Helgeland, Mo i Rana - Rørvik

@Bicyclesisters trip report from this year’s cycling holiday in 10-16 July 2024

Day 1.
Arrived in Mo i Rana by train from Trondheim at about 6am, and cycled to Nesna. Ok traffic and good roads. Lots of vertical metres, but nice views and a fun descent. From Nesna we took the ferry out to Tomma where we spent the night at Helgeland Havhus.

Day 2.
We spent the day exploring Tomma.

Day 3
Ferry to Nesna and speedboat to Sandnessjøen, then ferry over to Bjørn. We cycled on Dønna and over to Herøy where we ate the best pizza we’ve ever tasted at SKOLO. We spent the night at Elfis Sjøstuer. Ok traffic, gentle curves.

Day 4.
Ferry to Søvik and cycled on to Tjøtta, very nice trip without much traffic. From Tjøtta we took the ferry to Igerøy, Vega. We cycled out to Base Camp Vega where we spent the night in an eider house. Ok traffic and gentle curves. Ended the day by walking the Vega stairs and watching the sunset. NB: we didn’t get any food, as they were empty. It’s a good idea to bring Dry Tec or similar as a safety food.

Day 5.
Cycled to Igerøy and took the ferry to Horn. We then cycled on to Brønnøysund. We visited Hildur’s Herbarium. Recommend eating moose in a sleeping bag. We cycled out to Torghatten, and went up to the hole, very cool.

Day 6.
Cycled from Brønnøysund to Vennesund. Do not recommend this campsite. We swam in Kvennvika which was a very nice beach. Traffic ok, many alternative routes. We cycled on a busy road with the exception of a detour to a beach called “Hælvete”, partly on paths and bad roads.

Day 7.
By bike from Vennesund to Rørvik. More traffic than on the other stages. Hilly but relatively gentle slopes. From here we took the Hurtigruten to Trondheim in the beautiful midnight sun.

Helgeland is perfect for cycling holidays. Nordland is hilly with high mountains, but the roads are laid out just above sea level with no major climbs once you reach the coast. Although few roads are car-free, there is relatively little traffic on the Helgeland coast. The road quality is good and the roadsides abound with wildflowers.

Island hopping by bike, broken up by ferry trips with a break in the beautiful coastal nature is perfect. Ferry departures are often infrequent, but you won’t have to wait in any ferry queues and can roll in without the risk of not getting on. Car traffic increases slightly towards the ferry docks in the last hour before departure, but after arriving on a new island, you’ll have the roads all to yourself if you wait a few minutes for the cars to leave.

A combination of cycling and hiking is perfect in Helgeland. Bring good walking shoes and stay in the same place for a few days so you don’t have to pack and unpack every day. The area is ideal for both mountain and kayak tours, making your cycling holiday even more adventurous.

Below is a description with a starting point in Trondheim. The combination of train and Hurtigruten transport enabled them to cycle from north to south. Those living in eastern Norway must at least drive to Dombås as there is a bus for trains between Lillehammer and Dombås until the bridge at Ringebu was taken by the flood in 2023.