Drive it Yourself: The Rv94 from Skaidi to Hammerfest
This short drive from Skaidi to Hammerfest will take you through an isolated region in Finnmark. Just as you feel you have driven to the end of the world, you turn a bend and there is the modern, thriving city of Hammerfest.
In this article...
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Online Guide
- Information about points of interest
- Images of each point of interest
- Historic overview of the neighbourhood
- Directions between points
- Historic photos
- Information about facilities along the way
Downloadable Guide
- 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
The drive: the Rv94 from Skaidi to Hammerfest
Skaidi
Town
Skaidi is a small village and major traffic hub in Northern Norway. In the 1940s, the Skaidi Mountain Lodge and Station was built. Today it’s an important point to stop if you need a rest on the long road journeys.
Here you’ll find a petrol station, various electric car charging stations, a cafe and a hotel.
Repparfjorden
Fjord
Repparfjorden is a fjord located southeast of the island Kvaløya, where Hammerfest is. The fjord is quite shallow with an average depth of 40-60 metres and a maximum depth of 123 metres. There are strong currents at the bottom of the fjord.
Kvalsund
Town
Kvalsund is a small village and former municipality in Finnmark. It was its own municipality until 2020, when it was merged with Hammerfest. The name directly translates to the whale strait, refering to the whaling that used to take place in the area. The name of the island Kvaløya means ‘whale island’.
The village used to be known as “Finnbyen”, referring to the Coastal Sami settlement in the area. Until a few hundred years ago, the Coast Sami culture was completely dominant in Kvalsund. Norwegian and Kven immigration soon made the area multicultural, and during the ‘Norwegianisation’ process of the late 19th/early 20th century, most of the culture was lost. One of the only villages to still have the Coastal Sami culture is Kokelv.
Kvalsund is one of the areas in Finnmark county with the most cabins that are especially used by people from Hammerfest. There is good salmon fishing in the fjord and there are nice hiking trails in the area.
Kvalsund Bridge
Bridge
The Kvalsund Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Kvalsundet strait, linking the mainland to the island of Kvaløya. The bridge is 741 metres (2,431 ft) long and has 11 spans. It is the northernmost suspension bridge in the world.
Akkarfjord
Village
Akkarfjord is a small fishing village with a population of around 80. There is a ferry service to Hammerfest as well as school. The main industry in the village is fish farming. Sheep farming and fishing tourism are smaller industries.
Hammerfest
Hammerfest is the northernmost city in the world with a population over 10,000 people. The town has an ice-free harbour and is regarded as one of the oldest cities in Northern Norway (along with Vardø). People have been living and trading here for hundreds of years. Hammerfest rose to prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries due to its proximity to the Arctic hunting areas.
In town you’ll find the Reconstruction Museum, which documents what happened to Hammerfest during World War II, as well as the subsequent reconstruction of the region. The address for the museum is Kirkegata 19, 9600 Hammerfest.
There’s also the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society, which is neither royal nor ancient (nor are there polar bears in Hammerfest) but it’s a fun little club to commemorate the history of Arctic hunting and trade. Become a member!
If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!
