In Leirvåg, there is a recreational area with a bathing spot and restroom facilities. Here, you will also find a cholera cemetery from 1849, known as the "Cemetery by the Sea" after a composition by Fartein Valen.
The hike to Leirvåg starts at Nappabrua and takes about 20 minutes on a marked trail. Boardwalks have been placed over wet areas.
At the recreational area lies a well-preserved cholera cemetery. The cemetery was consecrated in 1849, during the cholera epidemic that struck the western coast of Norway. The epidemic began during the herring fishing season and spread rapidly.
Cholera burial sites are often located far from populated areas, as people believed that the dead could still transmit the disease even after burial.
The cholera cemetery is famous for being the inspiration behind Fartein Valen's composition "The Cemetery by the Sea." The composer Fartein Valen (1887–1952) lived and worked for long periods in Valevåg, and "The Cemetery by the Sea" is one of his most well-known works. The poem "Le Cimetière Marin" by Paul Valéry, about the large war cemetery in Sète, France, inspired Valen to create this piece. However, Valen also mentioned that his thoughts were drawn to this small cemetery.
The wall surrounding the cemetery was restored in 2014.
(hiking trail, bathing spot, cultural heritage site, recreational area)