Utsira

Utsira lies eighteen kilometres out in the North Sea west of Haugesund, six square kilometres of low treeless rock and heather with around two hundred residents, and it is the smallest municipality in Norway by population. Its position makes it a landfall for exhausted migrating birds blown off course, and the island has recorded an extraordinary number of rare species for its size, drawing birdwatchers from across Europe in spring and autumn. Since 2012 the island has also carried large murals by international street artists on barns, sheds and the old fish factory, a project that turned it into an outdoor gallery. Walking paths cross the whole island in a couple of hours, past two lighthouses and a small harbour.

The landscape

• The migrant birds - rarities landing on the island each spring and autumn.
• The murals - large street artworks on barns and industrial buildings.
• The two lighthouses - navigation towers on the treeless high ground.
• The harbour village - a small fishing settlement and ferry quay.

When to go

May and September for the migration peaks, which is when birdwatchers come; June to August for the mildest weather and longest days. The island is exposed and windy in every season, and ferries are cancelled in storms.

What to expect

Accommodation and eating options are very limited and must be arranged in advance. Ferry crossings can be rough and are weather-dependent, occasionally stranding visitors. There is almost no shelter from the wind anywhere on the island.

Nearby

Haugesund is the ferry port; Karmoy and the Avaldsnes historic site lie on the mainland side.