Gullvegen Gardstun is a farm out of the ordinary. Here in Lykling, the history of gold, farm life and coastal culture is brought to life – a journey that began in the 1820s.

From loose to agricultural

The location of Lykling made the garden perfect for a boathouse. That was the reason why "Aslak Los", as he was called, settled here. On the scout mound he could see westwards towards the sea and scout for sailboats with the flag raised – ships that needed help from a locally known salmon in the demanding waters along the west coast.

The family comes to the farm

In 1861, Sindre's family came to the farm – the start of the generational history at Gullvegen Gardstun. Great-great-great-grandfather Thor Olsen bought farm no. 2 and 3 at Lykling and moved here with his family from Teigland at Moster. Here he was able to combine fishing and farming, and he had sons Ola (b. 1861) and Lars (b. 1863). Ola took over farm no. 2, which is today Urastølen, while Lars took over farm no. 3 – what is today Gullvegen Gardstun, formerly called Markaplasset.

Gold rush and mining tunnels

In the 1880s, the gold rush also reached the farm. Between 1882 and 1898, gold was mined here. The mine shafts on the farm were named after Harald Hårfagre, and the large quartz vein in the Harald Hårfagre shaft was drilled and blasted. The operation was led by Maren Elisabeth Jonassen – known as Madam Jonassen – a hotelier from Haugesund who set up as a mine owner. She was also involved in the Haugesund shaft, one of the most gold-rich mines in Lykling.

America and decisions

In the 1880s, Lars traveled to America and worked for Standard Oil in Chicago, among other places. Several family members emigrated, and in the 1890s he tried to persuade his wife Karoline to move with him. But she did not want to make the long sea voyage with small children – a decision that led to them taking over and settling on the farm in 1901.

Women in farming

Lars and Karoline had a son, Thor (b. 1904), Sindre's great-grandfather, who took over the farm in 1938. He moved here with his wife and three daughters from Kammaren. Sindre's grandmother, Laura Karoline – "Besso" – was heavily involved in the farm. She rowed out to Lyklingholmen morning and evening to milk the cows, in all kinds of western weather. She stayed there until she married Sindre's grandfather, Andreas Larsen – "Bessen" – and they settled in Setramyro.

Next generations

Sindre's father, Thor Audun, was born in 1955. He had a close relationship with his grandfather and took over the farm in 1974. Together with Sindre's mother, Marit Johanne from Jæren, they developed the farm further. Inspired by the golden age, they built the gold panning camp in the late 1980s, at Harald Hårfagre-gangen.

The Golden Road today

Sindre is the youngest son and sixth generation on the farm, and will now take over the management and development of Gullvegen Gardstun. Together with his partner Runa, he wants to pass on the traditions, history and culture – and create a place for everyone. Here they will write the next chapter in the book about the family on Gullvegen.

In 2020, Sindre and her partner Runa took an important step forward in the development of Gullvegen Gardstun. In the spring of 2020, they took over the farm Uren – farm number 135/1 in Lykling – popularly known as “Haga-jorda” or “Haga-tunet”. This is a completely unique property with a gold mining area, soapstone quarry, an authentic farm with buildings from the 19th century, a shoreline with a quay, and agricultural property with pasture and open fields.

Haga-tunet is located next door to today's Gullvegen Gardstun, and fits like a glove for further investment. The property opens up new opportunities within both traditional agricultural operations and as a visitor farm with a focus on cultural dissemination, Inn på tunet activities and tourism.

The vision is clear: to be a positive player for Lykling, Bømlo municipality and the region – and to create a unique place to visit for both travelers and locals. Sindre and Runa have great faith in the concept, in history and in the future. This is just the beginning – stone by stone, Gullvegen is being built further.

At the end of the 19th century, the gold rush exploded on Lykling. The quartz veins in the rock down to the sea contained gold nuggets that surpassed anything English engineers had seen in California and Australia. In 1883, a stone with half a kilo of gold was found – which created a sensation at home and abroad, and newspapers such as Dagbladet wrote that Bømmeløya could become "a business without parallel in this country."

But the adventure began long before that. In 1862, a shepherd boy found the first gold nugget by chance. It took 20 years before the fever broke out. From 1882 to 1910, mining was carried out on a grand scale, with several hundred workers and over 200 kilos of gold extracted. At its peak, over 1,200 finds were reported to the sheriff in Finnås.

Three large companies – mainly financed by Englishmen – and a number of individual enterprises turned the small village upside down. Two hotels, a hotel ship, a bakery and shops sprang up around the mining operations. Lykling became a vibrant center of gold hunting and hope.

Gullvegen Gardstun conveys this history – with vivid stories, gold panning camps and insights into what was once Norway's greatest gold adventure.

Today, Lykling and Gullvegen are partners of the Sunnhordland UNESCO Global Geopark – which highlights the geological and cultural-historical value of the area. Here you can experience history where it actually happened, and see traces of both gold mines and people who lived close to nature.