Flåvær lighthouse planned as DNT tourist cabin
Friday 31st July 2026 on 14:30 in
Norway
Flåvær lighthouse in Herøyfjorden, on Norway’s northwestern coast, is set to reopen as a DNT tourist cabin after years closed to the public, Dagbladet reported.
The lighthouse stands at the tip of Varholmen and can only be reached by boat. It was first lit in 1870 and remained staffed until it was automated in 1979.
Inside the lighthouse keeper’s residence, old striped sofas, an outdoor toilet, a yellow kitchen and a Dagbladet newspaper dated July 18, 1996, show how long the building has stood unused.
“Time has stood still here,” said Idar Warholm, whose family has lived on Varholmen for five generations. He grew up on the island and remembers being allowed to help the lighthouse keeper light the beacon before automation.
The lighthouse has endured the area’s harsh weather and strong winds, leaving its mark on the building. Warholm said he hoped DNT’s involvement would lead to greater attention to maintenance.
DNT reached an agreement with the Norwegian Coastal Administration in April, following several years of work on the project. The plan is to preserve and present the history of the lighthouse, in cooperation with the Coastal Administration.
“We want to communicate the history of the lighthouse and will work with the Coastal Administration to collect information and present it,” said Sindre Slettestøl, who is responsible for DNT’s cabin committee for Flåvær lighthouse.
The goal is for kayakers, school classes and other larger groups to visit, learn about the area and stay overnight. DNT expects the lighthouse to have between 12 and 15 beds.
Before it can open for overnight stays, the building needs toilets, running water and other improvements. Slettestøl said he doubted it would be ready before the 2028 season.
Warholm also shared local stories about shipwrecks and an anchor found near the lighthouse by members of a local diving group. He stressed that one account, about 15 vessels carrying dried cod running aground near Varholmen, had not been verified by the family.