The first thing you notice approaching Sandnessjøen is the mountain range behind it: seven peaks in a row, rising steeply from the island of Alsten, known as De syv søstre, the Seven Sisters. Legend says they were troll maidens turned to stone by the rising sun, and they dominate every view of the town. Sandnessjøen itself is a busy coastal town and the main centre of the Alstahaug area, with a harbour serving fishing boats, the offshore industry and the Hurtigruten coastal ships.
The Helgeland Bridge, a long and elegant suspension bridge, connects Alsten to the mainland at Leirfjord, and riding across it gives you a wide view over the fjords and islands. It opened in 1991 and replaced a ferry crossing. The town is also on the Kystriksveien, the Coastal Route, and from here the route continues north by ferry and road through a landscape of islands and mountains toward the Arctic Circle.
History lives just south of town at Alstahaug, where Petter Dass, the priest and poet, served in the late seventeenth century. He wrote verse about the people and nature of northern Norway, especially a long poem called The Trumpet of Nordland, which is still read today, and he is remembered as one of the great figures of Norwegian literature. The old stone church at Alstahaug, from the Middle Ages, and a modern museum dedicated to him, built into the landscape, make a fine short visit.
The riding around Alsten is easy, with a coastal road around the island, gentle curves and fine views of the Seven Sisters and the sea. There is a road along the western side of the mountains, quiet and scenic. The surface is generally good, but the wind can be strong on the bridge and the exposed parts of the coast. The peaks can be climbed by hikers in summer, all seven in a day if you are fit, and on clear days the view from the top is spectacular.
Sandnessjøen has all services, including fuel, food and beds. A night here, a walk along the harbour and an early start for the ferries ahead is a sound plan. The fish and seafood in the town are excellent, and in summer the evening light over the islands to the west lasts all night.