Molde – Midsund and the Midsund stairs

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FRAM

Molde - Midsund - Molde This round trip takes you to Midsund, situated at the island Otrøya in the Romsdalsfjord with only a few small islets separating it from the Atlantic sea. With bus and ferry you travel to Midsund, where one of the “Midsund Stairs” leads up to the mountain Digergubben. Sherpas from Nepal have built fantastic stone steps to make the hike to the Digergubben mountain and other peaks nearby more accessible for the public. Seeing the stone work is worth the trip alone. Adding a fantastic view to mountains, fjord and the ocean definitely make this hike worthwhile. The terrain is steep, but with the stairs it is possible for more people to do this hike. Make sure to wear adequate clothing and shoes! Norway can be chilly even in the summer. In Midsund village there are shops and other service offerings. From the shopping/service area it is approximately 10 minutes to walk to the starting point for the path to the mountain. The trip is open for booking all year, but in the winter season it may not always be advisable to do the hike. Check the conditions before you go! Before doing the hike we recommend that you prepare by reading more about the hike, for example on visitnorway.com. (Search for Midsundtrappene.) https://travellikethelocals.trekksoft.com/en_GB/activity/238240/buss-til-tur-ta-midsundtrappene-til-topps

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

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Points of interest

#1

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)

#2

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

#3

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)

#4

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

#5

Otrøy - Midsund

You are now on Otrøya, in Molde municipality, where the village of Midsund is the main settlement. Here you will find spectacular nature, history, vibrant sea life, beautiful coastal mountains, and friendly locals. Fisheries, agriculture, and industry provide the basis for settlement and development in the island community. The fishing opportunities on the island are particularly good, either from the shore or from a boat. Rock carvings in the area show that people have lived here and harvested from the sea for thousands of years. Among these is a huge halibut depicted in stone. There are plenty of hiking opportunities in the area and it is a great place to truly experience the magnificent northwest coast of Norway. Over the recent years, Otrøya has become famous for Midsundtrappene (the Midsund stairs) - four hiking trails where large pasrt of the path has been prepared with stone stairs made by sherpas from Nepal. The stairs are meant to protect the landscape from the wear of hikers. The stairs lead to the mountains Rørsethornet (644 masl), Digergubben (527 masl) and Digergubben (483 masl), Bløkallen (522 masl), and Aksla (110 masl) and Akslahornet (411 masl). The stairs to Rørsethornet are Norway's longest consecutive stone stairs, and by Digergubben you can find Norwat's most spectacular hammock park. The stonework alone makes it worth taking the trip, but in addition you get a fantastic view of mountains, fjords and the ocean.

Audio guides available in:

Norsk bokmål, English (British)

#6

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

#7

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 – Midsund and the Midsund stairs

Points of interest