Mjelle Beach

The sand at Mjelle carries a distinct pink-red tint, strongest where waves have concentrated the heavier grains, and it comes from garnet: the mica schist in the surrounding hills contains the mineral, and as the rock breaks down the hard red crystals survive and collect on the beach. The effect is subtle in flat light and obvious in sun or after a wave has sorted the sand into bands. The beach sits in a bay open to the Vestfjord with mountains behind, reached by a short walk over a ridge from the parking area. There are no facilities. In winter the same bay is used for aurora photography, with the sea and hills giving foreground.

What you actually see

• The red-tinted sand - garnet crystals colouring the beach in bands.
• The open bay - sand and rock facing the Vestfjord.
• The ridge walk - a fifteen-minute crossing from the car park.
• The winter skies - a dark foreground used for aurora photography.

When to go

May to September for walking and, for the hardy, swimming; the colour shows best in direct sun after waves have sorted the sand. September to March for the aurora, when the walk in is dark and often icy.

Honest expectations

The red is a tint rather than a vivid colour and disappoints people expecting the photographs they have seen. There are no facilities, toilets or shelter. The walk over the ridge is muddy in wet weather and the water is cold year-round.

Nearby

Bodo and the Saltstraumen tidal current are close; Kjerringoy's old trading post lies north.