Gokstad Mound

In 1880 the sons of the farmer at Gokstad began digging into the mound on their land and found a ship; a proper excavation followed within months and recovered a clinker-built oak vessel about 24 metres long from around 890, buried with a man in his forties along with horses, dogs, small boats and equipment. It is the best-preserved Viking ship yet found, and it is displayed in Oslo. The mound itself was rebuilt after the dig and stands in a field with an information point, an outline of the ship marked on the ground and a walking path around it. There is nothing dramatic to see, but it is the actual place, and the Vestfold coast holds several such mounds within a short drive.

What you actually see

• The rebuilt mound - the grass burial mound restored after the excavation.
• The ship outline - the vessel's shape marked on the ground.
• The information point - an account of the 1880 dig and the finds.
• The field setting - open farmland on the edge of Sandefjord.

When to go

May to September for comfortable walking; the site is open ground with free access at all times and in all seasons. It takes half an hour and works as a stop rather than a destination.

Honest expectations

The ship is in Oslo, not here, and the mound is simply a grassed hill with a sign, which disappoints visitors expecting an exhibition. There are no facilities. The site is worth combining with the Vestfold museums.

Nearby

The Oseberg mound is near Tonsberg; Kaupang and the Midgard Viking Centre lie along the same coast.