Kvitneset
Kvitneset is located on the northern tip of Hareidlandet in the sea gap at the entrance to Storfjorden and Breisundet.
The area is 6 kilometers from Hareid and you can drive all the way and park at Kvitneset. The last 2 kilometers are narrow gravel roads. It is therefore recommended to park the car in the center of Brandal and walk from there. The trip takes about 30 minutes on foot. If you are going to Kvitneset, it is nice to visit the Arctic Museum as well.
The area is known from World War II when the Germans used the area as a coastal fort from 1941 until the war ended. When the Germans came to Brandal in 1941, they moved into private homes and used the school in the village as a temporary headquarters. At Kvitneset, the local population had to take part in the construction of the fort and at most the workforce was up to 140 men. Among other things, firing positions, prison camps, command bunkers, anti-tank positions and a number of tunnels and holes were built in the rock for storage of ammunition. A total of 96 soldiers and 4 officers were stationed at the fort when the war ended. The number of Russian prisoners was usually around 60, but at one point they were up to 120.
Today most of these positions are still visible, even if something is overdue and overgrown. The area is today used as a popular hiking area and grazing area for sheep. At Kvitneset you can experience history, nature, sea air, fantastic sunsets and the big waves from the open sea on stormy days.
Source: Ålesund & Sunnmøre
Kvitneset