty level: Medium Austevoll. If you plot in the route on the map, you will see that a ‘smile Lenght: 65 km to the west’ appears. Pack your bike and get out and smile back to Surface: Tarmac Austevoll from the seat of your bike. Max. altitude: 87 m 6 Trip suggestions - Bømlo Røyksundskanalen Around Siggjo (27,3 km) Rubbestadneset When you come from Trekantsambandet (the Triangle Connection) and have cycled across B.mlabrua bridge, you come to Gassasundet Foldrøyhamn sound. There is a car park here at the junction to Moster, which is the starting point for the Around Siggjo route. This is also where the round trip ends – at this junction on the Rv 541 Ersland Siggjarvåg road. But first, you cycle on a good 4-km walking and cycling path to- wards Siggjo. Follow this path on the outside of the Stokkajuvstunnelen tunnel. From the old road, you can look down on the old ferry quay in Sakseid Siggjo Siggjarvåg, which is now closed. The cycling path then comes to an end Håvik for a while. After 6.5 km, you come to the crossroads at Ekornsætre. Turn left here towards Langevåg. When you have cycled a little while on the Erslands- vegen road, you can see Mount Siggjo rise to your left. Cycle a further 3.3 km to Tormodsætre. At this crossroads, continue to follow the road to Langevåg on the left. The road then narrows somewhat and twists and turns a bit. Follow Erslandsvatnet lake a while until you come to a Moster small picnic area on the right-hand side of the road. From here, there are idyllic views across Sakseidvågen bay. After another 2.5 km, turn left towards Håvik at the Sakseid T-junction. Pass the old vicarage at 200m Finnås on your right, before you come to the lovely beach in Åreiddalen.