Lighthouses of Norway: Helgeland

Helgeland is the southernmost district of Norway's Nordland County; roughly speaking, it includes that portion of the country's northwest coast between the Trøndelag (Trondheim area) and the Arctic Circle. There are no major ports in the district, but there are many small fishing villages. The coastline is quite rugged and deeply indented by many fjords.

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.
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.

Ytterholmen Fyr
Ytterholmen Fyr, Herøy, September 2009
Kystverket photo

Sømna Lighthouses
* Sømnes (Jarholmen)
Date unknown (station established 1908). Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) octagonal pyramidal skeletal tower, covered with white siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Elisabeth Spaans has a good 2007 photo, and another good photo is available, but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Sømnes is an island in the entrance to Berg harbor from the Brønnøysund; the island is accessible by bridge. Located on the southern tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. NF-5845; Admiralty L2044; NGA 9372.
Blåbakflu (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11m (36 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 11 m (36) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. A photo is available (fourth photo on the page), and Google has a very distant satellite view. The lantern from the original lighthouse is on display at the Brønnøysund Båtforening in Brønnøy. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Brønnøysund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-5775; Admiralty L2024; NGA 9304.

Brønnøy Lighthouses
Uttorgflesa (2)
1955 (station established 1910). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 13 m (43 ft) lantern and gallery supported by four concrete piles, mounted on the stone base (probably the foundation of the original lighthouse, a 2-story wood keeper's house with light tower at one end). Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. No photo available, but Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a low reef about 3.5 km (2 mi) north of the Blåbakflu light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-263; NF-5785; Admiralty L2027; NGA 9312.
Hestøyodden
Date unknown (station established 1895). Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 5 m (17 ft) octagonal lantern and gallery mounted on four piles rising from a square stone pier. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Bash has a photo, another closeup photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located just off the northern tip of Nordøya, marking the narrow northern entrance to the harbor of the town of Brønnøysund. Site open, tower closed. NF-5882; Admiralty L2064; NGA 9404.
Prestøyan (Østre Prestøy, Brønnøysund) (1)
1862 (relocated here in 1896). Inactive since 1935. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical wood tower attached to the front of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. The lantern has been replaced by a large wood observation room. Lighthouse painted white. A photo is at right, the Lighthouse Association has a page for the station, Bash has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse was built on the island of Buholmen near Brønnøysund, then moved to Østre Prestøy in 1896. There are plans to restore the lighthouse to its original appearance. Located on a small island about 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of the town of Brønnøysund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-062.
Prestøyan (Østre Prestøy, Brønnøysund) (2)
1935 (station established 1896). Active; focal plane 8.5 m (28 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 6 m (20 ft) skeletal tower, covered with white siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Located in front of the historic lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-5891; Admiralty L2074; NGA 9420.
Prestøy Fyr
Prestøyan (Brønnøysund) Fyren
anonymous Norsk Fyrhistorisk Forening photo


Vega Lighthouses
Bremstein
1925. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); three white flashes every 40 s; also a second light at 27 m (89 ft): white, red or green depending on direction, occulting three times every 10 s. 27 m (89 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unique in having two 2nd order Fresnel lenses, one for each light. Lighthouse painted red with one white horizontal band in the center. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, boathouse, and other station buildings. However, the engine house burned to the ground in 1996. A photo is at right, and Ivar Mikalsen has a distant view from the sea, but the island is missing in Google's satellite view. Located on a small island about 25 km (15 mi) west of Gladstad. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-007; NF-6000; Admiralty L2098; NGA 9436.
Brynjulfskjær
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical stone cairn topped by a lantern supported by four short piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles black; cairn unpainted. A photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the skerry. Located on a skerry about 13 km (12 mi) northeast of Bremstein Fyr. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6010; Admiralty L2112; NGA 9456.

Alstahaug Lighthouses
[Skjelva (1)]
1898. Inactive since 1952. Ruins of the original lighthouse, which had a light tower mounted on a 2-story wood keeper's house. The light station is privately owned. Located on a small island about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Mindlandet. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NOR-206.
Bremstein Fyr
Bremstein Fyr; Norwegian Culture Ministry photo
Skjelva (2)
1952 (station established 1898). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 12.5 m (41 ft) lantern mounted on an iron tripod. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of the island. Located on a small island about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Mindlandet. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. NF-6080; Admiralty L2142; NGA 9564.
Juldagan (Juledagene)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) round stone cairn with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Bash has a photo, Terje André Pettersen has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a skerry about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Tjøtta. Accessible only by boat; there's a distant view from highway 17 on the mainland. Site open, tower closed. NF-6122; Admiralty L2158; NGA 9604.
Rosøygalten
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Bash has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located off the northeastern end of Nordre Rosøya. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6124; Admiralty L2160; NGA 9608.
Søre Sørøyholmen
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) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Bash has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a small island about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Søvik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6131; Admiralty L2166; NGA 9616.
Søvik
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 7 m (23 ft) round stone cairn with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Bash has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a small island about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north of Søvik. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6135; Admiralty L2168; NGA 9620.
Sandnessjøen (Helgelandsbase) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 5 m (17 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Bash has a photo, but Google has only a distant and fuzzy satellite view of the area. The light guides ships arriving at Helgelandsbase, a supply depot for oilfields offshore in the Norwegian Sea. The base occupies an artificial island connected to the mainland by a causeway. The original light was on a rock nearby. Located at the tip of the island, near Alstahaug. Site and tower closed, although the light is easily seen from the mainland. Site manager: NorSeaGroup AS. NF-6151; Admiralty L2178; NGA 9644.

Vefsn Lighthouses
Sørnesskjær
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower, covered with wood siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Per Atle Eliassen has a 2007 photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the skerry. Located on a rocky point at the junction of the Vefsnfjord and the Sørfjord, about 15 km (9 mi) northwest of Vefsn. Site open, tower closed. NF-6171; Admiralty L2190; NGA 9676.
Alterneset
Date unknown (station established 1905). Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft) (?); white or red light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on six wood piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Per Atle Eliassen has a 2007 photo, but Google has only a distant satellite view. Located off a sharp promontory in the Vefsnfjord about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Mosjøen. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6173; Admiralty L2192; NGA 9680.

Herøy Lighthouses
Ytterholmen
1912. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); two white flashes every 30 s; also a passing light, white, red or green depending on direction, occulting twice every 10 s. 11 m (36 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on an octagonal base. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. The keepers houses are available for overnight accommodations. A Kystverket photo is at the top of this page, but the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Located on a small island about 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Gladstad. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS NOR-282; NF-6545; Admiralty L2316; NGA 10072.
Skålvær
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a concrete pad. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Per Atle Eliassen has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on an island about 6 km (4 mi) southwest of Stranda. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6405; Admiralty L2271.3; NGA 9932.
Gjeithammeren (Geithammeren)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 7 m (23 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A good photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the area. Located on the northwestern coast of the island of Tenna. Site open, tower closed. NF-6450; Admiralty L2278; NGA 9968.
Gjeitholmen (Geitholmen)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 5 m (17 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A good photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the area. Located on an islet of the southeast coast of Indre Øksingan, about 800 m (1/2 mi) southwest of Finnbogen. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. NF-6460; Admiralty L2280; NGA 9976.

Dønna Lighthouses
Steinen (Store Steinen)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a concrete post. Tower painted white; lantern painted red. The Degree Confluence Project has a photo by Hermann Grebner, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a small island about 8 km (5 mi) west of Dønna. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. NF-6535; Admiralty L2310; NGA 10064.
Rølvag (Rølvågen)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) lantern and gallery mounted on a concrete post. Tower painted white with a black horizontal band; lantern painted red. Roy Brandsnes has a photo, but Google has only a distant satellite view of the area. Located on a promontory on the northwest side of Dønna, about 5 km (3 mi) west of Dønnes. Site open, tower closed. NF-6482; Admiralty L2184.2; NGA 10012.
Åsvær (1)
1876. Inactive since 1917. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) stone tower attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house: both tower and house are in ruins. A photo is available. The lighthouse was abandoned after being heavily damaged in a storm in 1917. Located about 100 m (110 yd) from the active lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-425.
Åsvær (2)
1917 (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting in groups of two, period not listed by NGA. 19 m (62 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a stone base and attached to a 2-story keeper's house. The tower is painted red; the stone base is unpainted. A distant view is at irght, a closer view is available (first photo on the page), and Bent Svinnung has a page for the station, with several photos. Google has a very fuzzy satellite view of the station. Located on a small island about 6 km (3.5 mi) southwest of Lovund and 15 km (9 mi) northwest of Solfjellsjøen on the island of Dønna. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-290; NF-6573; Admiralty L2338; NGA 10140.
Åsvær Fyren
Distant view of Åsvær Fyren, May 2008
anonymous Wikimedia Creative Commons photo

Nesna Lighthouses
Feøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern painted white with a red roof. Bash has a photo, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on the western tip of the island of Feøy, about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Nesna. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6195; Admiralty L2218; NGA 9700.
Handnesholmen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern mounted on a concrete pad. Lantern painted white with a red roof. Bash has a photo, but the small light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located at the southwestern tip of a small island off the southwestern end of Handnesøya, about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the Hannesøy ferry terminal. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6240; Admiralty L2236; NGA 9752.

Rana Lighthouse
* Haukneset
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) lantern and gallery, mounted on four straight piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the Ranafjord near Åga, about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Mo i Rana. Site open, tower closed. NF-6220; Admiralty L2226; NGA 9728.

Lurøy Lighthouses
Kvalholmen
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern on a stone base. Lantern painted white with a red roof. A closeup photo is available, but the light is barely visible in Google's satellite view. Located on a small island about 6 km (3.5 mi) northeast of Lovund. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6592; Admiralty L2346; NGA 10192.
Bonetskjær
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) lantern and gallery, mounted on four straight piles. Lantern painted white with a red roof, piles painted black. Bash has a photo, but the light is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. Located on a skerry at the entrance to the harbor of Innerkvarøya. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6262; Admiralty L2242; NGA 9776.

Rødøy Lighthouses
Vikingen
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting in groups of two, period not listed by NGA. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Bash has a photo, a distant photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view of the island. Geir Ole Søreng has a photo of the nearby monument marking the Arctic Circle, and another photo shows both the monument and the lighthouse. Located on an island off the end of a peninsula, about 2 km (1.2 mi) west northwest of Tonnes. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6264; Admiralty L2244; NGA 9780.
* Store Selsøy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting once every 6 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) concrete post light with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. A small photo is available (third photo on the page), but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view of this area. Located on the waterfront at Storselsøy, on the north side of Hestmannøy (Hestmona), an island about 7 km (4.5 mi) west northwest of Tonnes. Site open, tower closed. NF-6371; Admiralty L2266; NGA 9928.
Skjurøysund
Date unknown (station established 1894?). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 8 s. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern on a stone base. No photo available. Located at the southwestern point of Skjurøy, marking the southern entrance to the narrow sound separating Skjurøy and Myken. Site status unknown. NF-6704; Admiralty L2380; NGA 10324.
** Myken
1918. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting in groups of two, period not listed by NGA. 12.5 m (41 ft) lantern mounted on the roof of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. A photo is at right, and another photo is available. Myken is a group of small islands and skerries about 32 km (20 mi) off the mainland and 15 km (9 mi) northeast of Træna; the islands are only a blur in Google's satellite view. Jutøy is the only inhabited island. Its permanent population is only about 20, but it has a larger summer population and is accessible by passenger ferry from Tonnes. The lighthouse is available for overnight accommodations (boat and lifejackets provided). Lighthouse located atop a rocky island across the harbor from the Myken waterfront. Site open, tower open to paying guests. Site manager: Myken Fyr. ARLHS NOR-032; NF-6700; Admiralty L2378; NGA 10320.
Dørgholmsund
Date unknown (station established 1894). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white, red or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) octagonal lantern on a stone base. A photo is available (1/4 the way down the page). Located at the northeastern point of Skjurøy, marking the northern entrance to the narrow sound separating Skjurøy and Myken. Site status unknown. NF-6708; Admiralty L2382; NGA 10328.
Myken Fyr
Myken Fyr
anonymous Wikimedia Creative Commons photo

Træna Lighthouses
Træna
1877. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); white flash every 15 s. 21 m (69 ft) round cast iron tower with double gallery, mounted on an octagonal stone base and attached to a 2-story keeper's house. Lantern removed. The tower is painted red; the stone base is painted white. A page with several photos is available, a 2010 photo, a small photo and a small and very distant view (about 2/3 of the way down the page) are available, and the Lofotmuseet has a historic photo from 1924 (halfway down the page). The island is not visible in Google's satellite view. A local recreation association, Polarsirkelen Friluftsråd, is seeking to renovate the station for overnight accommodations. Located on a small island about 7 km (4.5 mi) southwest of Træna. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NOR-255; NF-6600; Admiralty L2348; NGA 10196.
Dørvær
Date unknown (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 10 m (3 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. A 2008 photo is available, but the island does not even appear in Google's satellite view. Located on an island about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Selvær. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. NF-6635; Admiralty L2362; NGA 10244.
Søndre (Søre) Selvær
Date unknown (station established 1904). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, covered with corrugated siding, with lantern and gallery. Tower painted gray with white trim, lantern white with a red roof. John Sandøy has a photo, but the site cannot be seen in Google's satellite view. Located on a small island off the entrance to the harbor of Selvær, an island about 13 km (8 mi) north northwest of Lovund. Site open, tower closed. NF-6640; Admiralty L2364; NGA 10252.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Bodø and Narvik Area | South: Nord-Trøndelag

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted August 3, 2006. Checked and revised July 8, 2011. Lighthouses: 37. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.