Stokmarknes
Stokmarknes is a town on the northern coast of the island of Hadseløya and on the small, neighbouring island of Børøya in the Vesterålen archipelago of Northern Norway.
For travel purposes, this article covers the entirety of Hadseløya and Børøya.
Understand
editStokmarknes is considered the "birthplace" of the Hurtigruten ship route from Bergen to Kirkenes because Richard With founded the Vesterålen Steamship Company here in 1881. As a result, the port of Stokmarknes has been visited by ships of the line twice a day since 1922.
The inhabitants engage in agriculture, livestock farming, fishing and shipbuilding as their main occupations.
The Børøy Bridge and Hadsel Bridge connect Stokmarknes to the island of Langøya to the north. Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen is located on Langøya, just over the bridges from Stokmarknes.
- Tourist Information, Rådhusgata 5, ☏ +47 76 16 46 60, postmottak@hadsel.kommune.no. From mid-June to mid-August: M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa Su 10:00-15:00.
Get in
edit
By air
edit- 1 Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen (SKN IATA), Nedre Skagen 31, Langøya (around 5 km northeast of the city), ☏ +47 67 03 40 00. Widerøe airline from Bodø, Leknes, Tromsø and seasonally Oslo-Gardermoen. Stokmarknes Airport can be reached via two high, elegantly curved bridges (Borøy Bridge).
By bus
editThere is a scheduled bus service from Svolvær on the E10. The bus station is in Svolvær at the Hurtigruten quay. The bus journey in comfortable vehicles takes about 2 hours and takes you across the Hadselfjord with the ferry between Melbu and Fiskebøl.
By road
editStokmarknes is located on the 82 Sortland - Fiskebøl. In Sortland there is a connection to the 85 with a connection to the E10. In Fiskebøl there is also a connection to the E10.
By ship
editThe Hurtigruten ships heading north dock at 01:00 and depart for Sortland 15 minutes later. Those heading south dock at 14:15 and depart for Svolvær 1 hour later. Passengers use this hour to visit the Hurtigruten Museum.
Get around
editThe small town can be easily explored on foot. It is roughly 2.5 km by 1 km. If you want to visit the whole island, you can hire a car or take a taxi:
- Europcar, Måkeveien 2, Borøya. ☏ +47 477 02 190. There is a Hertz branch in the building opposite.
- Avis, Airport. ☏ +47 76 11 37 10
- Hadsel Taxi, Havnegata, Stormarknes. ☏ +47 76 15 66 00, Email: hadsel.taxi@trollfjord.no
See
edit
- 1 Norwegian Coastal Express Museum (Hurtigrutemusset), Nordnesveien 536, ☏ +47 76 11 81 90. The MS Finnmarken from 1956 is docked in front of the house, accessible via the museum, 1st floor. The museum is the main attraction of the place. The museum shows exhibits from shipping in Northern Norway and much more related to Hurtigruten.
- 2 Melbu Church, Melbu. The church is a long wooden church and was completed in 1938. It has 250 seats. The church received a new organ in 2006.
Do
editThere are hiking trails all around Stockmarknes, so you have the opportunity to walk along the coast as well as past small lakes.
Buy
editMost of the shops are located on Markedsgata, where the two bank branches are also located. There is a cinema under house number 1.
Eat
edit- 1 Pizzeria Rødbrygga, Markedsgata 6, ☏ +47 76 15 26 66.
- 2 Nye Italienske Napoli, Markedsgata 24, ☏ +47 76 15 00 00. Italian restaurant.
Drink
edit- Rødbrygga Pub, Markedsgata 6, ☏ +47 76 15 26 66.
Sleep
edit- 1 Stokmarknes Camping, Ivar Bergsmos Gate 35A, ☏ +47 76 15 20 22, +47 992 34 380 (mobile), aaolsen@yahoo.no.
- 2 Nygård Feriehus, Lekangveien 324, ☏ +47 95 94 71 57, +47 905 51 072 (mobile ), oddarne.dyro@trollfjord.no. holiday home
- 3 Quality Hotel Richard With, Havnegata 2, ☏ +47 75 990600. Oceanside location in Stokmarknes’s city centre. Exercise room, bar, restaurant. Double from 1600 kr with breakfast.
- Turistsenteret, Børøya, post@hurtigrutenshus.com. Hotel, campsite, Nordland houses and Rorbuer (fishermen's cabins)
