Lighthouses of Norway: Vesterålen

This page lists lighthouses of the Vesterålen (Western Islands) District of Nordland County, located off the northwestern coast of Norway just to the north of the Lofoten Islands. (The Vesterålen also extend northeastward across the border into Troms County, which is covered on a separate page.) Located entirely north of the Arctic Circle, the mountainous islands have a stunning beauty and attract many visitors. The major islands are connected to each other and to the mainland by bridges.

Although it has always been considered a separate realm, Norway has only been independent since 1905; it was ruled by the Danish king until 1814 and then by the Swedish king until the Norwegian parliament arranged a peaceful separation of the two kingdoms.

In Norway a lighthouse is simply called a fyr (fire). Aids to navigation are maintained by the Kystverket (Coast Directorate), an agency of the Fiskeri og Kystdepartementet (Fisheries and Coast Department).

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. NF numbers are from the Norsk Fyrliste. Admiralty numbers are from volume L of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 115.

General Sources
Norwegian Lighthouse Association (Norsk Fyrhistorisk Forening)
With pages in both Norwegian and English, the Association's site provides photos and information on selected lighthouses. For photos and descriptions of lights in this area, see the Nordland page.
Lighthouse Pages from Anke and Jens - Norway
Excellent photos of more than 60 Norwegian lighthouses.
Norway's Fjorden and Lighthouses
Photos taken by Charles W. Bash on a 2010 cruise from Bergen to North Cape.
Leuchttürme an der norwegischen Küste
Photos posted by Bernd Claußen.
Lighthouses in Nordland
Photos available from Wikimedia.
Norwegische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Liste over Norske Fyr
From Wikipedia, a handy list of Norwegian light stations with their dates of establishment.

Andenes Fyr
Andenes Fyr, Andøy, August 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Lars Røed Hansen
Hadsel Lighthouses
Raftsund
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 4.5 m (15 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on four piles standing on a stone base. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Bash has a photo, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. This light marks the narrowest point of the Raftsund, a very narrow passage around the west side of Hinnøya; this is a critical passage in the inside route to Norway's northern coast. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7418; Admiralty L2824; NGA 11388.
Ersholmene
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 6 m (30 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Bash's photo is at right, but the islet is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Located on a skerry off the northeastern tip of Brottøya. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7890; Admiralty L3108; NGA 12196.
Lonkanneset
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a promontory on the south side of the entrance to the Lonkanfjord from the Hadselfjord. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7895; Admiralty L3110; NGA 12156.
Haugkleppan
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 5 m (17 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. Owen Morgan has a photo, and Google has a distant satellite view of the skerry. Located on a skerry in the Hadselfjord off the south coast of Hadseløy, about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Melbu. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7860; Admiralty L3096; NGA 12088.
Børholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a tripod. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Ola Albert has a distant view, and a second distant view is available, but Google's fuzzy satellite view barely shows the island. Located on a skerry off the western tip of Hadseløy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7950; Admiralty L3128; NGA 12072.
Ersholmene Fyr
Ersholmene Fyr, Hadsel, October 2010
Flickr Creative Commons photo by C.W. Bash

Bø Lighthouses
Seingskjæret
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a skerry on the east side of the Jørnfjord, marking the entrance to Haugsnes. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7990; Admiralty L3139; NGA 12224.
Litløy (Little Island)
1912. Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white flash every 15 s. 11 m (36 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story equipment building. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. The former light station buildings now house an important automatic weather station, and the keeper's houses are available for overnight rental. Wikimedia has the photo at right and additional photos, the Lighthouse Association has a page for the lighthouse with a photo by Ellen Marie Hansteensen, Bø Kommune has a historic photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the island. The lighthouse marks the entrance to the Eidsfjord, which separates the Vesterålen from the Lofotens. Located at the southwestern tip of Litløy, an island about 5 km (3 mi) west of Bø. Accessible only by boat; transportation from Bø can be arranged. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Litløy Fyr. ARLHS NOR-435; NF-8000; Admiralty L3146; NGA 12232.
Flaskforet
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view of the location. Located on a promontory about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Straume. Site open, tower closed. NF-8035; Admiralty L3166; NGA 12296.
Litløy Fyr
Litløy Fyr, Bø, July 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo courtesy Litløy Fyr
Nykvåg
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17.5 m (57 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. A photo is at right, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view of the harbor. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A photo is at right. Located on a cliff on the west side of Nykvåg harbor. Site open, tower closed. NF-8048; Admiralty L3172; NGA 12312.
* [Nautneset]
Date unknown (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 3 m (10 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with a red roof and mounted on a concrete pad. A closeup is available, and Torbjørn Jentoftsen has a distant view. Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the harbor. Located on a promontory at the northernmost tip of Langøy, marking the entrance to the harbor of Hovden. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-438; NF-8050; Admiralty L3176; NGA 12328.
* Hovden
Date unknown (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) lantern supported by piles on a square concrete base. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Bø Kommune has a closeup and a more distant view, and another photo is available, but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view. Located on a short mole at the entrance to Hovden. Site open, tower closed. NF-8052; Admiralty L3178; NGA 12332.
Frugga Sørpynt
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17.5 m (57 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed upper portion. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Arve Allertson has a distant view, but Google has only a very distant satellite view. The directional light guides vessels to Hovden harbor. Located on the south point (sørpynt) of the Frugga islands, about 2 km (1.25 mi) northeast of Hovden. Site open, tower closed. NF-8054; Admiralty L3180; NGA 12336.

Nykvåg Fyr, Bø, September 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Blue Elf
Møkland
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5.5 m (18 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted black, lantern white with a red roof. Bø Kommune has Anne-Lise Robertsen's photo (bottom of the page), and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on the west side of the Møksfjord just nort of Kråkberget. Site open, tower closed. NF-8075; Admiralty L3188; NGA 12372.

Sortland Lighthouse
Fiskholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view of the island. Located on a skerry in the mouth of the Hognfjord, about 3 km (1.8 mi) northeast of Sortland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-7944; Admiralty L3123; NGA 12180.
Stamnes
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11.5 m (38 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view of the island. Located on a headland about 8 km (5 mi) north of the Fiskholmen light, marking the northern entrance to the Sortlandsund. Site open, tower closed. NF-7946; Admiralty L3124; NGA 12184.

Øksnes Lighthouses
Breistrand (Rundskjæret)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 8.5 m (27 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a tripod. Lantern painted white with a red roof. No photo available, and Google has only a distant satellite view. Breistrand is on the south side of Skogsøy, an island off the northwest coast of Langløy. Located on a reef in the entrance to the harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-8094; Admiralty L3194; NGA 12400.
Gjæva
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a stone cairn. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island in the middle of the Prestfjord, on the east side of Skogsøy. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-8100; Admiralty L3200; NGA 12408.
Innerøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island off the west coast of Langøy's northern peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-8114; Admiralty L3210; NGA 12432.
* [Nyksund]
Date unknown (station established 1899). Active (reactivated?); focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 3 m (10 ft) octagonal lantern, painted white with a red roof. A photo is available, Torill Strøm has a distant view, and the light is barely seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. The fishing village of Nyksund was abandoned in the 1970s, but it has recently revived, mostly as a community of summer cottages. Located on a bluff overlooking the entrance to Nyksund harbor on the north coast of Langløy. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. NF-8117; Admiralty L3212; NGA 12436.
Anda
1932. Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 16 m (52 ft) robust square cylindrical concrete tower, attached to the gable end of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. A photo is at right, another photo is available (halfway down the page), and distant view illustrates the remote location of this light. The lighthouse marks a principal entrance to the Vesterålen. Located on a small island off the northern tip of Langøy, about 7 km (4.5 mi) north of Alsvåg. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-304; NF-8135; Admiralty L3222; NGA 12456.
Gisløy (Sporholmen Range Rear)
Date unknown (station established 1898). Active; focal plane 12 m (9 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 12 m (39 ft) tower: lantern and gallery standing on piles atop a stone base. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black, stone base unpainted. A photo is available, Torill Strøm has a distant photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the northeastern point of Gisløy, an island off the northeastern end of Langøy. Site open, tower closed. NF-8180; Admiralty L3250.1; NGA 12520.
Anda Fyr
Anda Fyr, Øksnes
Norwegian Culture Ministry photo

Andøy Lighthouses
* Store Sandnes
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed upper portion. Upper portion and lantern painted white, skeletal portion painted black. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view of the cape. Located at the extreme southwestern tip of Andøy. Site open, tower closed. NF-8185; Admiralty L3254; NGA 12528.
* Åknes
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 15 m (49 ft) skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof, skeletal portion painted black. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view of the location. Located on a promontory on the north side of Åknes, on the southwestern coast of Andøy. Site open, tower closed. NF-8183; Admiralty L3252; NGA 12524.
Børhella
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with a narrow black horizontal band, lantern roof painted red. A 2010 closeup is available, Otto and Mechtild Reuter have a photo, another photo is available, and Svein Solhaug has a sunset photo, but Google's satellite view has no useful detail in this area. Located on the west side of the entrance to Børvågen, on the west coast of Andøy. Site open, tower closed. NF-8142; Admiralty L3227; NGA 12462.
* Sjåberget (Nordmela)
Date unknown (station established 1915). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) square skeletal tower with enclosed watch room, lantern, and gallery. Lantern and watch room painted white, lantern roof red, gallery rail and skeletal tower black. Kim Joar Bekkelund's photo is at right, Ola Albert has a good photo, and Google has a distant satellite view of the harbor. Located in the fishing village of Nordmela on the central north coast of Andøy. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-441; NF-8145; Admiralty L3228; NGA 12468.
Nattmålskjær
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 8.5 m (27 ft) Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof painted red. A good 2008 photo is available, Tony Gulla also has a photo, and Google has distant satellite view of the reef. Located on a reef about 1.5 km (1 mi) northwest of Bleik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-8165; Admiralty L3244; NGA 12500.

Sjåberget Fyr, Andøy, January 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Kim Joar Bekkelund
**** Andenes
1859. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); continuous white light with a more intense flash every 30 s. 40 m (131 ft) round cast iron, brick-lined tower with lantern and gallery. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens remains in use. Entire lighthouse painted red. The 2-story keeper's house, generator house, and farm buildings have been sold as private residences. Lars Røed Hansen's photo is at the top of this page, the Lighthouse Association has a page for the station, Wikimedia has additional photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the town. The lighthouse is managed by the nearby Andøy Museum, which offers guided tours during the summer season. As a result, this is the best known and most visited lighthouse of Norway's Arctic region. Since construction started in 1856, the 150th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated in 2006. Located at the northeastern tip of Andøy in Andenes (Andøy). Site open, tower open to guided tours daily from late June through mid August. Site manager: Andøymuseet. ARLHS NOR-001; NF-8220; Admiralty L3456; NGA 12940.
* Andeneshamn (Andeneshavn, Andøy Molja)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous yellow light. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. Another excellent photo is available. Located at the end of the mole in Andenes (Andøy); accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-424; NF-8226; Admiralty L3460; NGA 12944.
Andenes Børingan Molja
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Timofey Tararin has a closeup, and another closeup is available. Wikipedia has an aerial view of Andenes; the historic lighthouse and the nearby Andeneshamn light appear on the left, and this light is at the end of the mole at top center (click on the photo for higher resolution). Located at the end of the detached Børingan mole, which shelters the modern harbor of Andenes. Site status unknown. NF-8213; Admiralty L3451; NGA 12920.
* Dverberg
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Kim Joar Bekkelund has a distant view, and Google has a distant satellite view of the harbor. Located at the end of a short mole at Dverberg, on the east coast of Andøy. Site open, tower closed. NF-8204; Admiralty L3442; NGA 12896.
Lovik
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Michael Boucher's photo is at right, but Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located at the tip of a promontory at the northern end of Hinnøy, about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Risøyhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-8202; Admiralty L3278; NGA 12560.
Kinnholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6.5 m (21 ft) square tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available, and Google has only an indistinct satellite view. Located on the east side of a small island in the Kvæfjord about 15 km (9 mi) east of Risøyhamn. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-8311; Admiralty L3346; NGA 12688.
Lovik Fyr
Lovik Fyr, Andøy, September 2011
photo copyright Michael Boucher; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Tromsø Area | South: Bodø and Narvik Area | West: Lofoten Islands

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Posted August 3, 2006. Checked and revised August 6, 2012. Lighthouses: 30. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.