Sky and sea at Varhaug

If you drive along the E39 and take Buevegen across Høg-Jæren, you'll feel as if the whole world opens up when you reach Varhaug. With wind turbines, fields and grazing animals along the narrow road, you'll suddenly realise the meaning of the phrase "sky and sea" as the horizon comes into view. The high Jæren sky and the endless sea are powerful sights and a great experience both by car and by bike.

Photo moments at Varhaug

Varhaug is also an important stop if you're travelling along the Norwegian Scenic Route Jæren, cycling the Jærruta bike route or walking along the historic Kongevegen or Kystpilegrimsleia. Here you'll find the historic Varhaug Old Cemetery with its little white chapel, which is a popular photo motif and familiar from the Norwegian band Kaizers Orchestra's music video. If you take the trip on a summer evening at sunset, you can capture amazing moments on your camera roll with beautiful stone walls, sea, sky and grazing animals as backdrops. The chapel is a great place to visit in stormy weather too. During the summer months, the chapel is open and you can go in and sit on one of the 14 chairs and let your thoughts fly. Sign the guest book, read about the chapel's exciting history and check out the special altarpiece that the chapel received as a gift from artist Ivan Storm Juliussen.

Open landscapes

Varhaug Chapel is a perfect place to start a Sunday walk along the sea. Walk to Hå gamle prestegard and visit the café and gallery there, or take a slightly shorter walk with a break at the tiny mill houses, boat jetty and boathouses in Bodle, one kilometre south of the chapel. Here you'll also find another building that is a popular photo subject, an old yellow "lute". This was where straw for animal feed was lyed before the silo was built. It's also nice to walk along the sea towards Madland harbour.

Madland harbour is a picnic area with a fantastic view of the sea to the west. Situated on a small embankment above the harbour, the elongated site offers a spectacular view of the forces of nature rolling in over the Jæren coast. From the plateau on the embankment, you can park your car or motorhome, enjoy the view and take a break on days when the weather permits. Here you'll also find toilets and a storm cabin where you have a view of the harbour, where the waves break at the height of the storm. From Madland harbour you can also experience cultural monuments that stretch far back in time. There are both ancient burial mounds and more recent traces, with the shipwreck just north of the picnic area rusting away.

Another popular hiking destination around Varhaug is Steinkjerringa. This is a much-loved sculpture that has looked out over the Jæren landscape since 1927. This is a stone statue that was originally called Mother Norway. Young people from Nærbø spent two winters towing Steinkjerringa to the Synesvarden landscape conservation area where she now stands. The walk up to the statue from Holmavatn Mission Centre takes you through brown-coloured heather and moorland on a blue-marked path. Steinkjerringa has a safe lap to sit in and is a popular photo subject.

Open offers

Varhaug is the administrative centre of Hå municipality and has a grocery store, butcher's shop, flower shop, interior design shop and some fast food outlets. Just outside the centre, you'll find the open cheese dairy Ystepikene, which has a 24-hour self-service shop with a window so you can see into the production. Here you'll find cheeses and other goods produced on the farm, as well as exciting products from other local organisations.

The Jæren railway is the foundation of the station town and runs through the landscape. It is a central link for trade and jobs to the larger towns in the north and smaller towns in the south.

If you like activity and exercise, you can visit the Varhaug IL sports centre. Here you'll find an open running track with floodlights and reasonable access to paddle courts and tennis courts. You can also try out the frisbee golf course that runs along the river Brattlandsåna. If you like speed and excitement, you'll find a speedway and motocross track at Elgane Motorstadion. At Holmavatnet you can hire canoes through Frilager.

Accommodation

If you want to stay overnight in Varhaug, you can check out Huset ved havet or Holmavatn mission centre. There are also several campsites and rental cabins in the municipality. Idyllic Sirevåg harbour offers hotel accommodation and motorhome parking. Do you dream of waking up in a unique place? Check out Trekronå at Ogna or Kvassheim Lighthouse. The towns of Bryne and Egersund are not far away either, with several accommodation options.