Midsund

Here, on the outside of the mountain you can see to the North, a dramatic event unfolded at the end of the Second World War. In what was previously a sheep cave, which goes 55 metres into the Mountain, four young French men lived during the winter of 1944-5. They were under German capture in a prisoner of war camp on Otrøya. But, during the autumn of 1944 the Frenchmen decided to escape. They took contact with some locals who helped them to plan the escape. One dark November night the Frenchmen escaped to a Bay in Midsund where they were collected with a small rowing boat. In the pitch black they rowed to Dyrna where the prisoners were given food and warm clothes by the Sønderland family. Afterwards, they continued further on foot to the cave, where they hid from the German soldiers who were hunting for them. After a while, they built a small cabin in the cave in order to keep out the worst of the cold and damp. Later a wood stove was installed. The Norwegians collected food for the prisoners which was delivered to them every third night at an arranged location a short distance from the cave. The escaped prisoners stayed in the cave right up until the capitulation of the Germans on the 8th May 1945. At that time they were taken to Midsund where they were treated with great honour along with their local collaborators. The French youngsters christened the cave the «Hulens Palads». But subsequently the cave has not been referred to by any other name other than the French Cave. The French cave is an exciting excursion for young and old alike and with this story in mind it is even more interesting.

You have now arrived at the narrow sound that separates the island of Dryna from Midøya. Here you will find Drønnasundet the old trading place for liquor sales which had its heyday in the 1800s. Many people from the surrounding villages came here and history tells us that many of the trips back home across the fjord ended in tragedy. There were amongst others two brothers who perished on their way home from Dyrna, several other incidents and in 1893 a tragic accident when two youths Ågne Pedersen and Hans Iversen capsized on the home journey and ended their days in the stormy cold Mifjord. It was the fish trader Ferdinand Danholm and later his son Johan Arnoldus Kristoffer Danholm who ran the liquor store. They were considered skilled businessmen and held the rights for liquor sales, also running a branch on the fishing village Ona/Husøy, an island group a little further out.

Think back in time to just after the birth of Christ. At that time there were already people living out here and possibly even long before that. Here, at the foot of the mountain are the Bjørnerem caves where the earliest inhabitants of Midsund probably lived, Bjørnerem caves are one of the most important cultural heritage sites that we have in Midsund. Entry to the biggest, Saue ‘sheep’ cave can easily be reached via a path from the road. You can also find an information sign there. Around 80 metres south west of the Saue cave is the Geit ‘goat’ cave and around 20 to 30 metres further to the southwest Lillehelleren ‘little cave’. Saue cave is so named because it was used earlier as a sheep barn. This is one of the caves that were best suited to human habitation. The cave is around 21 metres long, 3 metres wide and 10 metres high. But what did the people who lived here live off? In 1912 some partial excavations were carried out in two of the caves. They discovered all together the remains of 55 types of animals, birds and fish, including many species that can no longer be found on the island, or are extinct, including squirrels, wolves, bear, beavers and vultures. A human bone was also discovered, it is estimated that the last cave dwellers lived here around 400 AD. The cave has great acoustics and there have been many magnificent concerts held here. A trip here can show us how the country has changed throughout many thousands of years and how our ancestors lived.

The whole area here outside of Midøya is steeped in history and ancient monuments. The area that you can see out towards the fjord is called Sandane. If you follow the path down you will discover that it is not only a place to enjoy the beach and outdoor life, but that it also has an historic feeling to it. Here you will find the finest swimming beaches in Romsdal; Nøre Sanden faces out towards the Harøyfjord, whilst Søre Sanden faces west and is sheltered by Hamnaneset which lies between the two beaches. With an asphalted carpark and established paths this outdoor area is easily accessible to people of all ages. Sandane is an area with a rich cultural heritage and next to the car park you will find an information board with a QR code which you can scan and read up further on the area. Sandane lies on the inner shipping lane on the Norwegian coast. On the outside of Hamnaneset lies a natural harbour which yachts and in their time Viking ships sought out in storms. Hamnaneset is considered a cultural resource with many interesting ancient monuments, such as burial mounds and traces of ancient settlements. Sandane is interesting in historical, geological and biological contexts and at the same time exciting to explore whether you want to unwind or search for historical treasures.

Did you know that the border between Norway and Sweden was here for a time, running just past Sandane and Bjørnerems cave? The powerful stone wall that you see went across Midøya and was for a two year period in the 1600s a part of the border between Sweden and the Danish-Norwegian Union. The middle of the 1600s was a time of great unrest in the history of Norway; the Danish-Norwegian union was forced to give away large important pieces of land to Sweden. The Danish-Norwegian union continued to fight for their land and tried to win the area back with an attack in 1657, but it ended in defeat for them. As a part of the peace agreement in 1658 the Denmark-Norway union had to give away further land areas to Sweden. Bohuslen and Trondhjemslen were handed over to the Swedes, which led to Norway being cut into two. The new country border then followed the now district border between Romsdal and Sunnmøre, the stonewall marking the westerly end point of the border. A short time after, the war began again and with the later peace accord of the 27th May 1660 Trondhjemslen was given back to Norway and the country border moved back to where it was before. In more recent times the wall has functioned as a visible border between different municipalities.

Come with me on a treasure hunt on the Bløkallen Mountain! According to a legend from Viking times there is a large treasure chest of gold and silver buried there. Some Vikings moored their boat in the lune harbour on the northwesterly side of Midøy, during the night the chief had a strange dream. He dreamt that there was going to be a bloody battle and that he would lose his life. The next morning along with four of his best men he gathered all the gold and silver they had saved up, there was so much that they had enough to pay taxes in Norway for 7 years. They rode inland up to the mountain and buried the treasure between some stones. The next day was just as the chief had dreamt a bloody battle between the Vikings and their persecutors took place in Hamnaneset. The chief was, as is in the dream brutally killed along with most of his men. All the men that had been with the chief when the treasure was buried fell and the rest of the entourage were captured and enslaved. Apparently, there is a goat path to the place where the valuable treasure lies hidden and the sun shines in that place only when it is in the northwest. Many have hunted for the treasure but none have found it….but maybe you can?

If you can you sense the mysterious and supernatural then you should be on guard in this area. Many myths and legends of supernatural phenomenon have their source here. Amongst others those of Feta-Tossen and the Myling. In the olden days it was not always easy to take care of children who were born sickly or weak. Therefore there were some who simply left them out in the woods or moors so that they could die there. But then they perhaps got a guilty conscience and imagined that these children would continue to walk the earth as ‘Myling’- People were hugely superstitious at those times. During the first part of the 1800s a guy called Torstein who went by the nick name Feta-Tossen lived at the Bløfeta farm. One day he had been in Drønnasundet where there were liquor sales at that time. After downing a few drams he left in the evening for home. There was new snow on the ground, so it was not so dark. Suddenly, it was there standing right in front of him a myling! It appeared at first as a giant frog that screamed and wailed. Then, it grew and transformed into many creatures whilst howling, barking and screaming like a child. Finally, it threw itself on the back of Feta-Tossen, who knew that the only way to destroy a myling was with steel. He was able to get hold of his sheath knife and stabbed the creature, the myling whipped across the marsh with the knife in its back whilst it screamed and wailed. An old man from Bjørnerem was out collecting wood and he also heard the screams of the myling. When Feta-Tossen finally came home he felt so unwell and strange that he had to go straight to bed. When he came out the morning after, the knife was sticking out of the wall of his Stabbur with a vertebra attached to it.

One experience you must take away with you from Midsund, is to visit one or more of the famous Midsund stairs. It is Norway’s biggest development of hiking trails on an island and has today around 6300 steps. All the steps were made by Nepalese Sherpas, specifically from the village of Khunde 3840 metres above sea level. These are the people who live high up in the Himalayas; they are experts in building dry walls and are considered as some of the strongest people on the planet. To get the opportunity to work in Norway meant that they did not have to take a job as a guide taking risk filled trips up to Mount Everest in order to make a living. Many of the stones in the Midsund stairs weigh up to 1300 kilograms, technique and extreme strength enabled them to move these stones. The stairs are also an attraction for the way that they were built, which is something that many people notice when they go up the stairs.

Kløvstien on Bløkallen is one of the many walking paths that you will find in Midsund. It was built in 2018 and consists of 1400 steps. The path is described as a winner regarding its accessibility for the most possible users; its pitch and variety make it a walk for all generations. Kløvstien was originally constructed at the end of the 1800s. The extraction of peat for use as fuel was an important business up on Midøya Mountain. Kløvstein was built so that horses were able to go up to the mountain to transport the peat to the cable pulleys which went down to Blø. You can still see the foundations of the starting station of the cable pulleys by the steps on the old path. There is therefore also an historical element to this path. Blø Lake lies at the end of the path and from there you can choose from two ways up to Bløkallen, where a fantastic view awaits you at the top! Blø Lake and Stordals Lake are also good fishing grounds.

You are now standing next to Opstadsbua an old trading post located at the ferry quay on the Midsund side. This was an important hub before the bridge which connects the islands in the municipality together was built in 1969. The main building which had the local store on the ground floor has been restored back to its old style and is today used as a venue for parties and meetings.

With its islets and clean and crystal clear water diving clubs from all over the country travel to Midsund. Midsund is especially well known for its rich diversity of species and can also offer wreck diving. D/S Ørland, built in 1917 was sunk by German planes on the 23rd April 1940 whilst it was anchored in Bløbukta in Midsund. It had sought refuge there after a bombing attack the day before, part of the cargo and inventory was salvaged by divers the year after. The wreck of the Ørland is in relatively good condition and has been diligently visited by divers. Someone had for a period, after finding the key, locked a number of doors in order to restrict entrance inside for other divers. The ships clock and other parts of the inventory were retrieved and taken as souvenirs.

You are now standing by Antonbua, one of the venerable old sea arches in Midsund. It was built in 1909 and was the base for a vital family business throughout most of the 1900s. Antonbua represents a rich and important shipping and fishing history, something businessman and founder Anton Misund would be very proud of. It was actually him who started the local store and fish receivers which were later developed to also sell oil and petrol. It was here that they probably had the first hand operated petrol pump on Otrøya. Antonbua was a key business in Midsund where there were many different forms of fishing practiced. The Sjøbua was also a base for the family business’ fleet of boats. One of the boats was the small sailboat ‘Embla’ which had many years at sea sailing between the fisheries in the North and the business in Midsund. Every winter they left for Lofoten where they bought fish which they salted on-board. Then the fish were transported home to Midsund where they were washed and dried on rocks and boulders. The boat no longer exists but much of the equipment has been preserved. When Antonbua was built there were few people living in Midsund but now the centre of Midsund is here. Antonbua has recently undergone restauration work and is now a jewel in the centre of Midsund right next to Midsund Marina.

The old red building which stands next to the small boat harbour in the centre of Midsund is called Krabbevikbua. Earlier the house was on the island of Ona and was the first rorbua that was built there in 1866. For a while it was used as accommodation for travelling fishermen and went by the name of the Hotel. 1n 1905 the building was bought by Nils L. Midsund and was moved to Midsund. Anton Midsund lived here with his family from 1907 to 1911. Anton ran the store on the ground floor and the fish receivers in the northerly part. In the southern part Sivert Bjørnerem ran a bakery. After the bakery closed down, there was a mechanics workshop there. After that the bua was partially converted into houses, but it also houses a local antiques shop filled to the rafters with old treasures with exciting histories, which today’s owner Ola Midsund will freely share with people who are interested in coastal culture and history.

If you make a stop in the centre of Midsund you will find that the town has much to offer. There are two grocery stores with a varied selection, a petrol station, two eateries, a post office, bank, hairdressers, handicraft shops, an electrical shop and a sports shop which also hires out cycles and kayaks. Whether you take the road in or arrive by sea you are guaranteed to have a good experience using the centre of Midsund as your base. Next to Krabbevikabua and the small boat harbour also lies Tusenårsstedet, which forms a natural centre in Midsund, and which can be used for large and small outdoor events.

The previous municipality of Midsund was one of the county’s largest fishing municipalities. Many youngsters have opted to work in the fishing industry and the place is a home harbour for many boats, everything from large fishing vessels to small one man sail boats. Here you can also find the leading fishing receivers on the coast, Silver Seafood AS, which is a distributor of high quality sea food. They have their own production facilities and buy fish and sea food directly from the boats. Fresh raw ingredients are crucial for the customers and for that reason they only employ small fishing boats which deliver their catch to them daily. In addition to fresh fish, they also specialise in the packaging and distribution of live lobsters, crabs, and crayfish caught in pots. The crayfish from Silver Seafood are fished by around 10 boats year round and as such they are Norway’s leading distributor of live crayfish.

If you arrive by sea then you should take a trip into the Midsund Marina. Midsund Boat club got their new facility in place in the summer of 2011. Midsund Marina as it is now known, has 50 mooring spots and all of them are occupied. But there is a guest harbour only a few steps from the gangway by the club house. There you can find a new and modern sanitation block, toilets, showers and a washing room, also a party room for hire with space for up to 80 -100 guests and a modern kitchen. Midsund Marina is located only 200 metres from the centre of town. You will also find here Best Midsund, which has a big kiosk and boat refuelling.

In the centre you can also find the Café bar Ne´ste. They serve traditional Norwegian food together with a selection of special dishes from Thailand. The café has seating for 50 inside in addition to 70 seats outside and will gladly host both large and small events. Midsund Gjestestove is situated a little further up behind the centre. From the main hall you have a fantastic view over Midsundbukta and Midsund centre. The venue has a function room for large and small gatherings and also offers overnight accommodation, a cafe/bakery, pub and restaurant services.

You are now standing at the bottom of the steps to Digergubben and Midsundhorn, which were finished in 2017. Digerkubben has 1600 steps, whilst Midsundhorn has 1450. The walk to both of these peaks starts at Bakkeskogen in Midsund centre. The tour can be extended up to Trollhesten and Klausethorn or over Blåhammeren to Hestøyra. The view on this walk is with you from the start until you reach the top. From the top you can see Runde in the west and Smøla in the northeast. There are also many nice resting places on the way up the stairs.

Almost at the top of Digergubben (527 metres) you can find a unique hammock park. Here there are recessed steel rods attached into the mountainside which can accommodate 8 hammocks. Even though the terrain is steep the worked in steps make the area accessible for most. On the way up to Digergubben you can find many resting places with stone benches. The hammock park itself is a 5-6 minute walk from the steps/path so you won’t be disturbed by others passing by. Here you have a fantastic view over the archipelago and you can sleep at sunset and rise to a beautiful sunrise – if you are lucky with the weather. This is an experience that you will not forget! You should reserve in advance to make sure that there is space for you when you arrive. The Hammock Park has access to a Cinderella toilet which is reserved for guests. Hammocks and equipment can be hired should you need to from Utendørs.

The steps to Aksla and Akslahorn were completed in 2018 and consist of 500 steps. The walk to Akslahorn is described as a mini Via ferrata and has a connection to the steps up to Digergubben. This is a breezy walk and the tour is often combined, turning it into a round trip, either going up via Aksla or Akslahorn and onto the existing steps to Digergubben and Midsundhorn and then down to the centre of Midsund. Aksla is a short hike which is popular in the evenings at sunset and it can be climbed in the winter with spikes and you are guaranteed a thrilling experience in the dark with a headlight.

Otrøy church is located in Ugelvika in the parish of Midsund. It is built in wood and was listed in 1878. The church has a rectangular structure and 250 seats. The building is often also used as a concert venue. To the east of the island you can also find Nord Heggdal chapel, which is a long church from 1974, it is constructed of wood and has 98 seats.

You are now standing at the foot of Norway’s longest continuous stone stairway. The steps up to Rørsethornet were completed in 2017 and consist of 2212 steps. This is a spectacular walk that people come from far away to experience. Rørsethorn has a fantastic 360 degree view, from North Nordmøre to South Sunnmøre and is called Midsund’s answer to Besseggen. The walk can be combined with a roundtrip by going over Ræstadhorn and down into Vågsdalen or going towards Nord Heggdal over Opstadhorn, Heggdalshorn and down to Nord- Heggdal. In 2021 Rørsethorn will also get an extension when steps will be built all the way up to Rørsethorn. In total 4 Sherpas who were in Midsund from May to mid-October 2017 built 2700 steps! That was a Norwegian record for the number of steps built by Sherpas in a year.

If you are on the hunt for some calmer hiking experiences the road between Rakvåg and Sør-Heggdal is a good alternative. This was Midsund’s first public road, which came into use with the dedication of the church in 1878. The road ran through Heggdalskaret, which was later named Skarsvegen. The whole project which included putting into place the nearly 140 year old church took many years and continues today to be an attractive walking route which connects together the inner and outer side of Otrøya. The path was finished in 2012 and is also a restored historical memorial. Around Holsvatnet on the Rakvåg side there is also an established walking path which is suitable for tour lovers of all ages.

The bunker at Klauset was one of many torpedo batteries and fortifications which were included in the Nazis ‘fortress Norway’ during the Second World War. Throughout the summer of 1940 the Germans were in place at Klauset with seized Norwegian torpedo cannons. At the start the German soldiers were living in confiscated houses in the village. Consequently, the villagers were living in close contact with the Germans. No serious incidents arose and they even developed their own language “KlauseGerman” Building work continued on the torpedo battery right until the end of the war. Norwegian equipment was replaced with German torpedoes and a battery was built right into the hillside. There was a minefield set out in the fjord and the battery was developed with canons and defenses on land. At its peak, 200 Polish and French forced labourers worked on the plant alongside Russian prisoners of war. The Russians received far worse treatment than the French and Polish. After the war, the camp was demolished and the weapons and equipment removed. Much of the weapons and equipment was dumped in the Romsdalsfjord. The building itself, the battery and the bunker are in good condition and will have a long life span.

Svein Sømme was a teacher at the fishing college in Aukra. During the war the school was moved from Gossen to Midsund and the building was confiscated by the Germans. Sømme was the leader of the secret Norwegian intelligence organisation XU on the Møre coast. Whilst photographing the installation at Klauset from the mountain he was spotted from the battery. He took his photography equipment, went down to the road and told the German soldiers that he was a biologist and was looking for birds. However, a German dog patrol searched the area and soon found the hidden photography equipment. They moved to arrest Sømme whilst he was fleeing out of Midsund on a motor boat. Sømme was caught and was to be taken to Åndalsnes via Molde. He managed to escape from the boat at Åndalsnes and managed to get to Sweden via Eikesdal with German soldiers on his heels the whole way. Sømme wrote about this dramatic escape in his book ‘A biologist on the run’.

If you stand on the ferry quay at Solholmen and scout out over the fjord, it is possible that you might catch a glimpse of the sea serpent which ravaged the area some 2 to 3 hundred years ago. Since that time there have been many sightings of sea serpents especially in Vestland and most frequently it has made its presence known in the area of the sea that you are looking over now. Those who have seen the serpent include Commander Lorentz de Ferry and his boat crew, who in August 1746 were on their way home from Trondheim, when they discovered the sea serpent at Julneset, just on the other side of where the ferry quay is today. The Commander shot towards the animal with a hail of bullets and it disappeared into the deep. The head of the sea serpent which it held more than 60 cms above the surface looked like a horse’s head. It was greyish in colour with a black mouth. Its eyes were very large and a long white mane hung from its neck down into the sea. The body was very thick and one could see 7 to 8 coils of body behind it. The story of the sea serpent was later told and confirmed in front of the city court in Bergen. The Bishop of Bergen; Erik Pontoppidan vowed that there would be observation and a Priest from Sunnmøre Hans Strøm also made a drawing of the creature. Many other clergymen have met the sea serpent in this area. Amongst others the priest of Aukra Christian Dick who searched for the sea serpent a little further out in the fjord, on a boat trip in 1862 ‘’An animal with such speed, so that the water foamed on both sides and over the head of the water being”. Dick describes the animal in the same way as Commander Ferry did over a hundred years prior. Also outside of Molde near Veøy there have been many sightings of sea serpents with priests and other clergy as witnesses.