Drive it Yourself: Båtsfjord to Kjøllefjord
Drive it Yourself: Båtsfjord to Kjølleford
The drive from Båtsfjord to Kjøllefjord is perfect if you want to avoid large crowds, towns, settlements, or any trace of civilisation. Sure, there may not be many shops or villages to stop at, but what makes this drive so special is the scenery. Both the Varanger peninsula and the Nordkyn peninsula are spectacular for geology, unique landscapes, and history. Just be warned – these are some of the most difficult roads to cross in winter and will probably be closed.
I did this drive in September 2023, which was the best time of year to go – no snow, no mass amounts of caravans, but gorgeous orange colours and the northern lights at night.
In this article...
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- Information about points of interest
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- Historic photos
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- Information about points of interest
- Images of each point of interest
- Historic overview of the region & towns
- Directions between points
- Historic photos
- Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
- Interactive Google Map for easier navigation
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All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like.
Båtsfjord to Kjøllefjord
Båtsfjord
Båtsfjord is one of Norway’s largest fishing communities and is also one of the most culturally diverse in the country.
Båtsfjordsfjellet
Mountains
Now you cross the Båtsfjordfjellet mountain at 358m above sea level.
Berlevåg Municipality
Berlevåg municipality is located on the northwestern part of the Varanger peninsula. Most of the settlement is concentrated around the village of Berlevåg, though Kongsfjord is the second largest settlement. The coat-of-arms represents the municipality’s dependence on the sea – the waves towards the beach. The five waves represent the five places with permanent settlement.
Tana-Deanu Municipality
The Sami word “Deanu” The Sami word can be translated as ‘great river’, referring to the Tana River. The population of the municipality is around 2,800, with the population currently declining.
The coat-of-arms represents riverboats that have been used in the area for centuries. The three boats symbolise the three ethnic groups here: Sami, Kven and Norwegian, and the colours mimic the red and yellow of the Norwegian coat-of-arms.
The most important industries are agriculture or timber. The world’s northernmost dairy is Tine in Tana Bru, and it employs around 30 people.
The municipality is located along the lower river basin of the Tana River. Most of the inhabitants are Sami people. The river is one of Europe’s main salmon rivers, though no large-scale commercial fishing is done.
Austertana
Village
Austertana is a small village located along one of the inner bays of the Tanafjord. The village is home to both the Austertana Chapel and the world’s second largest quartzite quarry. Most of the town was destroyed by Nazis at the end of World War II.
The highest mountain on the Varanger peninsula, named Stangenestind, is 724m above sea level and is at Austertana. The northernmost point of the Scandinavian birch forest is also here. In Austertana you can find Norway’s longest sandy beach; it is 13km long.
After Austertana you pass through a boomgate. The road to Berlevåg often closes in winter due to snowstorms, isolating the town from the rest of Norway. The daily coastal ferry (Hurtigruten and Havila) is an essential service during this time.
Tana Bru
This is the main village in Deanu-Tana. Tana Bru means ‘Tana Bridge’ in English and is named after the bridge that crosses the river to the village of Skiippagurra on the other side of the river.
Rustefjelbma
Village
In the village of Rustefjelbma is the Tana Church. The church was consecrated in 1964 and seats 300 people. The old Tana Church was burned down by retreating Nazi forces in 1944.
Mountain crossing
Mountains
You now cross the mountains next to the Tanafjord. This stretch of road can close in winter.
Gamvik Municipality
Gamvik Municipality’s main centre is Mehamn, which we will visit later in this drive. Gamvik is known as one of the poorest and most undeveloped municipalities in Norway and has a declining population.
The coat-of-arms shows fishing net sewing needles, a characteristic maritime tool used for making and mending the fishing nets used by local fishermen.
Lebesby Municipality
Lebesby municipality’s administrative centre is Kjøllefjord, where this drive ends. The municipality is dominated by ethnic Norwegians, whereas the areas around the Laksefjorden are predominantly Sami.
Ifjord
Village
Ifjord is a small village. This is where you turn onto the Fv888 towards Kjøllefjord.
Bekkarfjord
Village
Bekkarfjord is an agricultural community with three dairy farms and Finnmark’s largest chicken farm.
Boom gate
Road info
We are going to pass a boomgate now with a parking area where you have to wait for the convoy in winter. The Fv888, the highway we are on, opened in 1989 and is regarded as Norway’s most difficult highway to cross in winter because of frequent snowstorms and strong winds. It is common for the road to close in winter.
Nordkyn Peninsula
Peninsula
The Nordkyn peninsula has a unique barren landscape. There’s no high peaks here, and there are large areas of ‘boulder oceans’ – expanses of broken rock virtually without soil or vegetation. The peninsula also has bustling fishing villages and lots of history. It ends at Kinnarodden, the northernmost point on mainland Europe.
The peninsula is connected to the mainland at Hopseidet, a narrow isthmus between Eidsfjorden in the west and Hopsfjorden in the east. The isthmus is 2km wide at low tide, 500m wide at high tide, and the highest point is 2.5m above sea level. In the 17th century there were settlements here and a church. There have been many debates and discussions concerning the construction of a ship canal so boats aren’t exposed to the bad weather around the peninsula.
The Fv888 crosses this small isthmus.
Gamvik Municipality
You cross back into Gamvik.
Nordkyn Junction
Road info
Shortly after crossing onto the peninsula you reach a junction – left to Kjøllefjord or right to Mehamn. This guide will include information on the road to Mehamn and Gamvik before ending at Kjøllefjord.
Mehamn
Welcome to Mehamn, the northernmost port of call on the coastal ferry and an important fishing village.
Gamvik
Village
Gamvik is a small fishing village with a population of around 100 people. The village was historically only accessible by boat and used to be a port of call for the Hurtigruten ships. However, since the harbour was so poor, the daily Hurtigruten steamers had to anchor a little way from the shore. The Hurtigruten stopped calling here in 1990.
Gamvik is the place in Norway with the longest road distance from Oslo at 2,040km (1,270 miles) including going through international routes.
Gamvik Church was built in 1958 on the site of the former church that was burned down during World War II. The first church to be built in Gamvik, known as the ‘Lapp Church’, or the ‘Sami Chapel’, was consecrated in 1858. It was a missionary church.
Gamvik has the characteristic post-war architecture that prevailed during the rebuilding process after 1945. The population was forcibly evacuated in 1944 when all the houses were burnt down and the quaysides and boats were blown up or burnt.
In the centre of the community is the Brodtkorb fish processing wharf. The wharf was owned by the Brodtkorb traders in Vardø. The wharf closed in 1969 because of the collapse of the market for dried fish. It is now used as a museum by Gamvik museum.
Slettnes Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Slettnes Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse. It is the only cast iron lighthouse in Finnmark, built by bolting together cast iron rings. The lighthouse keeper and his assistants used to live here permanently. Four families each had their own house, animals and outside toilets. It wasn’t until the first road was built in the 1970s that it was possible to work on a rotation basis.
The lighthouse wasn’t completely destroyed during World War II. The area around the lighthouse is an area with traces of some of the oldest settlements in Finnmark along with traces of old fishing settlements.
Between Slettnes and Gamvik is an almost in tact fort from World War Ii. The bunkers, cannon emplacements and trenches have all been preserved. At lost, 130 men were stationed at the fort.
Slettnes is a protected nature reserve. As many as 95 different species of birds have been observed in the nature reserve and 53 of these breed every year. It is one of the most important nature reserves in Scandinavia, both as a stop-over point for migrating birds and as a breeding area.
Continue back to Kjøllefjord.
Kjøllefjord
Kjøllefjord is a charming fishing village located on the north-western part of the Nordkyn peninsula.
Next Drive
Varanger Tourist Road
Follow the Varanger Tourist Road from Hamningberg to Varangerbotn via Vardø and Vadsø.
Previous Drive
Berlevåg to Båtsfjord
This road follows the “Ishavsveien” – Arctic Sea Road – from Berlevåg to Båtsfjord.
