Memorial monument in Holtaheia, Strand

Holtaheia is a popular hiking area above Bjørheimsbygd in Strand municipality. There are many marked trails that take you to peaks with fantastic views over Bjørheimsbygd or towards Stavanger.

The hike to the memorial is an easy one. From the car park it's 1.7km and a 1-hour round trip walk. The walk is round trip the same way. If you want a longer walk, you can also walk via Topphøna back to the car park.

Follow the Rv 13 from Tau or Årdal, and turn off at the sign for Holta. Follow the road and turn right when you reach the sign for Holtaheia. Drive through a gate (NB! Remember to close it afterwards, there are animals grazing here), and follow the gravel road up to the car park.

The main season for the hike to the Memorial is from April to the end of November.

Start from the car park in Holtaheia and follow the signs to the Memorial. After about 10 minutes, turn off the path and walk up to the top where the memorial stands.

The beautiful stone cross has been erected in memory of the 34 boys aged 13-16 and 2 teachers from the Lanfranc school in Croyden, as well as the crew of 3. Along the path there are several remains of the accident in 1961.

It is Wednesday afternoon, 9 August 1961. The plane ‘Papa Mike’, a Vicker-Viking machine from Cunard-Eagle Airways, is on its way from London to Sola airport outside Stavanger. On board is a crew of 3, 2 teachers and 34 boys aged 13-16 from Lanfranc School in Croyden. They are going on a summer trip to Preikestolen Fjellstue.

For many of them, it's their first time in an aeroplane. The weather is bad, with low cloud cover and gusty winds. During the approach, the tower at the airport suddenly loses contact with the aircraft. ‘Papa Mike’ is thrown off course and flies eastwards, at a low altitude - probably due to a technical failure. Everyone on board perishes. Wreckage from the aircraft is scattered throughout the area.

When the memorial was unveiled in May 1962, several hundred people gathered. Many of them were survivors who wanted to visit the site of the accident ‘to find out if the boys had left any of their great joie de vivre here’.

Wear good shoes and bring warm clothes

Remember food and drink

Packing list for a mountain hike - and everything else you need to know about hiking in Western Norway

Use the fence splitters that have been set up