Balestrand (Sognefjord)
Balholm · Kvikne's Hotel anchorage · Dragsvik area
61°12.2'N 006°31.3'E
Depth
6–25m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
85m
Holding
Excellent
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
85m
85m in 6–22m on mud/silt. Excellent holding. S/SE exposure to the wide Sognefjord is the main vulnerability — the fjord is 8–10km wide at Balestrand and S/SE winds build significant fetch. Shore lines recommended for overnight stays. Express boat wash can rock the boat; anchor firmly.
About This Anchorage
Balestrand on the north shore of Sognefjord is one of the most historically and culturally rich stops on the entire fjord. The village was a major destination for 19th-century European artists and the English expatriate community — the famous Kvikne's Hotel (opened 1877, still family-run) was the social centre of a remarkable Viking-art-meets-Alpine-tourism cultural movement. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II visited repeatedly. The English St Olaf's Church (Anglican, built 1897 by an English woman who fell in love with the fjord) stands on the hillside above the quay. The Viking burial mounds (Kong Bele's mound) at the water's edge are among the finest accessible Viking age monuments in western Norway.
Protected From
N · NE · W · NW
Exposed To
S · SE · E
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free (anchoring); Small fee for guest quay
- Permit required
- No
Restrictions: Allemannsretten applies. Viking burial mounds are protected cultural monuments — do not walk on or dig near the mounds. St Olaf's Church is privately owned (Anglican congregation) — respect opening hours. Keep clear of the express boat quay approach. No discharge in the fjord.
Hazards
- !Sognefjord S/SE fetch: the 8–10km fjord width at Balestrand allows significant wave build in S or SE winds — not suitable as overnight anchorage in S forecast
- !Express boat and ferry wash: multiple express boat services stop at Balestrand — their passage creates moderate wash; anchor well set before scheduled services
- !Tourist excursion boats: Viking burial mounds attract tourist RIBs and guided boat tours in summer — navigation around the quay can be congested in July
- !Overnight katabatic from Flatbrehøi above: 10–15 knots drainage winds possible; shore lines recommended
Skipper's Tips
- →Kvikne's Hotel dinner: book at least a day in advance for the historic hotel's buffet dinner — the Victorian dining room with fjord views is one of Norway's most atmospheric dining experiences
- →Viking mound walk: the King Bele and Fridtjof burial mounds at the water's edge are excellently preserved and freely accessible — a 20-minute walk from the quay
- →St Olaf's Anglican Church: small but remarkable — built by an Englishwoman in 1897 with dragon-head posts in a fusion of Anglican and stave-church design; open in summer
- →Dragsvik ferry (500m N): the car ferry crossing to Vangsnes gives easy access to Vik (Hopperstad stave church) and the south shore
Facilities
Balestrand village has the historic Kvikne's Hotel restaurant (book in advance, excellent traditional Norwegian food), a café and a small shop. Water at the guest quay. Express boat to Bergen (2h 15m) for provisioning runs.
Nearest provisions: Balestrand village shop / Kvikne's Hotel provisions (0.3nm)
Best Months & Season
June, July, August
June–August. Balestrand is one of Sognefjord's finest cultural stops — plan a half-day at minimum to do justice to the Kvikne's Hotel, the Viking mounds and the church. The express boat service makes Bergen easy to access for provisioning.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 85m
In the narrow fjord arms of Sognefjord, katabatic winds can reach gale force suddenly. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position and shore-line swing continuously.
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