A Travel Guide to Børselv and Norway’s Sværholt Peninsula

This past April, I was planning a drive from the North Cape to Vardø, and I was considering driving the Ifjord route, just assuming it would be quicker because on the map, it definitely looked so.

After speaking with someone and telling them my plans, they laughed and said it was a terrible idea. They told me the road was ‘closed’, which I knew merely meant a convoy was needed to pass.

I was excited to finally visit Børselv, a small village that marked the entrance to the somewhat mysterious Sværholt Peninsula, an area of Norway that not many people travel to. An area that, when you Google it, is often represented by foreign trash washing ashore in Eidsbukta in northwestern Sværholt. Drift matter aside, I didn’t know much about this area… AT ALL.

But after realizing how much hassle it would be to drive this route in early April, I postponed my trip.

Finally, in August, I had the chance to visit Børselv and a bit of the Sværholt Peninsula. While I didn’t make it to the far reaches of Veidnes this time (the rain was so bad and my eyes were strained from driving), I did get to see a lot of the road north of Børselv.

This is a quick travel guide to Børselv and the Sværholt Peninsula in Finnmark, Norway. I will detail what it’s like to visit, what to do, and a few tips for your trip.

Please keep in mind that this is a really off-the-path peninsula and tourism isn’t really developed there yet. Everything north of Børselv is pretty remote, and you will need to count on camping and cooking for yourself.

If you have any questions about visiting the Sværholt Peninsula, let me know in the comments! Thanks!

About the Sværholt Peninsula (& Børselv)

Situated between the Porsangerfjord (to the west) and the Laksefjord (to the east), the Sværholt Peninsula is around 70 kilometers (44 miles) long, with a road that connects Børselv (at its base) to Veidnes.

There are no paved roads north of Veidnes. Some of the populated villages on the peninsula are Brenna, Veidnes, Kunes, and Kjæs. To reach Veidnes, you will need to drive the Østre Porsangerfjordveien from Kjæs village in the west.

Beyond the drivable part of the Sværholt Peninsula, you will find the Sværholtklubben Nature Reserve at the northern tip (home to over 40,000 nesting seabirds, including a massive kittiwake colony), and quite a few WWII sites and ruins.

Close to Sværholt village (now abandoned) in the far north, there are batteries from WWII, as well as a famous POW camp just south of it, to the east of Eidsbukta. There is a lot of information about the WWII history of Sværholt that you can read here.

At the base of the Sværholt Peninsula sits the village of Børselv (Bissojohka in Sámi or Pyssyjoki in Kven), population 216. A mere 37 kilometers (23 miles) from the village of Lakselv, Børselv is known for its Kven and Sámi populations, as well as being the gateway to the aforementioned peninsula to its north.

How to Get to the Sværholt Peninsula

You can fly into Lakselv Airport (LKL) and rent a car. You can also fly into Honningsvåg and drive from there (if you’re combining with North Cape).

That is a bit of a distance, though, so I would recommend just adding the Sværholt Peninsula along with other destinations in the region. You will see plenty of camper vans and slow travelers in this region.

During the winter months, you will have convoys in the region, meaning the roads are closed except for scheduled convoy times. The two convoys (kolonnekjøring) you will find are:

• Fv 98 (Børselv to Kunes)
• Fv 8060 (Kjæs to Veidnes)

To see the convoy schedule (kolonnetider), click here.

Things to Do in Børselv & the Sværholt Peninsula

Okay, so there is not much going on up this way, but that is kind of its allure. Here are a few things to do in Børselv and to its north.

➡️ Pirate Husky: I wrote a whole post about Pirate Husky, but I have only had a chance to do a farm tour in summer! I can’t even imagine how epic their winter dog-sledding tours are! Definitely a key reason to make it up this way in the low season. Learn more on their website.

➡️ Sara Visit Siida: Sara offers Sámi cultural tourism on the Sværholt Peninsula. Get in touch with them via Facebook (where you’ll also find their phone number) to arrange an excursion!

➡️ Silfar Canyon: This canyon has gained a little bit of popularity in recent years on Instagram. I have a whole post dedicated to visiting Silfar Canyon that you can read. It is situated around 10 minutes from Børselv. Free entrance.

➡️ Veidnes: Another cute village (around 30 residents) at the end of the road north on Sværholt. Home to the famous Norwegian author Magnar Mikkelsen. Known for its King crab industry.

➡️ Perletur trail at Kjæsdalen: There is a loop trail around Kjæs that is 2.7 km (1.7 mi) one-way, which is one of the few marked trails on Sværholt. There is an elevation gain of 310 m (1000 ft). Read more here.

➡️ Kven Institute: One thing that Børselv is known for is the Kven Institute. This is a fantastic place to learn about a minority group in the region. Tickets are 50 NOK to visit (some parts of the center are free, though), and they even have a festival for the Kvenfolk in July in Børselv! Open daily from 9am until 3pm and closed on weekends.

➡️ Kunes: The village sits at the base of the peninsula (to the east) and is at the bottom of the Laksefjord. There is a small grocery store here and beautiful views as you enter over to the Nordkyn Peninsula.

➡️ Børselv Church: Church dating back to 1958.

Something to know before visiting Børselv and this area is that the Germans burned everything down before retreating. A lot of history was lost, and what you see today is what’s left or was built after.

This is also a period of time during which the Norwegian government doubled down on the Norwegianization of the Sámi and Kven people, so many fled the area. You can learn a lot more about the history of the minority groups at the Kven Institute.

Where to Stay on the Sværholt Peninsula

There aren’t many places to stay around here! These are a few options, including where I stayed in Børselv:

• Bungalåven Lodge: This is a family-owned campsite with cute little cabins (for affordable prices), tent grounds, and camper hookups. They have a sauna, clean bathrooms, a lounge, and more. I LOVED this place so much.
• Kunes Camping: They have a camping area with around 50 spots for campervans.
• Pirate Husky: They offer a few styles of accommodation. They have a small apartment, a big apartment, and even a gamme-style tent.
• Porsangerfjorden Lodge: This was once a school (that Norwegianized minority groups) that was converted into a refugee center, which is now back to being a school and lodge. It looks very nice from the outside, and I may give it a shot on my next trip! They also offer food.

Sværholt Peninsula and Børselv Travel Tips

Here are a few travel tips for Børselv (and the peninsula) that can help you when planning your trip!

☔ Weather: I visited in August and while the temperature was okay, it rained non-stop! It’s Northern Norway, so I always expect a little, but I definitely had a few days of non-stop rain. Anyway, the warmest month is July (17C/63F highs) and the coldest month is January (highs of -5C/22F and lows of -13C/9F).

☀️ Daylight: Børselv experiences the midnight sun from around May 17 until July 27. The village experiences the polar night from around November 25 until January 17.

🍎 Grocery stores: There is one grocery store in Børselv (a small Coop Marked that is open from 9 am until 8pm daily and from 10am until 6pm on Saturdays) and a small Matkroken in Kunes (open daily from 10am until 6pm except when it closes at 3pm on Saturdays) if you’re heading east toward Nordkyn.

⛽ Gas: I got gas in Lakselv before arriving. The only gas station on Sværholt is in Børselv. There is a pump at the Coop Marked there, and it will not be cheap. If you start driving north to Veidnes, they even give a sign that tells you the distance to and from, so you have a reminder to get gas before driving.

Both grocery stores are closed on Sundays. If you need a small snack or something, stop by Bungalåven in Børselv, as they sell some snacks and drinks at reception.

Should you visit Børselv, Norway?

If you are looking to get off-the-path a bit in Finnmark, I highly recommend heading up this way! There are a few cars around and some jaw-dropping landscapes. The area north of Børselv has little to do, but if you don’t mind that and just want to soak up the nature, it is the spot.

If that is not your thing, perhaps stick around Børselv and give Pirate Husky, the Silfar Canyon, and Kven Institute a visit before moving on somewhere more populated and developed.

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

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