Molde – Ona island (round trip)

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Molde - Ona - Molde This round trip takes you to Ona – a tiny island community out in the ocean. The trip starts in Molde by bus (and a short ferry trip) to Aukra and Småge ferry harbor, where the ferry to Ona starts. The ferry to Ona goes via the island Orten, Finnøya and Sandøya before reaching Ona. Passengers to Ona should stay on the ferry during the short stays at the other islands. Ona is Norway’s southernmost traditional fishing village and has a permanent population of approx. 25. The island also has a ceramics workshop and a small kiosk/shop. In the summer (typically June - August), there’s a café and possibilities for overnight stays. On “Onakalven”, the island highest point, you find Ona lighthouse. From the lighthouse, you have a magnificent view of the ocean and towards the mainland. Ona is a tranquil place where you can thoroughly enjoy the peace and quiet! The trip to Ona is as fantastic in the summer as in the winter. Remember, though, that the island is located out in the ocean and the weather conditions can be harsh. Therefore, it is important to bring warm clothes and windproof clothes. If you go there outside of the peak season in the summer, we recommend bringing some food and drinks as well, as the island’s shop has a limited offering. https://travellikethelocals.trekksoft.com/en_GB/activity/80892/rundtur-til-ona-oya-i-havgapet

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

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Points of interest

#1

Gauset

We are now passing Gauset, a small hamlet of only a few dwellings. People have lived here, however, for thousands of years. Finds of flint and several arrowheads have been made, indicating that people have been present here since the Stone Age. The name comes from the river that flows here, Gausetelva. 'Gaus' from 'flowing water', and 'set' from 'place of residence', ie. a place of residence by the river. 'Set' is a common ending in place names - in Molde there are 11 such place names, and in Norway as a whole there are 900. In the past, flocks of goats grazed on the mountain slopes here, which is reflected in the names of several areas around Gauset, such as Bukkaksla (from bukk, or buck) and Geitastauo (geit, or goat). The goats had a destructive impact on the forests, and were wiped out a couple of centuries ago by farmers. A similar cull happened throughout the country, reducing the total number of goats by several hundred thousand over the past century to just over 50 thousand today.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#2

The Battle of Romsdalsfjord

We now set off along Moldefjord. This is the part of Romsdalsfjord that goes all the way to Åndalsnes. The fjord connects Romsdal and Sunnmøre via several ferry routes. On the fjord here, by the island of Sekken, a large sea battle once took place. Several thousand took part, and well over 500 people lost their lives. In the year 1162, during the High Middle Ages, civil war raged in Norway, and the child kings Håkon Herdebrei and Magnus Erlingsson fought for dominance. Håkon Herdebrei was considered king until this particular battle took place. He was the illegitimate son of King Sigurd Munn, who had died in 1155, handing power to Håkon, then only ten years old. Magnus was the son of Erling Skakke, and was only five years old when the battle took place. His men came with 21 ships and several thousand men from Bergen, surprising the fleet of Håkon Herdebrei, which comprised 14 ships and approximately 1500 men. In the bloody battle that ensued, King Håkon Herdebrei, then 15 years old, was killed. Erling Skakke and his son Magnus then travelled onwards to Trondheim, where Magnus Erlingsson was hailed as king, at only five years old. There is a monument on Sekken in memory of the battle. Every year, there is an organised walk to mark the event. There is also a monument on Veøya.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#3

Haukabøen

We are now entering Haukabø tunnel, which is one of well over 1100 road tunnels in Norway. Haukabøen is named after the river Haukå. The flat landscape that spreads out before meeting the mountain was called a 'bø' in olden days, meaning 'pasture'. Many places in Norway have names which start or end with 'Bø' or 'bøen', so this is how Haukabøen got its name. Down by the sea, we find Haukabøbukta (Haukabø bay) and the beautiful island of Geitholmen which appears to float in the fjord like an oasis. There have been stories in the bay since time immemorial about people who drank themselves senseless sitting on the boulders. One of these rocks is called 'Supabenken', ie. a bench on which to sit and sup alcohol.

Audio guides available in:

English (British), Norsk bokmål

#4

Eidskrem (Eiskrem)

As we pass Eidskrem in Aukra municipality, you may have already noticed that the Norwegian Highways Agency spells the name 'Eidskrem' on the road signs, but on official maps it is spelt 'Eiskrem', without the 'd'. The locals write and say Eidskrem with a d, and a campaign is underway to get this officially approved. Eidskrem is, as you can see, a small town with scattered settlements around several old farms. Farming and fishing have been practiced here for thousands of years. The history of the area dates back to the Stone Age. The first immigrants to the area discovered early on that this coast offered a rich bounty of fish, seals, small whales and seabirds. Studies of settlements have shown that the Stone Age people fished in the sea, the lakes and the rivers. Fish was established early on as a vital basic resource for the population along the coast. Cod and herring fishing are seasonal, following migration patterns along the coast in the winter. This allowed fishing to be combined with agriculture, making it an important contributor to the local economy.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#5

Julneset batteri

We are now passing Julneset, which was part of the German defences that protected the entrance to Molde and the Moldefjord. Julneset was the headquarters of Møre Artillery Group, which consisted of eight installations, including one on the island of Gossen. A German torpedo battery was located on Julholmen; this can be seen from Julneset. There were a total of three large guns, several anti-aircraft guns, local defence installations and minefields both on land and in the fjord around the battery. The fort was built by the Germans during World War II. There still exist several bunkers and gun emplacements that are interesting to visit. Along the path, you can find several information posts with photographs and local history. Julneset is a conservation area which offers many opportunities for walking, beautiful vantage points, barbecuing on the shore, swimming, or viewing cultural monuments. In total, the Germans built about 300 coastal installations in Norway. Many of them are still possible to visit. Their upkeep is usually taken care of by local teams of volunteers.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#6

Hollingsholmen

You are now arriving at Hollingsholmen ferry quay, which connects the island of Gossen to the mainland, in the municipality of Aukra. Right next to the ferry terminal is Hollingsholm farm. This is one of of the 500 or so farms in Norway that are part of a program called 'Inn på tunet'. This beautiful place is more than just a farm. School classes, private individuals and institutions are invited to the farm to participate, and to learn and understand both traditional farming and modern agriculture. You can see pigs, sheep, goats and horses in the farmyard or grazing in the landscape around the farm. Traditional farm produce farm is sold here, so you can fill a shopping basket with freshly laid eggs, butter, 'pinnekjøtt' (see under) or the 'fenalår' (cured leg of lamb) that hangs drying in the storehouse, ready for Christmas. Pinnekjøtt is a traditional Christmas dish from Western Norway that has become increasingly popular all over Norway in recent decades. It is eaten by almost 4 million Norwegians over the Christmas period. Pinnekjøtt is ribs of mutton or lamb that are salted, dried, and sometimes smoked. The meat is rehydrated before steaming, preferably on a rack of birch sticks, hence the name 'pinnekjøtt' - literally, 'stick meat'.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#7

Julsundet

We are now in the fjord 'Julsundet', where the islands of Gossa and Otrøya are connected by two ferry crossings. North of Julsundet is Hustadvika municipality, and to the east you can see Vestnes municipality. In the middle, between the islands, are Flatholmen, Kjerringholmen and Forholmen, which separate the 10-kilometre long Grunnefjorden from Julsundet. If you like fishing, then Julsundet, with its many skerries and islets, is an excellent place for a good catch. From the 100-150 metre depths of Julsundet, you can land saithe, cusk, ling and halibut. From mid-July, the fjord is filled with shoals of mackerel and herring. Along the entire fjord throughout summer you can enjoy warm-weather days on its many beautiful beaches, or putter around by boat to the hundreds of idyllic bays, skerries, islets and islands to be found here.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#8

The municipality of Molde

Molde, also called The Town of Roses with its 26,000 inhabitants, is perhaps mostly known for its annual jazz festival and Molde Fotballklubb. The municipality is located on the northern side of Romsdalsfjorden and shares a border to the west with Aukra, to the north with Fræna and Gjemnes and to the east with Nesset. The municipality also includes the islands of Sekken, Veøya and Bolsøya, among others. Molde has a famous view towards Romsdalsalpene, known as the Molde panorama visible from Varden. Molde received formal trading rights in 1614, and was awarded township status in 1742. The town's centre was severely damaged in the bombings of April 1940 in which 285 buildings were completely destroyed. The town was rebuilt with trading posts along broad streets and is today the administrative centre of the county. It became the seat of the Diocese in 1983. Local industry includes shipyards and other construction activity, and a large factory of light fixtures. This is where you'll find Molde University College, Molde Hospital, the Romsdal Museum and a regional theatre. Molde has its own airport located in Årø to the east of the town and the harbour downtown is used by cruise ships and Hurtigruten, the Norwegian coastal express. The E39 road runs through the town and crosses the Molde fjord by ferry to Vestnes. The administration is in Rådhuset (The Town Hall) in the centre of the town. This is also where the large old Moldegård estate is located. The estate was probably the inspiration for Ibsen's masterpiece "Rosmersholm". Molde welcomes many tourists and is at its busiest during the jazz festival in the middle of July and the Bjørnson festival in September. Experience all this and a lot more by using HopperGuide.

Audio guides available in:

English (British), 日本語, Deutsch , Español, Norsk bokmål

#9

Aker Stadion

Aker Stadion is a football stadium and home ground for Molde Football Club, MFK. The stadium is often referred to as Røkkeløkka, since it was a gift to the town from the business magnates Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten. Kjell Kosberg was the architect behind the building which was completed in 1998, and was nominated in the prestigious architecture competition FIABIs Prix d'Excellence in 1999 and won the Norwegian City Prize the same year. The installation cost 212 million NOK and houses a commercial space, a cafeteria and a restaurant. It was inaugurated on April 18th 1998. The arena has also hosted international fixtures. Molde Football Club's old home ground is today called Molde idrettspark (Molde Sports Park) and is used by the town's other football teams, and also for other sports. The stadium changed its name from Molde Stadion to Aker Stadion on May 3rd 2006, named after Kjell Inge Røkke's company involved in financing the installation. The name change was part of a relatively new trend in Norway — previously Aalesund's Color Line Stadion had been the only stadium in Tippeligaen named after a private company, a phenomenon which is spreading across Europe. At the moment of the name change, Aker announced a donation of six million NOK to a football hall at Årø in Molde, called Akerhallen. The municipality contributed with 3.5 million NOK and the plot of land. Molde Football Club (MFK) plays in Eliteserien (the Norwegian top division) and is one of two Norwegian teams to have played in Champions League. The Club won the Norwegian Premier League in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Furthermore, the club won The Norwegian Football Cup in 1994, 2005, 2013 and 2014 in addition to seven league silver medals. The Club was founded in 1911 and first went under the name of International. Today the organisation has 900 members and about 55 football teams. Tornekrattet is The club's primary independent supporter group.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British), 日本語, Deutsch , Español

#10

Aukra

You are now on the idyllic island of Gossa, which makes up the majority of Aukra municipality. According to historical sources, people have been travelling here since the Neolithic, subsisting on whatever nature could provide. The fish-rich fjords and the lush coastal landscape have contributed to the growth of the community, which today also boasts a large, innovative business sector. Nyhamna gas plant, from which gas is distributed throughout Europe via a pipeline in the North Sea, is located on the island. During World War II, the Germans built an airfield with a 1.6 km-long runway on the island. Today, the runway is only 550 metres long and is only used by small aircraft. The wind can be fierce on this somewhat flat landscape, but fortunately the island's more than 3,000 inhabitants have an ancient warning system. It is said that mermen rise from the sea to warn of approaching storms. So, if you see a merman, all you have to do is put on your sou'wester and sensible clothing and stay away from the sea.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#11

Plassen

You are now in front of the building called Plassen, completed in 2012. This is the location for Møre og Romsdal's art centre, the regional theatre in Møre og Romsdal, known by the name Teateret Vårt, Molde Library and Kafe Kurt. Møre og Romsdal art centre was established in 1978 and is owned by the associations Bildende Kunstnere Møre og Romsdal and Norske kunsthåndverkere Midt-Norge. The art centre strives to present art of high quality to a broad audience and aims to fascinate, surprise and engage visitors. This is also where the administrative tasks related to sculpture and craft in the district can be found. Here, you will find a diversified exhibition from Norway and abroad, in addition to a wide collection of graphics, glass and ceramics for sale on the second floor. Teateret Vårt, located in the same building, was established in 1972 and is Norway's oldest regional theatre. It is based in Molde, but performs on tours across the whole county of Møre og Romsdal. The theatre organises between 250 and 300 performances each year. To the left of the entrance there is a nice and modern library. If you wish to eat something, or have a cup of coffee, we recommend Kafe Kurt — they serve cold and warm dishes, and a large selection of beverages. If you walk up the stairs on the southern side of the building, you will reach the roof where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the town, the fjord and the mountains in the background.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British), 日本語, Deutsch , Español

Molde – Ona island (round trip)

Points of interest