Ha - Cittaslow

Foto: Hans E. H. Jacobsen, Stavanger Aftenblad
Kjærlighetsuka uke 39. / Love and Affection Week, week 39. / ”Woche der Liebe”
in Woche 39.
4
Sokndal Guide
Welcome to the good life in Sokndal!
Sokndal is the southernmost municipality in Rogaland and has
around 3,250 inhabitants. Its administrative centre is Hauge i Dalane
(Haua). Other villages in the region include: Åna­Sira, Jøssingfjord,
Sogndalstrand, Rekefjord, Nesvåg, Ålgård, Myssa, Mydland, Barstad
and Eia. County road 44 ('The North Sea Road') runs through large
parts of the municipality and links Sokndal with Egersund and
Flekkefjord. There is an express coach service from Sokndal to
Stavanger.
The mining company Titania is a cornerstone of the
municipality's economy and employs around 275 people. It operates
the world's largest ilmenite ore mine, an opencast mine. Otherwise
Sokndal has a varied business community with a number of smaller
companies. Accommodation can be found at the culture hotel,
campsite and private cabins/houses. The administrative centre
Hauge i Dalane offers a range of shops, well known for their good
service.
Jøssingfjord Museum – a place where nature and cultural
history meet – is under development. There are plans to organise
activities relating to the themes hydropower and mining. Hiking and
climbing routes have been marked out for visitors. A regional motor
sports centre is being planned. Licence applications have been
submitted for a number of large wind power projects, both onshore
and offshore.
The municipality of Sokndal is actively seeking to establish
new jobs. Plots ready for business development, available office
premises and attractive residential plots. New/renovated primary
and lower secondary school. Full nursery school coverage.
Sogndalstrand
Sogndalstrand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in
Rogaland. Sogndalstrand is the only village in Norway where both
the wooden buildings from the 1700s and 1800s and the surrounding
cultural landscape are protected. It used to be a staple port and its own
municipality up until 1944. In the last few years it has experienced quite
a boom with the development of a culture hotel, gallery, golf course,
village shop, outdoor amphitheatre, sculpture jetty, sea rafting, a fishing
museum and more. Several large concerts are held in Sogndalstrand
Amfi in the summer. The Sokna, a salmon river, flows into the fjord near
Sogndalstrand.
Foto: Nils Jacobsen
Sjøhusrekken på Sogndalstrand. / Seaside houses in Sogndalstrand.
/ Umgebaute Bootsschuppen in Sogndalstrand.
Sea, fjords and mountains
The North Sea coastline stretches for 48 km. Seven small fjord arms
penetrate the land, creating natural harbours. It’s never far from
the open sea and excellent fishing opportunities. There are unique
fishing opportunities in the sea, the salmon river Sokna as well as
lakes. Sokndal stretches inwards from the coastal areas through
a hilly landscape with peaks of up to 600 metres. There are great
trekking areas with numerous marked trails. The marked hill walks
are very popular. The North Sea Cycle Route and Nave Nortrail both
pass through Sokndal.
A rare geological heritage
The geology of Sokndal and Dalane is unusual and resulted in its
characteristic landscape. Geological processes 935 to 920 million
years ago produced a unique geological heritage that cannot be
found anywhere else. Geological resources in the form of ore veins
provided a basis for the establishment of the mining company
Titania. Magma Geopark became the second Scandinavian member
of the European Geoparks Network. Magma Geopark's ambition is
to be an innovator who adapts, promotes, develops and strengthens
the region based on its unique geology and cultural history. For
more information, please visit: www.magmageopark.com.
Cittaslow – a brand of many qualities
Sokndal was the first municipality in the Nordic Region to join
Cittaslow, an international movement which started in Italy in 1999.
The idea is to slow down the pace of life and choose quality of life
instead. Here in Sokndal, non­conformity is encouraged and
competing with your neighbours and colleagues forgotten. We
have our own 'love and affection week' and focus on the things
dear to us. We do not have any tourists – only guests!
Why not visit one or more of the other Scandinavian Cittaslow
municipalities? Kristinestad in Finland, Falköping in Sweden,
Svendborg in Denmark, and Eidskog and Levanger in Norway.
www.cittaslow.com.
Sokndal - municipality of culture
Sokndal is a municipality of culture and home to a number of
voluntary organisations, sports hall, football pitches with artificial
grass, shooting range, tennis courts, courts for other ball games,
plastic ice rink and more. A number of events, big and small, are held
throughout the year. For more information about events in Sokndal,
the municipality of culture, please visit: www.sokndal.kommune.no.