Kjerringøy

During our three-day trip to Bodø, we didn’t see much. Yes, the main goal of the expedition, this means seeing the aurora borealis, has been achieved. In addition, taking advantage of the better weather on the day of departure, we drove to the nineteenth-century Nyholmen skandse fort. The weather effectively deterred us from exploring the area. Gusty wind and constantly appearing rain and snow did not encourage to wander around the city and surroundings. The exception was a short trip to the village of Kjerringøy, located about 30 minutes drive from Bodø (+10 minute ferry ride). While no mountain trip (even the shortest) was out of the question, I couldn’t miss a trip to Kjerringøy.

I read about Kjerringøy for the first time in some tourist brochure a long time ago. It described this place as the most picturesquely situated village in Norway. The sandy beaches blended well with the crystal clear water, with tufts of seaweed washed ashore here and there. But what catches the eye the most are the huge mountains in the depth of the frame. My mountain-bound brain immediately wrote the name of the place in its scrolls and marked it with a label for places to visit. And when I was looking for a trip to the north looking for attractions other than the aurora in the Bodø area, I came across the small village of Kjerringøy, which was only half an hour away from the city, I knew I would have to get there.

Of course, the photo I am writing about was made in the summer, in perfect weather. We arrived on the place in the winter, just before the impact of the strong orkan. At the entrance to Middagshaugen, a peak at 284 m above sea level, from which the photo in the brochure was taken, we had nothing to dream of. We had to be content with what the weather allowed us to. So we drove to the hotel (Kjerringøy Bryggehotell), where we left the car and whipped by a strong wind we walked a bit on the waterfront. I must admit that the place made a stunning impression even in such adverse weather. The rough sea had an intense turquoise color, and the mountains, clouded in the distance, gave the landscape a specific climate. The wind and cold drove us back to the car. We did not visit the trading post advertised in guidebooks. We were rushing to the return ferry, afraid that this might be the last crossing of the day due to the worsening weather. But despite this, we were able to stop on the way back in two places and take some photos.
To get to Kjerringøy, take Route 834 northeast of Bodø. The small village of Festvåg has a ferry crossing to the other side of the Mistfjord.
Kjerringøy is a great alternative to crowded Bodø. Although we did not have the opportunity to fully enjoy this place, but it impressed us so much that I would gladly return there, maybe this time during summer.