In the run up to our Norwegian Fjords cruise onboard Sky Princess we weren’t sure what to expect from Haugesund as we’d read many differing views of the port.
Once again, we’d decided to do our own thing and take in the sights on offer. Disembarking in the rain, we were hoping that the weather hadn’t set the tone for the day.
As with most of the ports we visited in Norway, the tour operators and HoHo buses were primed and ready for passengers to go on their own adventures. If you decide to walk into the town, be prepared to climb up and over the Risøy broen (bridge) which connects the town to the port.
Our plan was to walk the coastal path to take in the different monuments whilst enjoying the views.
To get to the start of the path, type in: Skillebekkagata to your maps app, follow the main road and you’ll arrive at a car park to start your journey. The first photo point is a few metres from the car park and offers a chance to take a breath and enjoy the view.
Continuing along the undulating path for another 15 minutes or so, you’ll arrive at Haraldshaugen, which is an obelisk to mark the unification of Norway in the 1800’s. This was one of the busier points on our walk as all the HoHo buses stopped here.
After getting a few photos, we carried on to the lighthouse: Kyststien I Haugesund, it was worth the brief detour and also takes you quite a way off the proper path. Be aware that there is a steep decline on rocks and no proper path near the camp site.
After returning to the main path, we carried on for another 15 minutes or so through a cattle grid and beyond. Further along, turn left and walk past the public toilets and up and over the hill to the next stop: The Rising Tide sculptures. We learnt that these were installed in London in a previous life; they made for a very tranquil stop on our walk. It’s worth catching your breath here and taking a few snaps before carrying on with your hike. At this point you can carry on but we opted to start heading back towards the town
Making our way back along the coastal path we opted to return to Haraldshaugen and walk along the main roads. Head towards the shopping centre and you’re on the right track. This route wasn’t as scenic but is much flatter and eventually brings you back to the Main Street in Haugesund where there’s plenty of gift shops to pick up souvenirs.
However there was one last statue we had to tick off the list: Marilyn Monroe, who sits on a plinth next to the river.
The total round trip was 12km so a much earned lunch at Alfredo’s was in order when we got back onboard which was included with our Princess Plus package.
For The Love Of Cruise 