Skjervøy

Skjervøy (North Sámi: Skiervvá suohkan, Kven: Kieruan komuuni) is an archipelago municipality in Troms. The main village is the one by the same name on the island of Skjervøya.

Understand

View over Arnøyhamn

The population is about 3,000.

The municipality is in north-east Troms, with Ullsfjorden to the west, Lyngenfjorden to the southwest, Reisafjorden to the southeast, and Kvænangen fjord to the east. The largest island is Arnøya, while most people live on the adjacent Skjervøya. Other islands include Haukøya, Kågen, Laukøya, Vorterøya, and the northern half of Uløya. Villages include Årviksand, Akkarvik and Arnøyhamn on Arnøya, and Skjerøy.

• 1 Skjerøy – the main village, with most of the population.
• 2 Akkarvik
• 3 Arnøyhamn
• 4 Haukøya
• 5 Kågen
• 6 Laukøya
• 7 Uløya with Havnnes on the south-western tip (in Nordreisa) and Uløybukta on the east coast
• 8 Vorterøya
• 9 Årviksand

Climate

Due to the Atlantic, average temperatures are just a few degree below freezing in winter and a little above 10°C in summer. The polar night and the midnight sun can be enjoyed much of the winter and summer, respectively.

Get in

Skjervøya is connected to the mainland by the Maursund Tunnel to Kågen and the Skjervøy Bridge from there.

There is an express ferry from Tromsø to Skjervøy (2½ hr). Also Hurtigruten calls at Skjervøy (350 kr and 4½ hr from Tromsø).

Ferries from nearby places on E6:

• From 1 Rotsund on E6 to Havnnes and Uløybukta on Uløya
• From 2 Burfjord, centre of the Kvænangen municipality (check!).

There are flights from Tromsø, Hammerfest and Kirkenes to 3 Sørkjosen Airport in Nordreisa to the south (a 45 min drive).

Get around

By boat

There are local "steamers" connecting some of the islands to Skjervøy, such as the one from Skjervøy to Spildra. You should also be able to find private boat transport (about 1,000 kr, depending on length etc.).

See

• 1 Skjervøy Church, Strandveien 50, ☏ +47-777-77-540, post@skjervoymenighet.no. Skjervøy Church from 1728 is the oldest wooden church in Troms. (updated Aug 2023)

The village of Maursund is an old trading post with well-preserved 19th-century houses.

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Maritim Skjervøy, ☏ +47 77 76 03 77. (updated Aug 2023)

Lodging

• 2 Skaga (on the island Spildra in Kvænangen, ferry from Burfjord and perhaps Skjervøy), ☏ +47 906 22 651 (mobile), +47 776 99469 (landline), skaga@banja.no. A small timber cabin (23 m²) on a remote farm that was abandoned 1957. Fishing, hunting and picking eggs; views of the midnight sun in the summer, and the northern lights in the winter. 2–3 persons, outhouse toilet, wood stove for heat, no running water. Sauna, gas stove for cooking, electricity by aggregate, fishing equipment for borrowing. Linen, utensils and motorboat use included. Mobile phone coverage. May–September 5,000 kr/week, October–April 6,000 kr/week; with hunting included 6,000–10,000 kr/week.