HIKERS PARADISE

Bø is a fantastic place on the seaward side of Vesterålen boasting hiking trails, the raging open ocean and shoreline islands in all directions. The natural surroundings are quite accessible in Bø, and fantastic experiences of nature are literally at one’s doorstep. The area offers many spectacular rambles along marked trails, and Bø municipality has branded itself a “Hikers paradise”.

PARKVOLL AND THE MUSEUM

Parkvoll was the District Sheriff’s quarters for nearly 50 years, from 1919 to 1966. The sheriff’s office is a small white building built for this purpose. There are several buildings on the museum grounds: private residences, outbuildings, summer cowsheds, rorbu fishermen’s quarters and boathouse, which now feature various exhibits. The last district sheriff lived at Parkvoll until about 1980, when Bø municipality bought the house and made it into a museum. 

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The museum’s theme is fairy tales, legends and oral storytelling. Storytelling has always been an important part of historical society. To be able to tell a good tale was an important part of daily life. This was a special pastime for children, who would hide under the table to listen to the adults talking together. There was always room for a lively imagination and uncanny events in these stories.  We find vestiges of this in Regine Normann’s literature, which ties these elements together. 

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Regine Normann was born in Bø and spent a part of her childhood and adolescence here. She was an established and well-known author in Norway during the first three decades of the 1900s. Today she is renowned for her fairy tales that depict the rich coastal culture, fantasy and legends that were a vital part of her upbringing. The annual Regine Days festival is arranged during the last week of July in honour of this fine author. The festival has much to offer families – the fairytale trail, visits to working farms and guided tours to Sinahula, including fairy tales read aloud to the children.