ROGALAND COUNTY Welcome to Rogaland County and the weather right now! Rogaland County is one out of 19 countys in Norway with a area of 9.326 km2 and a population of approximately 389.000. Each County is divided into different township / county council. For Rogaland County you will find the links to your "right" (township for the whole country is 430) or read a short story given below. SEE VIDEO WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT US ! From the south you first encounter Norway´s Fjordland in Ryfylke. Aeons of glaciation have been harsh on these ancient rocks. AII that ice crunching and grinding just so that you and I can gaze on in wonder. A glance at the map reveals a veritable web of fjord arms: Lysefjord, Høgsfjord, Hidlefjord, Årdalsfjord, Jøsenfjord, Erfjord, Jelsafjord, Sandsfjord, Hylsfjord, Saudafjord. Each of them with its special features spellbinding the photographer painter or visitor. Choose between open skies bathed in a wonderful light, and improbable valleys flanked by steep naked cliffs. Stand by still waters where you have to look twice to see where the vegetation ends and the reflection begins. Every turn in the road brings a new revelation. Sheep on the slopes. An old farm, so high and so remote that you have to wonder who ever could have lived there and why. Some say the rock must have been carved by a mighty hand. To get a closer look, why not take the boat? Either rent one for the day and try out the fishing, or book the family onto one of the many sightseeing tours. Lysefjord is an unforgettable choice: long and with Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) over 1980 feet above you. At the head of the fjord the Lysevegen road transports you through 27 hairpins to Øygardstøl, the base point for walks to Kjerag with its suspended stone, offering a 3280 foot vertical drop into the blue fjord far below. STAVANGER Stavanger is medium-sized, with the charm of a small town and the facilities of a modern metropolis. Within the city´s boundaries, you can reach out and touch almost anything you want to experience. You can reach a deep fjord, a wind blown island, or an endless white sandy beach under Jæren´s picturesque skies within an hour from the centre of town. Old Stavanger consists of more than 150 old timber houses built in the late 18th and early 19th century. The site, being the best preserved collection of timber houses in northern Europe, is preserved by law as a historical monument, and gives a real impression of the old city. The houses are partly in private ownership, and partly owned by the City. Stavanger is also a modern, lively place of culture. You can enjoy all kinds of music, galleries and museums, festivals, theatre and cabaret here. If you want a night on the town, you can opt for a sedate "library-bar" or a roof-raising nightclub - or anything in between. The FJORD ROAD (Ryfylkevegen) Ryfylkevegen winds from Sandnes on an odyssey through Fjord Norway. Along the way you will be inspired to create your own adventure Lysefjord is already famous, but have you heard of the 3000 year old petroglyphs at Solbakk? And what about the old church at Årdal? Some of the picnic refuges take your breath away to the point where you forget to eat. Others offer mementos of a forgotten age. Strange rocks include the Skomakarnibbå, the cobbler gazing across Jøsenfjord. Ryfylke Museum is based in an ancient seahouse at Sand. Nearby Sandsfossen is an unruly cascade of water. At Laksestudioet, you can peer through underwater windows at the salmon heading upstream. A ferry will take you to Ropeid and the Rv 520 to Sauda. Its name means "boil, simmer", and the metal foundry offers just that on a big scale. Enjoy a tour of Åbøbyen, or taste life in a zinc mine at Allmannajuvet. Alternatively, follow Rv 13, here called the Suldal Road, from Sand to Røldal. Røldal´s elaborate stave church is well worth further study. For a really local flavour don´t miss the goat´s cheese sold by the old lady by the roadside. Kolbeinstveit farm complex allows you to step into history. The Suldalsvatnet lake shines sedately, in sublime contrast to Bratlandsdal, a valley of rushing falls and deep gullies. Every single turn off Ryfylkevegen opens a new chapter. The prehistoric village at Landa near Forsand shows how life was lived from 1500 BC to 600 AD. Here and elsewhere in Ryfylke there are miles of dry stone walls, witnesses to blood, sweat and determination. From beautiful Årdal the secondary road takes you across the top to Songesand and stunning views of Lysefjord. The old staging post at Hjelmelandsvagen is home to the old Spinnery with handcrafts for sale and art on show. Hiring a boat to go fishing is a common fjordland pursuit. Fjordside cabins offer an opportunity to stay a while, whilst mountain walks entice the more adventurous. Visit Gullingen for a wealth of activities. Inlalld is Blåsjø, the Blue Lake, and Norway"s largest artificial dams. Enjoy a visit to Kvilldal hydroelectric plant, whilst on the banks of Suldalslågen the old salmon castles bears witness to an era when English lords enjoyed the fishing rights. FISHING If you love fish, then Ryfylke is the place for you. If they are biting, you can fill the boat almost before you can blink. Mountain lakes boil with trout and fishing licences are readily available. Special maps guide trekkers through mountains and forests. Ideal for vacationers seeking peace and relaxation or the energetic traveller looking for something more demanding. Rent a bike and open a time account. Visit hospitality farms where traditional fare is served along with homemade bread. Watch as old crafts like basket weaving and wickerwork chairmaking are displayed. Or try the local customs and recipes. Ryfylke fare is the result of traditional culinary skills and local raw materials. NORTH SEA HIGH WAY Nordsjøvegen takes you through such centres as Egersund, Stavanger and Haugesund. The Jæren coast with its miles of long white beaches is renowned for a light that excites painters. For a taste of the islands, a one-day trip from Hjelmeland across Ombo and via Finnøy to historic Utstein Cloisters and Stavanger. POSSIBILITIES In every township / county council you will find links to accommodation, restaurants, shopping, car rental, airports, coaches and train. ACTIVITIES The choice of different activities in Norway such as Golf, skiing, bikeing, cruising, fishing, stave churching etc. In order that you may get the best out of your visit we recommend that you visit our Tourist Information. Bjerkreim Bokn Egersund Finnøy Forsand Gjesdal Haugesund Hjelmeland Hå Karmøy Klepp Kvitsøy Lund Randaberg Rennesøy Sandnes Sauda Sokndal Sola Stavanger Strand Suldal Time Tysvær Utsira Vindafjord Ølen