Herdla is a low-lying island at the mouth of Herdlefjorden, about 35 kilometres northwest of Bergen. Its flat topography and coastal wetlands make it one of the most important migratory bird staging areas on the western Norwegian coast — tens of thousands of waders, ducks, and seabirds stop here during spring and autumn migration. The island also hosts the remains of a WWII German air base and coastal fortifications, which have been slowly returning to nature since 1945. On a clear day the views stretch across the open North Sea towards the horizon. There are almost no tourists.
Birdwatching
Herdla is on the Norwegian Bird Society's list of significant birdwatching sites in western Norway. The wetlands and shoreline attract species that are hard to see elsewhere in the Bergen area: dunlin, knot, bar-tailed godwit, and various duck species in large numbers during migration season (April–May and August–October). Wading species use the tidal mudflats at low tide. Even outside migration season the island has a resident population of oystercatchers, curlew, and eider ducks. The walking path around the wetland reserve is about 4 kilometres. No specialist equipment is needed, but binoculars significantly improve the experience.
WWII fortifications
During the German occupation (1940–1945), Herdla housed a Luftwaffe fighter base — one of several German airfields constructed along the Norwegian coast. The runway ran across the flat northern end of the island. Concrete bunkers, gun emplacements, and the remnants of the control infrastructure are scattered around the island in various states of decay, now mostly overgrown. The combination of wartime concrete and coastal heathland has an eerie quality — particularly the gun positions facing out to sea, which look almost exactly as they would have in 1944.
Getting there
Bus 450 from Bergen bus station (Bystasjonen) runs to Herdla, taking about 45–55 minutes. Buses run several times daily but the timetable is limited — check skyss.no before going and plan around specific departure times. The bus crosses the bridge to Askøy municipality and continues to Herdla. The island is small enough to walk around in two to three hours; there is a waymarked path around the nature reserve. There are no facilities on the island — bring food and water.