Atløy

Atløy or Atløyna is an island just west of Askvoll, topped by the Skredvarden peak at 636 metres above sea level. It is the largest island in Askvoll municipality and has a population of around 450 living in four small villages at the foot of the hill: Kumle, Vilnes, Herland and Høyvik.  

Atløy is a scenic and interesting place to visit in terms of nature, history and geology. Rock carvings, old settlements and burial mounds on the south of the island show that the island has a long history of inhabitants. Its closeness to the ocean has always been of importance and remains so today. 

It is thought that the island has been named after the earl, Atle Jarl. The two earls, Atle and Håkon Grjotgardsson, fought a major battle in Stavenesvågen in Askvoll. Håkon Grjotgardsson did not survive the battle, and Atle Jarl suffered life threatening injuries and died some time later on a farm on the island of Atløy around 900-920 AD, according to legend.

An important geological landmark on the west of the island is Brurastakken, with its characteristic black, white and green stripes. This distinctive hill is a clear landmark for boaters and a wonderful destination for geologists on field work.

Herlandsvatnet lake stretches from Høyvika bay to Herland and is easy to reach from the main road. Atløy 4H has two canoes for hire just below Vargheia at Høyvika bay. Contact Britt Kari on tel.: +47 994 97 765.

We recommend: 

• A visit to Vilnes church, the oldest wooden church in Sunnfjord from 1674
• A visit to Brurastakken – the perfect destination for geologists and other stone enthusiasts and hikers 
• A hillwalk to the top of Skredvarden or following another of the many waymarked trails on
• the island
• Exploring the island by cycle on narrow roads with little traffic
• The annual Crab Festival

How to get to Atløy:

A 15-minute ferry crossing from Askvoll to Gjervik From the ferry quay in Gjervik, it is around  12 km to Herland and around 10 km to Tevika (via Høyvika).