Reins kloster and Kystens arv
Provided by:
Stiftelsen Nordmøre Museum
Welcome to Reins Kloster and Museet Kystens Arv in Indre Fosen municipality, the last two key places before you take the last stage to Nidaros Cathedral! Here you can take the trip to sea or challenge yourself with one or more hiking stages. The key site Reins Kloster in Rissa contains several thousand years of history as a royal estate, a nunnery up to today's ecological operation. Here is also the beautiful Rein Church. Nøkkelstedet Kystens Arv på Stadsbygder a museum around the clinker-built boat, both historically and with still active boat building. Spread out from the moment you arrive by boat to Hasselvika and take you from there via Rissa to Stadsbygd, you will find interesting points that are now sounded here with Voice of Norway!
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Points of interest
#1
Hasselvika, Beret Anna and Sannan trading house
You have now arrived at Sannan in Hasselvika where Beret Anna Aarlott started a shop in 1878. At that time, she was 45 years old and a single parent to her 10-year-old son Johan Arnt. To be unmarried and raise a small child single handed was not easy at that time. She had had at least two children before Johan Arnt but they had died as infants. Beret Anna was an enterprising women who wanted to create a good life for herself and her son. This entrepreneurial lady was also very kind-hearted, this was shown when she took over the care of the orphaned Hansine from the neighbouring village. She was also a skilled and kind midwife to those who gave birth in the village. Beret Anna made a living by taking in sewing work and she also ran a small store. Eventually, she bought some land and established a shop on Sannan. In order to get supplies for the store she had to row and sail to Trondheim – which was a 45-kilometre stretch. The trip to the city was no doubt strenuous, but Beret Anna made it through the storms. Little Johan Arnt grew up and took over the trading business which had grown slowly but surely. At the end of the 1890s Agdenes fortifications were built in Hasselvika. This led to a good upturn in the store’s business. In 1900 a new store with a bakery was completed and 14 years later after some large hauls of herring which gave him good profit, he built a large merchant’s residence for families and workers. The houses can be seen on the other side of the road when you get to the square by the shop. He also built a pier for fishery use and a steamboat quay which are right next to the fast ferry quay. The store is still going and is today run by the 5th generation of descendants of Beret Anna. Without her courage and determination for her son the trading post would not be as it is today. Beret Anna is at rest in the churchyard in Hasselvika, she was the first person to be buried there in 1913.
#2
Blåheia
Leave the main road at Hysnes and you can take a nice path through some marshy terrain before the ascent up to Blåheia which stands at 392 metres above sea level. Take time for a short geography lesson at the cairn. You are looking out over the fjord towards Trondheim and the distinctive Gråkallen. Turn around and you can see the characteristic mountain Kopparen in Bjugn, the islands of Storfosna, Kråkvåg, Hitra and Tarva and the fantastic coastline with many small islets and reefs. Agdenes lighthouse lies at the inlet to the Trondheim fjord. Follow the fjord and to the left you can see part of Rissa and the Fosen shipyard, buildings, and the saltwater lake Botn which is a twinkling pearl in the landscape. Now you will understand why Blåheia is a favourite hiking destination. Here by the Cairn, you can find a well-equipped shelter which will definitely entice you to take a break. However, when you start your decent make sure you follow the path and markings. A few years ago, there were 3 girls who took the wrong path and had to be rescued from a ledge: luckily, they were fine. When you come down the gravel path, you will see two rather large chairs to the right of the path. Take a rest in one of the chairs and wonder if you would really want to come across someone in need of such a large chair. God tur!
#3
Strømmen
You are now on Strømmen, the closest thing that Rissa has to offer as a southern idyll and the centre of Rissa municipality for many years. There was a lot of activity in Strømmen and it was a hub for traffic both in the village and between villages. There were horses, carts, boats and later cars and busses and here you could find most of the central functions of the village. You can follow the pilgrim path past the town hall and houses which were often used both as offices and houses for the doctor, vet, sheriff, post office, bank, telegram office and other businesses. The narrow wooden bridge that runs over Strømmen connects the fjord with the saltwater lake Botn and some time ago, there were two wooden piers built on poles in Strømmen. On the pier there were various businesses and some houses. Amongst them, a bakery, some of the older residents of Rissa can still recall the memory of the delicious smell of newly baked bread when they walk past. In Krobakken you can also find the Gjertrudstua pilgrim hostel. Here you can enjoy a good night’s sleep in cosy surroundings.
#4
Rein Church
The author Johan Bojer was amongst the last cohort of confirmands to be confirmed in the old Rein Church. It was a wonderful day for him and his foster family on Fætten, but also a sad day for his Mother Randi. The people of Reinsgrenda loved their church. They had been coming here their whole lives from christening to the grave and now the church was to be demolished. It was not to be replaced and there would no longer be a church in this place. Johan promised his foster mother that if he became rich, he would give a new church to the village. When his novel ‘The Last Viking’ was released, Johan had enough money to build a church. The church that you see today is from 1932 and is nearly an exact copy of the old church. The old altarpiece with the sacrament as the main picture, is in place, together with other items that were found around the village. The villagers were very down to earth and took and used what they could from the old church when it was demolished. The doors in front of the pews were used as barn windows and the old baptistery was used by a farmer as a storeroom. In exchange for a new storeroom the church got their old baptistry back. Some of the inventory was given as gifts such as the feet of the font, which were originally a holder for floral arrangements and were donated by the Hornemann family. The old clocks that were from two churches back in time had been moved to the new church on Føll. It was decided that they would not be brought back to Rein church and Bojer bestowed two new clocks to the church. He named them after the two women who had meant the most to him during his life, Randi after his foster mother and Ellen after his wife.
#5
Reins Abbey 1 (Duke Skule)
Reine is an old farm, dating right back to the time of Harald Fairhair. Skule Bårdsson became the owner of the farm in the early 13th century. In 1226 Skule lay dangerously ill in Nidaros, he promised that if he recovered, he would give Rein to the church for use as a monastery. He recovered and built a stone church and appointed his sister Sigrid as abbess of the Abbey. Duke Skule’s daughter Margrete was married off to King Håkon Håkonsson. Duke Skule wanted more power so he crowned himself King. He managed this by stealing Olav’s casket from Nidaros Cathederal and transporting it to Øretinget where he was hailed King. Of course, there was then a war between Duke. Skule and King Håkon. The war ended when Duke Skule was killed at Elgeseter Abbey. Queen Margrete lived out the rest of her years at Rein Abbey.
#6
Reins Abbey 2 (Abbey Church)
Abbey churches had a unique form in Norway in the Middle Ages, they were built in the form of a Greek cross (arms of the same length). In the middle of this church there was a high tower, visible from a great distance due to its location on Reinshaugen. The remains of three of the cross arms, an original portal, a winding staircase and two side chapels from the cross Church have been preserved. At some point the left cross arm was replaced with a large nave in early gothic style, where the remains of the western wall still remain. In addition to the Abbey church there was also a Monastery and many other buildings, but none of these remain today. The stone mason marks that are still visible on the stone tell us that the same masons who carved stones for Nidaros Cathedral also cut the stones for Reins Abbey. The Abbey which probably belonged to the order of Augustine, was closed down with the reformation. From 1531 until her death in 1555 Mrs Inger of Austrått was the Abbey’s superintendent. After that the Abbey’s estate was overseen by secular sheriffs. In 1704 the Abbey was taken over by Ebbe Carstensen. His descendants the Hornemann family still live on the farm today. The Park which surrounds the monastery gardens and the Abbey ruins depicts the history of one of Trøndelag’s most important monastic facilities. The Park, with its ponds, variety of plants, viewpoints paths and picturesque composition, paints a good picture of an ideal 18th century park. Stone from Rein Abbey was after the reformation used in the reconstruction of the Our Lady Church in Trondheim. The ruins that stand here today are owned by the Society for the preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments. The Rissa village museum currently own the red lodge which stands on the farm, in the long red building there was previously a dairy school. It was the first dairy school in Nordafjells and trained female dairy maids. Today Reins Abbey is run as an organic farm. And Reins Abbey ice cream has won many prizes for its delicious flavour.
#7
Klokkarstolen
Here up on the hillside lies this fine stone, which acts as a natural bench to stop and rest on whilst walking over the hill between Rissa and Stadsbygd. 300 years ago the churches in Statsbygd and Reinsgrenda shared a sexton. The sexton lived in Stadsbygd and so had to take a walk over the hill to ring the bells and assist with church services in Reins Church and then return home again the same way. Over a period of almost a hundred years, there were two generations of sextons who held that job, you can only imagine how many times a sexton has sat on this bench to take a breather and ponder over the sorrows and joy that he no doubt experienced during his work. Today, the sexton seat is a good place to sit, whether you come up from the Rissa or Stadsbygd side. So, sit yourself down, relax a bit and let your thoughts wander!
#8
Stadsbygd Vicarage
There has been a vicarage in Stadsbygd for almost 450 years. In the garden there is a large old ash tree, which children like to call the troll tree. How many faces of trolls and other figures can YOU find on that tree? The Clergy families that lived here brought a lot of innovation and development. For example, they installed a school building, started a vaccination programme, a midwifery practice, new farming methods and created great gardens. Look at the lovely gazebo and rose garden! The vicarage farmhouse which stands here today is over 250 years old, inscribed over the main entrance door are the initials of the couple who built it, Priest Christian Hveding and his wife Elisabeth Manzin – equality was early here! Over the years, the farm has been home to important town functions such as the bank, library, and the municipal council, it was also a nursing home for refugees from Finmark during the 2nd World War. In addition to church events such as services, counselling, and all of life’s big events such as christenings, funerals, confirmations, weddings and more were held here. Today it is possible to rent out the saloon in the vicarage farmhouse and Fjøset for such arrangements and for other parties, exhibitions, concerts, meetings and more. You can also spend the night here, or rent a short or long term office space. And we are a pilgrims hostel – Welcome!
#9
Coastal Heritage
Welcome to the Coastal Heritage Museum, a boat museum in a beautiful setting, a respite from everyday life. There are 2 floors with exhibitions about boats, the people of the sea, Lofoten fishing, sailing and plastic pollution in the sea. The museum also has its own wooden boatyard. Here they have been building wooden boats in the same way for over 1000 years. See real boat builders in action and experience the smell of tar and newly cut wood. At the Coastal Heritage Museum coastal culture is brought to life with a large outdoor area for children to run around in and a fire pit which is open year-round. At the seaside and on the beach, you can look for small creatures and seaweed or fish for crabs from the pier. The museum has several exciting treasure hunts both inside and outside. The exhibition “Boat and sustainability” is suitable for the whole family and can be experienced both on the ground and in the air through film, pictures, real life accounts, boats and other exciting objects. There is even a play area with a pier and crawling tunnel. If you want a bit more peace and quiet, you can take a breather by taking the path along the river. You will find many benches; on the museum quay and by the boat sheds, in Solveggen on the new pier and not least in the bright and warm café Flo and Fjære where you can get a delicious bite to eat. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea whilst you look out over the quietly flowing Prest River.
#10
Berga
Here in Berga there are myriad hiking trails and wonderful places to discover. On the way here from the Coastal Heritage Museum you pass the Burial Mounds at Rein. In the area you can take a walk up to Skyråskjerka, a popular hiking destination with a shelter and firepit, there are also simple stone altars and a small amphitheatre. On the way up and around you will find many beautiful outlook points where you can look out over Stadsbygda. You can also take a walk down to the sea, for example to Bjynnafjurru, and visit the eateries Desertørhytta and Gravrøysene on Slakken. You can also visit one very special point of interest, down near the old road you can find a field of rock carvings which show rock art dating back 5000 years. That is definitely worth a visit! The road through the mountains is a great alternative for those who want to cycle or walk to and from the ferry over to Trondheim. There is also a stretch of Indre Fosen’s leg of the coastal pilgrim trail, which here in Indre Fosen runs along the coast and has the key points Reins Abbey and the Coastal Heritage Museum.