Recommended activities and experiences in Gildeskål:

Gildeskål church site

Situated by the sea right outside Inndyr is a medieval stone church dating from the 12th century. On a guided tour with knowledgeable guides from Nordland Museum, you can visit the church and learn about the poet Elias Blix.
> Read more about the Gildeskål church site.

The Arctic Hideaway Fleinvær

A village of small buildings designed to push you out into the nature, disconnect from everyday stress or enjoy with your family. Memorable nature-based experiences await by the open sea, from starry nights with the Northern Lights to relaxing inside while the storm rages outside.
> Book your stay here.

Følvika Northern Retreat

At a beautiful location by the sea at Sandhornøya, you can spend the night in the Følvika Eye dome and enjoy a close-up experience with the weather and animal life.
> Book your stay here.

Guided island-hopping trips by boat

Explore some of the hundreds of islands in Gildeskål in the realm of the white-tailed eagle. Local guides can take you on a boat trip and share their stories. Trips are arranged by Aasgardr Services and Arnøy Brygge.
> Read more about the trips.

Lahko National Park

Lahko National park has unique geology that has created caves, cracks and fascinating formations. Marked trails in the summer enable you to hike from Langvatnet lake on the mountain Sundsfjordfjellet.
> Read more about Lahko National Park.

Summit hike up Sandhornet

Sandhornet is a landmark in Gildeskål. Hiking to the summit (993 m above sea level) offers amazing views of Helgeland in the south, the islands in west and Lofoten in the north.
> Read more about the hike up Sandhornet.

Langsanden Beach on Sandhornøy

Perhaps one of Norway’s most beautiful sandy beaches, this beach on Sandhornøy island stretches more than 2 km. Facilities include a car park and service building with toilets and shower. The art project SALT was arranged here in 2014 and 2015.
> Read more about Langsanden Beach.

Coastal fort on the Arnøy islands

This coastal fort was one of 13 forts in the German defence “Festung Bodø” established in 1941-42. The coastal fort is situated at Nordarnøy, 6 km north of the ferry pier at Sørarnøy. The site includes three original canons, a command tower, bunkers and remains from the camp. A digital tour is available.
> Read more about the coastal fort.

Ureddplassen

Along the Norwegian Scenic Route Helgelandskysten, you will discover Ureddplassen, a war memorial with a beautiful terrace facing the sea and a wave-shaped toilet beautifully lit in the dark.
> Read more about Ureddplassen.

The Forgotten Town and the Thai House

Another time, another place – little do passers-by know about what is hidden only a few hundred meters from The Coastal Route. An old settlement, a Thai landscape and a Sami building – or is it really that?
> Read more about The Forgotten Town.

How to travel to Gildeskål

South of Bodø you will find Gildeskål. Whether you arrive to Bodø by plane or by train, Gildeskål is accessible by express boat or bus. By car or on bicycle you will find us just south of the mighty Saltstraumen, along the National Tourist Road Helgeland, FV17, or the coastal highway, this picturesque road goes by several names.

2021-05-1810:45 Kristine Solli

Express boat

Route planner: https://www.reisnordland.no/

The local route for the express boat is called Bodø - Gildeskål.

The local ports of call in Gildeskål are:

Inndyr (community center)

Våg (Sandhornøy)

Mevær and Sørvær (Fleinvær)

Nordfugløy and Sørfugløy (Fugløya)

Sørarnøy (Sørarnøy and Nordarnøy)

It may be worthwhile to check the route, some ports are only available on demand.

The regional route for the express boat is called Bodø - Sandnessjøen.

The local port of call in Gildeskål are Sør-Arnøy, which corresponds with the local route.

Ferry

Route planner: https://www.reisnordland.no/

The ferry route in Gildeskål is route 18-444 Sund - Horsdal - Sørarnøy

Ferry piers:

Sund: Ferry pier Inndyr (5 km away from Inndyr, community center)

Horsdal: Ferry pier Sandhornøy (5 km away from Våg). Sandhornøy is connected to the mainland by bridge at Kjøpstad.

Sørarnøy: Ferry pier for Sør-Arnøy, which is connected to Nord-Arnøy by bridge.

Bus

Line 200: Bodø Airport - Ørnes - Glomfjord - Halsa

The bus runs along FV17 with some connections to Sandhornøy and Inndyr. Use the travel planner on reisnordland.no to plan your trip

Bicycle

Bicycle along national cycle route no. 1: The most beautiful journey by bicycle through Gildeskål is the trip over Sandhornøy. Then you escape tunnels and get the opportunity to cycle the beautiful coastal landscape. If you are going further south towards Meløy, it is possible to take the trip over Storvikskaret instead of cycling through Storvikskartunellen (3.1 km long). The road is partly overgrown on the south side of Storvikskaret, in return you get an incredible view of Storvika.

Bicycle rental can be found in Bodø: https://visitbodo.com/en/nature-based-experiences/experiencenorthbicyclerent

Car

The easiest way to get around Gildeskål on your own is with your own car. At least on the mainland and on Sandhornøy.

If you are going to Sør-Arnøy, be aware that the ferry may be full. One of our most important businesses is located on Sørarnøy. It is a salmon processing company, and there are often many trailers on board the ferry. If you are going to Sørarnøy or Nordarnøy, you may want to consider the need to take the car on the ferry, it is possible to park close to the ferry pier. Fleinvær is wonderfully car-free and can only be reached by speedboat.

Car rental can be found here: https://visitbodo.com/en/carrental

Gildeskål

Just a short journey from Bodø is the municipality of Gildeskål, which you can experience among islands and mountains, on sandy beaches or on the road by car or bicycle. Gildeskål offers breathing space, so you should allow time to relax.

Recommended activities and experiences in Gildeskål: