Hå
Municipality · Rogaland
About Hå
Obrestad and Kvassheim lighthouses, art at Hå old parsonage beside an Iron Age burial ground, and Jæren's dune-backed beaches.
What to do and where to stay in Hå
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Hå gamle prestegardHistory & culture
The old vicarage by the sea, a group of Jæren farm buildings, is now the municipality's art centre with contemporary art, local history shows and a café.
Håvegen 347, by the mouth of the Hååna, south of Obrestad · 1–2 h · all year
2Hå gravfeltHistory & culture
About 60 cairns of round beach stones line the shore by the old vicarage; one of the oldest boat graves in the Nordic countries, from the late 300s, was found here.
Beside Hå gamle prestegard, south of the Hååna river mouth · 30 min · all year
3Obrestad fyrViewpoint
A lighthouse station from 1873 on the open North Sea shore, five buildings including two keepers' homes, run as a museum by Hå gamle prestegard.
Obrestad, just north of Hå gamle prestegard · 30–60 min · All year (outside); check opening hours before you go
4Friluftsfyret KvassheimHistory & culture
The lighthouse lit 1912–1990 is now an outdoor centre with the Jæren coast's rescue history, a nature-photo floor with telescopes and a show on sea plastic.
Kvassheim 100, Brusand · 1 h · Daily late June–mid August; Sundays and holidays the rest of the year (closed January)
5Steinkjerringa at SynesvardenHike
A blue-marked path across Jæren's largest remaining heather moor leads to Steinkjerringa (Mother Norway), a stone figure young people hauled up over two winters.
Synesvarden, from Holmavatn misjonssenter · 1–2 h · all year
6Hitlertennene at BrusandLocal oddity
Concrete remains of the German Second World War coastal defences, known locally as Hitler's teeth, line the road by the sandy beach at Brusand.
Brusand beach · 30 min · all year
7Varhaug gamle kirkegårdLocal oddity
A small white chapel in a walled graveyard by the sea, known from a Kaizers Orchestra video, with 14 chairs, a guest book and an altarpiece by Ivan Storm Juliussen.
Coast south of Hå gamle prestegard, Varhaug · 20–30 min · Graveyard all year; chapel open in the summer months
8Madland hamn storm cabinLocal oddity
A rest area on the North Sea with a glass-fronted storm cabin for watching waves from shelter, and toilet walls of stone that glow after dark.
Madland harbour, Vigrestad · 15–30 min · all year
9VitengardenHistory & culture
Jærmuseet's science farm at Nærbø has hands-on exhibits on farming, food and energy, a hall of running veteran tractors and farm animals.
Nærbø · 2–3 h · all year (check hours)
10YstepikeneFood & drink
A farm cheese dairy outside Varhaug making cheese from its own herd's milk, with a self-service shop open around the clock.
Skrettinglandsvegen 50, Varhaug · 20 min · all year
Nearby, also among the best for national tourist routes
- KleppRogalandNational Tourist Routes (among Norway's best)Surfing (among Norway's best)
- EigersundRogalandNational Tourist Routes (among Norway's best)Weird & wonderful (good)
- SokndalRogalandNational Tourist Routes (among Norway's best)Climbing (among Norway's best)
- StrandRogalandNational Tourist Routes (among Norway's best)Hiking (among Norway's best)