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GuideToGo AS
This audio guide will give you stories and facts from different places and events in Romsdalen. Enjoy the tour as the stories are being told when you approach different areas where history has left its mark.
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Here, surrounded by majestic mountains, deep and lush valleys and emerald green rivers, lies Åndalsnes, or Tindebyen which is full of spectacular experiences. The town was also at the centre of one of the second world war’s largest battles, during which the whole of Norway’s gold reserve was at stake. In dramatic fashion, Norwegian and English soldiers together with hundreds of heroic volunteers managed to save the Norwegian gold and cash reserves, whilst howling German bombs squealed around them leaving the whole town in ruins. Both the town and the steadfast people rose up again and to this day exist as a hub between the fantastic Norwegian mountain experiences both in Summer and Wintertime. The idyllic fjord centre has all you need and more. We recommend the spectacular walk up the Romsdalstrappene to the Rampestreken viewpoint, which literally hangs out 8 meters in the air, giving you an eagle’s eye view over Åndalsnes and the beautiful Romasdal fjord. On your way down again we recommend taking the award winning Romsdal Gondola for all of you without a fear of heights. And if you should hear some rough guitar riffs or some banging dance tunes, then maybe Raumarock or another of Åndalsnes’ famous music festivals is taking place.
Several decades before sports angling became popular in the Rauma area, stories are told about the English Lord Beresford and his friend William Bromley-Davenport who came to Veblungsnes on the yacht Coral Queen a day in June 1849. As soon as they saw the estuary of the Rauma river they visited the post master to inquire about the possibilities for salmon fishing. They were advised to move up the river, to Fiva, which at the time was owned by a young girl, Marianne Løchra. In a letter to his father, Willaim describes his experiences from fishing in Rauma: "…after 14 pleasant days by Romsdalsfjorden, where we in a river called Rauma caught nearly 330 salmon - an enormous quantity, and more than has ever been caught here even with a fishing net over a whole summer. It is strange that these people don't learn fly fishing, since their existence is almost entirely dependent on the fish they catch. As we gave away almost all the fish, except what we needed ourselves, we were welcome quests, and a large number of these poor farmers gathered around us and screamed with joy as we pulled salmon after salmon out of the river. They though it was some kind of magic. Many of them assured us before we started that it was impossible to catch this big salmon with such simple equipment and angles." William later returned to Romsdalen and established a home here by buying Fiva in 1862. To this date, Fiva is owned by his successors, carrying his name.
(Photo: wikipedia) You are now crossing the Stigfossbrua bridge on county road 63 which passes above the Stigfossen waterfall in Trollstigen. The bridge and the road were opened by King Haakon VII on July 31st 1936. The construction of the bridge started in 1933 and the construction of the walls was completed in 1934 and 1935. On one of the large stones put up along the side of the road, one can read "Stigfossbrua 1935" carved into the rock.
(Photo: Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter AS, Jiri Havran / Statens vegvesen) At the top of of the sharp turns from Isterdalen, you will find the Trollstigen plateu. Hre you will find a service building with a café, souvenir shops and toilet facilities. The café and shops are normally open from mid-May to September. By the service building there are beautiful water mirrors, bridges, and paths to the viewpoints where you can see the winding road, impressive waterfalls and the wild and stunning nature.
(Photo: Øyvind Heen - Visitnorway.com) The Romsdalen valley is long and narrow with majestic towering mountains on either side. Along the valley floor in a wild and beautiful setting runs the foaming salmon river, Rauma. At Verma, the Rauma goes through a 30-40 meter high gorge and forms the waterfall Slettafossen. Scandinavian rock climbing started in the Romsdal mountains, which boast some of the world's most difficult climbs. At 1,000 metres, Trollveggen, the Troll Wall, is Europe's tallest vertical, overhanging rock face. On the opposite side of the valley, the Romsdalshorn peak towers to a height of 1,555 metres. Romsdalshorn is a very popular climbing site for Norwegian as well as international climbers. The Romsdalen mountains are also popular among base jumbers. However, from the late 1980s base jumping from Trollveggen has been illegal, after a number of serious accidents with risky and expensive rescue operations.
Trollstigen is part of the Otta - Geiranger - Valldal - Åndalsnes - Dombås road which is called The Golden Route. Since 2005, Trollstigvegen has been one of the roads selected for the project National Tourist Routes. The project's slogan is Safe and Beautiful, meaning that all stops and picnic areas should look harmonious in relation to the nature and landscape. The road's highest point is 850 metres above sea level, at Alnesreset. This was the location of the restaurant Trollstigheimen which was destroyed by an avalanche. It was never rebuilt. The road was renovated between 2005 and 2009 in order to adapt to the increasing number of tourists. This included safety measures against stone avalanches, new rest stops and viewpoints, as well as souvenir shops. The traditional small huts that used to sell souvenirs were removed, at the same time as a new facility with a café and a souvenir shop opened in the summer of 2009. The road is surrounded by several mountain tops which are more than 1,000 metres high. Stigbotnhornet and Bispen are among the most famous. Dronninga and Kongen ('The Queen and The King') ; are to the north west. Trolltindene ('The Troll Peaks') ; with Trollklørne ('The Troll Claws') ;, and the backside of Trollveggen ('The Troll Wall') ; in the north east. The mountains and the many summits in Romsdal are popular among mountain climbers. There are several marked trails, most of which are quite easy to hike, while others require climbing.
(Photo: Per Kollstad, Jarle Wæhler / Statens vegvesen) Plattingen is the name of the platform that sticks out over the mountain edge and hovers 200 metres above Trollstigen. It provides a spectacular view of the majestic landscape. The platform has a different viewpoint depending on how brave or prudent you are. The construction is made of steel and glass, and protects against bad weather and winds. Plattingen was designed by architect Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter AS. There is a short hike along the walking trails and stairs up to the viewpoints.
Norsk Tindesenter attracts mountain climbers and regular tourists alike. Its main focus is on Norway's mountaineering history. Inside the center, you can start your visit with a cinematic experience allowing for floor-to-ceiling movie viewing. Here, stunning trekking films combined with short historical narratives take you on an exciting adventure trip. The center has a number of interesting installations showing different aspects of the climbing sport, and the driving forces motivating mountaineers. Both children and adults are invited to learn and participate interactively. Real stories have been dramatized and old equipment displayed alongside so you can study the challenges of the climbing pioneers. If you feel up to it, you can test your own climbing skills. Norway's highest indoor climbing wall – Carl's Hall – is here at Norsk Tindesenter. It has routes up to 21 meters. Norsk Tindesenter also has its own children's bouldering cave suitable for children from 3 years of age and upwards.
If you happened to travel through this area around the end of the 19th century, you would have seen several shipyards along the fjord. Shipbuilding has a long tradition in Vestnes. However, most of the former companies are now just a part of the history. Hammeraas, Salthammer, Stenødegård, Helland, Ødegård, Aas, and Vestnes are names that still make people in the area think about boat construction. Boats and ships of all sizes were once constructed and built in this area. One of the first most significant Norwegian boatbuilders was Lars Jensen Hammeraas, who was responsible for the construction of one of the largest wooden ships here toward the end of the 19th century, the full rigged ship Herman Lehmkul. It was 214 feet long and as tall as a three-story house. In fact, the boat was so large that they had to reorganize the factory area in order to get enough space for the building process.
(Photo: Vidar Moløkken) When Prime Minister Erna Solberg opened Tresfjordbrua on October 24th, 2015, a large public party was arranged. For a long time residents and travelers had looked forward to this bridge to be completed. The opening took place during what the local residents call «a good break», an expression for the interval between the area`s numerous rain showers. People were enjoying themselves by cycling and walking across the bridge in pleasant spring weather during the hours leading up to the official opening. Many brought flags to celebrate this significant day. The Prime Minister was pleased that the drive was cut short by 40 minutes on her commute to visit family in Ålesund. Applause from some 2,000 attendants indicated that she was not alone in her joy. The most important aspect for the locals of course is the greater safety and mobility afforded to pedestrians and drivers alike by this new bridge in the area. The bridge’s construction, with its 1290 meters length, amounted to a price of 1.1 billion kroner. The mast of your boat can reach 30 metres up in the air before the boat is in danger of getting its mast shortened. The Tresfjord bridge is the longest road bridge in Møre og Romsdal and was the 6th longest in the country when it was finished.
The Grytten Church was consecrated in 1732, the third church in Inner Romsdal parish. The first churches were erected about four kilometres further up towards Isterdalen. This area was given the name "Grytina". The parsonage and the nearby marketplace Devold are located here as well. The first church was a simple stave church, without any windows or tower. Some two hundred years later a new stave church was erected which also suffered environmental damage. n the Middle Ages Norway was a poor country under foreign rulers and had to endure consecutive years of poor yields, the plague and a harsh climate on top of that. When the third church was consecrated in 1732, it was built in a more updated form, as a so-called cross-church. However, due to excessive clearing of the woodlands nearby, the Rauma River began to erode the vegetation along its banks and carried a lot of sand downriver. The church was in danger of being buried completely. Eventually it was decided to move Grytten church to Veblungsnes, the new center in inner Romsdal. The originally small cross-church was turned into an octagonal church. The timber from the old church was used in the construction, along with new wood. This church was consecrated in 1829. Since then there have been a lot of improvements and additions.
Rauma Ullvarefabrikk AS is located at the mouth of Rauma river at Veblungsnes. This very popular factory supplies yarns to enthusiastic knitters across the country. At the start, in 1927, there were only a few simple textile machines placed in a small seaside cottage with three employees. During World War II the factory was destroyed but soon re-erected. At the end of the 1970s a factory building was constructed. It provided space for an up-to-date production facility.
The village Innfjorden in Rauma municipality is undergoing development. It is located in a south facing bay only a few minutes drive from Åndalsnes town center. You will find both a kindergarten and a school here, serving between 4 and 500 inhabitants, as well as several companies. Organizations are thriving. Innfjorden Sports Team is one of these. The sports team offers adults and children various activities; athletics, football, skiing, a ballpark and plenty of space for everyone to engage in all kinds of exercise. A floodlit cross-country ski trail was constructed in the heart of Innfjorden. It is about 3.5 kilometres long and the light is on every night. Innfjorden offers one of Rauma's best beaches. It is centrally located next to the public assembly house at the bottom of the bay, with a park, benches, volleyball court and a long sandy beach. Next to the school you will find Innfjorden Bedehuskapell (Chapel). It is used for worship, christenings, funeral services, various meetings and organisational activities.
Måndalen, with its village center at Voll, lies at the southern end of the Romsdalsfjord and has about 900 inhabitants. In addition to traditional farming, the village has long-standing textile and wood industries. Most famous are Wenaas and Måndalen trevare. Several construction and transport companies are in operation here as well. The investment company Wenaasgruppen has its headquarters at Voll. It is one of Norway's largest hotel property investment groups. The village has a kindergarten and school, an old people`s home, a bakery and hairdressing salon. There is all the infrastructure you need for a longer stay: a grocery store with integrated post office, a marina, a quay tower, a cafe, a camping area, a beach and a gas station.
Voll Church is located here in Månalen. It was erected in 1896 and restored in 1964. The largest church in Grytten parish looks from the outside like a long church. It was built in the notched timber tradition by the architect G. Smith. In earlier times there was a church dating from 1674 on the same plot. As to objects of interest in the church, we can mention a Bible from 1732, an altar from 1648, and the organ of 1840, probably the oldest organ still in use in the country. Previously, the organ was in Mandal church but was moved to Måndalen in 1926. It was made by the organ builder Albrechtsen from Trondheim and shared a similar fate with many other instruments; it was in a very bad state. Fortunately, it was restored in connection with the church's 100th anniversary.
The Måndal Tunnel passes between Måndalen and Sauset. It is a bit over 2 kilometres long and was opened in May 1993. The Innfjord tunnel opened in November 1991 and together these two tunnels cost 225 million kroner. Måndalstunnelen replaced a section of the road previously endangered by landslides. The old road with its more basic safety precautions may still be used for travel. The new tunnel's aspect and construction differs a great deal from the older one. Before, there were rough-hewn mountain walls lining a dark, cavernous throughway. Now you will find a range of modern installations like frost protection, video surveillance, emergency telephones, fire extinguishers and more. In Måndalstunnelen there is also full coverage for DAB radio and emergency networks throughout the passage.
Danger from frequent landslides caused the previous road on E 136 between Rauma and Vestnes to be replaced by the new, almost 4 km long Vågstrand tunnel. When it was opened, a number of school buses had the honor of driving through first in order to emphasize the improvement to safety for commuting schoolchildren. This section is also part of the main route between South-East Norway and Sunnmøre - the so-called Eksportvegen (Export Road) – another good reason for keeping the road open and safe. The project's cost of NOK 500 million kroner is divided between the Norwegian state and motorists who contribute significantly with tolls. The old road was built during the Second World War and was in places so narrow that it was not wide enough for a median strip. Motorists experienced the road as unsafe and sometimes fatal when colliding with oncoming traffic at high speed. Now the modern road makes the journey a lot safer. Emergency spaces every 500 meters allow for even larger vehicles to turn around in the middle of the tunnel if necessary. Large fans ensure good air quality. In case of an accident blocking the tunnel temporarily, a continuous band of light on the concrete rails is triggered automatically.
Vågstranda Church is located on Vågstranda in Rauma municipality. The church was built in 1870 as a so-called hall church or long church. It is built in traditional notched timber style, which was carved in Trondheim. The church was initially constructed in Trondheim, then the logs were marked and the building dismantled. The building materials were transported to Vågstranda and then properly set up in its permanent location by the architect and builder G. Olsen from Trondheim. The church was restored on its one hundredth anniversary 1970. The church bell was molded on Bolsøya by the local bell molder Christensen. The altarpiece, which dates back to 1870, was painted by Balle Lund from Trondheim. It was by Royal Decree of October 31, 1868 that permission was given to build Vågstranda church on Straume. The building was to be a church in the new Vågstranda parish. Prior to 1870, the people from Vågstranda belonged to the Veøy Old Church, on Veøya, in the Romsdalsfjord.
The agricultural museum at Gjermundnes is located on the premises of the old agricultural school from 1898. The museum is situated on what can be a natural stop halfway between Ålesund and Åndalsnes. From Gjermundnes you have a great panoramic view over to Molde town located on the other side of Romsdalsfjorden. The museum is set in a charming landscape with plenty of sunshine on clear days. You will also find a beautiful park here with a fine oak alley from 1758. The place has a long history and has been an important place for people throughout the ages. Among other things, a field of graves lies here dating from the Iron Age. Records show that even a king - Neskongen Gjermund - lived on the Gjermundnes farm in the Viking age. The agricultural school or Gjermundnes High School, as it is now called, is located here. It specializes in the study of traditional and modern agricultural practices. At Gjermundnes, pupils can acquire knowledge on aspects of planting and mechanical processes of farming. The school also offers comprehensive courses in equine science.
Close to 700 people call the village of Vikebukt their home. Vikebukt borders on the villages of Gjermundnes and Daugstad with a bridge linking it to the municipal center at Helland. The nearest town is Molde which is located on the other side of the fjord. Ålesund and Åndalsnes are reached within an hour's drive in either direction. A ferry used to run here connecting Vestnes, Molde and Vikebukt. It has been replaced with the Tresfjord bridge between Vikebukt and Helland. You still have to take a ferry from Vestnes to get to Molde. The road through Vikebukt is referred to as Eksportvegen and links the Ålesund region with traffic in and out of the county. People have lived here since the Viking Age. Vestiges (or remnants) from a number of caims exist which you can visit in the area. Archaeologists estimate the graves to originate from the Iron Age or the Viking Age. In 2004, a Viking woman's grave was discovered near Vike church. The grave contained pearls and gemstones of amber, weaving equipment and other accessories. The woman who was buried here was named "Husfrua på Vike" (The Housewife of Vike) by the archaeologists. It is believed that this must have been a woman of higher standing who was given a grave memorial here.