Lyngheisenteret på Lygra

Lyngheisenteret is situated on the island of Luro in Lurefjorden. This island is approximately four kilometers long and up to 800 meters wide at its broadest point. Fertile loose deposits have created excellent agricultural land. A number of Iron Age burial finds have been made at Lygra, testifying to the site’s status as a local center of power. The large burial mound complex on the farm bears witness to the fact that Lygra was an attractive place for settlement as early as ancient times. The sagas recount that Lygra was likely one of Harald Fairhair's royal estates in the Middle Ages and that Olaf the Holy held a *Thing* (assembly) here 1,000 years ago. Later, Lygra remained Crown land until the farmers themselves took over the farms.

The Heathland Centre (Lyngheisenteret) 

The Heathland Centre is a national knowledge centre dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of coastal heathlands; it is a museum where the landscape itself constitutes the collection. It is a place where history meets natural splendour amidst open coastal heathlands. The Centre opens the door to a world of coastal culture and history, offering insights into the lives of the fisher-farmers and their stewardship of the landscape through films, exhibitions, guided tours, and live storytelling. Traditional heathland burning is kept alive here, and Old Norse sheep graze the outlying pastures year-round. The visitor centre—featuring an exhibition, auditorium, café, and museum shop—is open to the public from Easter through late September each year. Groups may visit year-round; staff are on-site several days a week even outside the public season, and pilgrims are always welcome. A stamp for pilgrim passports is available even outside opening hours. The Heathland Centre is part of the Museum Centre in Hordaland.

Accommodation

Magnusgarden is the Heathland Centre’s own farm. Vegetables, berries, and some fruit are grown here for our café, and the farm is home to a small flock of Old Norse *Spælsau* sheep. The farmhouse is available for rent to groups and individuals, with special rates for pilgrims. Please contact us if you wish to stay overnight.