When the migratory birds return to Støtt

location

The bakery building stands in the heart of the historic trading post, just a few steps from the old general store—which houses a restaurant and a fishing museum—and from the pier where the speedboat docks. On this island, it takes no more than a few minutes to get anywhere anyway.

Rooms

The bakery has eight double rooms, which are the best in the building. Six of them have private bathrooms, and two share one; one of these two has its own kitchenette, a sitting area, and a view of the harbor. The rooms are available with either a double bed or two single beds.

Facilities

The building has been carefully restored and updated with modern amenities without losing its character. Amenities include down comforters, bed linens and towels, bathrobes and warm slippers, a hair dryer, toiletries in the bathroom, chocolate, coffee, and tea with a kettle, as well as an umbrella for the walk to the restaurant. The room also features a history of the trading post, an overview of activities, and the speedboat schedules. The decor reflects the period style of the house: antique furniture and elegant details from the trading post era.

The History of the House

In its heyday, up to a thousand fishermen —in addition to the island’s residents—would gather off the island during the fishing season, and they needed bread. According to tradition, the oven at the old bakery could bake sixty loaves at a time and ran from early morning until late at night. When the building burned down completely in 1878, the merchant Gotaas sailed to Åsvær, another trading post on the Helgeland coast, bought the entire post—including the bakery—and had everything transported by sea to Støtt. That’s how the house where you’re staying today ended up on this island in the first place. It has been open to guests again since 2018.

For whom

For anyone looking for the highest level of comfort on the island. Six of the eight rooms have private bathrooms; two share one.

location

The Rorbua stands where people used to work: right on the water, at the heart of the trading post. The restaurant, museum, and pier are all within walking distance, and the sheltered harbor with its pier begins right outside the door.

Rooms

The house is divided into two sections, each with its own entrance. Rorbua Nord has three double bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living room. Rorbua Sør has four double bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. Both sections can be rented as a single unit, giving a group its own private space without having to share the house with strangers.

Facilities

The atmosphere and furnishings reflect the trading post’s heyday: period-style antique furniture and heavy down comforters, along with bed linens and towels, slippers, a hair dryer, toiletries in the bathroom, chocolate, coffee, and tea, as well as umbrellas. The living room serves as the common gathering place where guests hang their wet clothes to dry after their excursions. The bathrooms are shared within each section of the house; in Rorbua Nord, three rooms share one bathroom, while in Rorbua Sør, four rooms share two bathrooms.

The History of the House

A rorbu was the cabin where fishermen slept and ate during the fishing season. Here they prepared their fishing gear and baited the hooks on their longlines, often late into the night. Typically, these houses consisted of just two rooms: a storage area for food and equipment, and a living area with beds. With their bright red color and white trim, rorbu cabins remain a symbol of Norway’s maritime heritage to this day, and along the Helgeland coast, they stand where cod has been landed for centuries.

For whom

For families and groups of friends who live together and want to get together in their own living room in the evening. For many guests, the Rorbua is the top choice on Støtt.

location

The Stabburet is also part of the trading post complex and is thus just a few steps away from the restaurant, museum, and pier.

Rooms

The Stabburet is a two-story apartment that sleeps up to four people. The ground floor features the entrance, a cozy living room, and a restroom with a sink; the upper floor has a large bedroom with a double bed and two single beds. So you’re not staying in a single room here, but in a small house all to yourself.

Facilities

Just like in the other buildings at the post: period-style antique furniture, heavy down comforters, and charming details from the days when this was a trading post rather than a place to stay the night.

The History of the House

Every major trading post along the coast had a stabbur, where grain and food were stored, safe from moisture and rodents. The one at Støtt dates back to the 1700s, making it the oldest building on the island. The timber used for its construction must have been brought in entirely by sea; there was no other way out here. Later, the trading post’s staff lived in the granary.

For whom

For a couple or a family of four. The house is considered the most romantic in the area.

The Old Toy Store

Meals are served at Gammelbutikken, the trading post’s old store. Until 1959, this is where everything the island and the fishermen needed was sold: a wide range of goods, provisions, and equipment for the fishing season, plus a separate bar for spirits. The building itself was once moved from Åsvær to Støtt and was larger back then than it is today. A table is automatically reserved at the restaurant for overnight guests.

The Daily Routine

Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and on Sundays until 9:30 a.m. Lunch is served from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the last seating at 2:30 p.m. For dinner, starting at 6:30 p.m., all guests sit down together at the table. On weekdays, a three-course menu that changes daily is served, depending on which ingredients are at their best; on Saturdays, a five-course menu is served.

The Kitchen

The culinary concept draws on the town’s history: For centuries, merchants have served their guests generous portions of cod and halibut, whale meat, clipfish, stockfish, bacalao, and fish soup. A carefully selected wine pairing is offered with each meal; an expert advises the restaurant on putting together the wine list, and the bar also serves spirits and cocktails.

In-House Stockfish Drying

The restaurant is the only one in Norway that dries its own stockfish. Every March, large batches of cod and coastal cod are purchased directly from local fishermen, deboned, and hung on large racks outdoors. Ideal conditions include a good breeze and temperatures between zero and three degrees, which is exactly what March and April bring to Støtt. After about two months, the fish is taken down, soaked to prepare it, and skinned. The back pieces and the finer cuts are served as the main course, while smaller pieces go into the stockfish soup. Historically, Støtt was also the first production site for cod liver oil on the Helgeland coast.

Good to know

Please let us know about any food allergies or intolerances well in advance of your arrival so that the kitchen can make the necessary accommodations.

An item that is gradually making a comeback

The trading post is being restored building by building, as work progresses. In 2012, the restaurant opened in the old store; in 2014, the Stabburet and Rorbua were completed as accommodations; in 2015, the fishing museum and conference rooms on the upper floor were added; and in 2018, the bakery opened. So what you’ll see on your tour is a place still under construction, not a finished museum.

Rødbrygga

The red warehouse on the pier, dating from the 1820s or 1830s, is the building that dominates the view of the trading post. This is where the catch arrived and was processed: gutted, filleted, and salted. From this building, the clipfish set off on its journey to Bergen and onward to other countries. Inside, the warehouse is still awaiting restoration, which is planned for the coming years. From the outside, it remains the island’s landmark.

Telegraph Stations

The telegraph station, established in 1858, was the first between Sandnessjøen and Bodø, built on the initiative of the merchants Bonsak and Kristiane Bolette Gotaas. It moved into its own building in 1884, after the post office’s large main building had been demolished. For decades, this station provided the island’s fastest connection to the rest of the world.

Fishing Museum

On the upper floor above the restaurant, the museum tells the story of the fishermen’s lives, coastal trade in the age of sailing ships, and the craft of cod drying. Also on display there are the illustrations that Kaare Espolin Johnson created for Johan Bojer’s novel. In the summer, the room also serves as a second dining room.

Port and Wharf

The harbor is considered one of the best-protected on the coast, sheltered by the breakwater as well as offshore islets and reefs. The entrance faces southeast—precisely the direction from which the wind never blows here, because the mainland mountains and the Svartisen Glacier shield the archipelago. Coastal vessels used to dock at the steamship pier; today, that’s where the guided tour begins. Historically, the island also had its own excellent well water.

Support Kolonial

The island store on the pier serves both locals and visitors and also serves as a social gathering place, a post office, and a rental station for bicycles, kayaks, small boats, and fishing gear. For a community of about 25 year-round residents, this store is of vital importance. In the southern part of the main island, there are also barbecue areas and a shelter on the beach.

The guided tour weaves together three locations into a single narrative. The Fishing Museum, located on the upper floor of the old general store, focuses on the fishermen, the merchants, and coastal trade in the age of sailing ships, as well as stockfish and clipfish, and the artwork of Kaare Espolin Johnson. The subsequent walk through the fishing village showcases the trading post buildings and their former uses.

At the end of the hike, the trail climbs up to the Svenningen Plateau, home to bunkers and gun emplacements from World War II. From the top, the view stretches north across the Vestfjord to the peaks of the Lofoten Islands and south across the islands to the Meløy Alps. Feel free to ask the guide questions at any time along the way.

One hour is scheduled, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., following the tour and up on the plateau. The walk there is part of the tour, and you don't have to carry anything: the guide will bring the baskets.

Meals are served among the bunkers and gun emplacements, with a view across the Vestfjord to the north toward the Lofoten Islands and to the south across the chain of islands to the Meløy Alps. There is no shelter from the wind on the plateau. In onshore weather, the guide decides whether to serve the meal in the restaurant instead. The return trip is short enough that this decision doesn’t have to be made until we reach the top.

You have two hours all to yourself, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The sauna is located at the edge of the restaurant building, right above the water; it’s less than two minutes from your room.

From the pier, the path leads straight into the sea. In April, that’s a short and clear journey. Although the Gulf Stream keeps the water off Støtt ice-free, it doesn’t make it warm. Those who prefer to stay seated won’t miss a thing: the window looks out onto the sound, and at this time of day, the light lies low over the archipelago.

The session is intentionally scheduled between the program and dinner. Anyone returning from the plateau will have enough time to change and will then be seated at the table on time.

After dinner at the restaurant, the Northern Lights guide will take you up to the museum and show you a film about the Northern Lights. The film explores the myths and stories surrounding this phenomenon, as well as the scientific explanation behind it.

Afterward, we’ll head out together. The trail leads to base camp, where a fire will be lit and a hot drink served while you gaze at the sky. Away from the houses, the starry sky above the island is exceptionally clear and free of light pollution. Naturally, we can’t promise that the Northern Lights will appear. The lodge’s season runs from November through March; in April, it’s still dark enough to see them, but by May, there’s hardly any darkness left.

A three-hour walk across the islands at a leisurely pace. It’s worth bringing binoculars; the organization is also working with architects to create observation hides that blend into the surroundings.

About 200 bird species have been recorded on Støtt and the Kunna Peninsula. What makes the island unique is that species from very different habitats occur in close proximity to one another: wetlands and the coast, farmland, forest, heathland, and open terrain are all located within a few kilometers of each other here. In addition to the white-tailed eagle—for which Støtt is an important breeding ground—you can see seabirds such as the storm petrel, northern gannet, and fulmar, as well as birds of prey like the rough-legged buzzard.

Starting on April 15, the birds begin nesting. From then on, the protected islets are off-limits, and the trail runs across the main island as well as Helløya and Hundholmen. The guides at the lodge are biologists or trained nature guides and know exactly where it’s worth waiting.

For this dinner, the table is set right on the shore, surrounded by islands and an open horizon. Waves and seabirds set the tone, and the menu remains a surprise until it’s served. Fresh, locally sourced meat is served as the sky shifts into soft shades of gold and pink.

Six hours, a good portion of which is spent on the open sea. From the guest harbor, the boat heads southwest; after 40 to 50 minutes, Valvær comes into view. The rest of the day is set aside for the return trip and stops along the way.

At the Kalsholmen Lighthouse, the trail leads all the way up to the tower. From there, you’ll see the same panoramic view that the lighthouse keepers once saw: the Helgeland mainland in the distance and thousands of islands along the coast. Down at the boathouse, a picnic awaits, featuring specialties from Støtt prepared by the kitchen. Afterward, there’s time for a sauna at the lighthouse and, for those who’d like, a dip in the cold sea.

The company provides a guide, a boat, a wetsuit, a life jacket, and meals. You’ll need warm layers to wear underneath and a hat that stays on in the wind. The trip runs with a minimum of four participants and a maximum of twelve people.

If the wind remains too strong, the skipper will decide on the route in the morning; the alternative for the day will then be fishing with a net and a crab trap. The RIB trip is not suitable for people with back problems. Please contact us, and we’ll arrange an alternative with you.

In traditional coastal fishing, you head out to sea to catch cod, pollock, and halibut, and set gillnets the way they’ve always been set along this coast. In addition, you use crab traps, which are baited, lowered to the seabed, and later pulled back up.

The waters off the Helgeland coast are among the most productive in Norway: Here, the cold, harsh climate meets the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, creating a nutrient-rich sea.

Two and a half hours, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the restaurant in the old store. The chef serves six courses, explaining the origin of each one. Most of the ingredients come from the waters right outside the door or from the restaurant’s own stockfish-drying facility.

Wine pairings are not included in the tour price but can be ordered on site; a carefully selected pairing is available for each menu. Guests who do not wish to have wine can choose from local beers or non-alcoholic beverages.

Please let us know about any food allergies or intolerances before your arrival, so that the kitchen can adjust the courses accordingly. Outside of peak season, the menu can be adapted more flexibly to the group’s preferences anyway.

You can extend your stay beyond the scheduled program. Guided kayaking tours through the protected waters around the harbor and birdwatching on the island and the Kunna Peninsula are available year-round. Bicycles are available for rent on Støtt, and eight to nine kilometers of roads with little traffic run across the main island.

From there, the journey continues to Svartisen, the second-largest glacier on the Norwegian mainland, or to the island of Myken with its Arctic whiskey distillery. Prices and availability upon request.