Island hopping with bike on the coast of Romsdal and Nordmøre

Note! Tunnels have been constructed along parts of the route, making it challenging to cycle between Midsund and Finnøya. A new, updated cycling route is in development!

The trip starts in Molde and ends in the far north-east corner of Averøya. On the way, you visit the islands Otrøya, Midøya, Dryna, Harøya, Finnøya, Ona and Gossen, and the innermost and outermost parts of Hustadvika municipality, the Atlanterhavsvegen road and the outer coast of Averøya. The route covers a total of around 200 km plus any detours you would like to do, depending on your taste and motivation.

Molde - Otrøya - Midøya - Dryna

The trip starts with 10 km of easy cycling on a continuous cycling path from Molde and (almost) all the way down to the ferry quay in Mordalsvågen, where the ferry takes you across to Otrøya. At Kvam, you can visit the idyllic beach in Kringstadbukta bay, and enjoy fantastic views of the Romsdalsfjord and the mountains on the south side of the fjord. If you have plenty of time, you could spend a few hours doing the walking trails at Julneset. There are great fishing opportunities in this outdoor recreation area, and the remains of the German fort that was built here during World War II. The round trip at Julneset covers approx. 3 km.

A 10-minute ferry trip takes you from Modalvågen across Julsundet sound to Solholmen ferry quay on the eastern side of Otrøya. There, you have two options for your journey on to the old administrative centre of the municipality, Midsund. The northern side covers 21 km and you can enjoy views of the sea, but the traffic can be considerable at times. The southern side is 3–4 km shorter, and we recommend it as there is less traffic, it’s a sunny route and the fjord landscape is beautiful. You pass the rock carving site at Nord-Heggdal, Hellekista (a Stone Age grave dating 3,000 to 1,800 BC) a mill in Heggdalsvika dating from 1880 and a bleak reminder of World War II, Klauset coastal fort.

The cycling trip continues from the centre of Midsund across Midsundbrua bridge to the next island, Midøya. You can choose again here whether to cycle on the outer (north) or inner (south) side of the island. You should choose the southern side if you would like to enjoy views of the sea, see sights such as Bjørneremsherrene (three mountain caves), the Sandane outdoor recreation area with its walking paths and beach, and the historical point marking the old national border (1658–1660). All of these places are well signposted.

The islands of Otrøya and Midøya boast long, impressive stone steps in the mountains, which have been built by stone masons from Nepal. You can choose between doing Rørsethornet or Digergubben on Otrøya or Bløkallen on Midøya. You should definitely include one of these walks on the cycling trip, especially if you’ve set aside time for great experiences off your bike in the mountains. We recommend Bløkallen with its bridges, steps and natural paths. You get an incredible view of the ocean and mountains from the top.

Whichever side of Midøya you choose, you eventually get to Drynjasundet sound with its old bridge, Varnesbrua, built by hand by Jonas Varnes in 1902-1904. Stop and admire the fantastic masonry, and read the poem about the bridge builder! You now come to the third island, Dryna, where there is only one road on the inner side of this island. It takes you to the ferry quay, and you’ve now come to the westernmost point in (new) Molde municipality. Tip: Takt the time to explore the interesting mountain cave Franskhelleren, or do a quick hike to the top of the little mountain, Drynahatten.

HARØYA-FINNØYA-ONA-GOSSEN

Now you just have to wait for the ferry to take you across to Myklebust on the west side of Harøya. You are now in (new) Ålesund municipality. You can choose between several routes from Myklebust to Steinshamn. We suggest cycling along the outer (northern side) to have as much contact with the sea as possible, i.e. to Røsok, Morsund with views of Marøya and Brunvoll. We recommend stopping at the Riksgrensa border monument (that’s right, there was a national border here as well!) and doing the short hike up Harøya’s highest mountain, the 156-metre Harøyburet. Steinshamn is known as a former whaling hub. Toroddbua is a small private museum, built by Torodd Husøy, who conveys seafaring and whaling history. From Steinshamn, you continue across the breakwater to Finnøya, which takes you to the next ferry quay. This is where you’ll find the accommodation provider Finnøy Havstuer, the swimming pool complex Håp i havet and for those interested in all things technical, an old boat engine, ‘the Legona engine’ in a glass building. And yes, you do get a chance to hear the noise this old ship engine makes! It’s music in the ears of those who are interested in that kind of thing. We recommend it!

The ‘Utasundsferja’ ferry operates between the islands Finnøya, Ona, Sandøya, Orta and Gossen. If you’ve set aside enough time, you might find it interesting to visit all these islands, but a visit to Ona and a walk up to Ona lighthouse should be an absolute minimum. A lovely ferry trip then brings you to Stongneset (Småge) on Gossen. This flat island is a little cycling adventure all of its own, with a nice round trip you can do and lots of detours, not least to the small island of Rindarøya in the far north of the island. You can also cycle on the many walking trails. Places that you should definitely stop at include the sandy beach in Røabukta bay, the mini hike to the top of Gossen’s highest hill, Jermannsburet (99 metres above sea level), and if you’re there in spring, the beautiful field of daffodils beside Aukra church. It has flowered every spring for hundreds of years, and if we’re to believe the web of historical fact and inspirational myths, these bright yellow flowers originate from the garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem! If you choose the shortest route (11 km via Tangenvegen) to the next ferry quay (Aukrasanden), you should plan to visit another time. Gossen is perfect for a long and action-packed day trip!

GOSSEN-HOLLINGSHOLMEN-ELNESVÅGEN-BUD

The ferry trip across Julsundet sound takes you to Hollingsholmen, and thus into Hustadvika municipality. From here, you cycle on to Jendem, turn left to follow the Hoemvegen road on the outer side of the distinctive Jendemsfjellet mountains to Aureosen, and we recommend doing a little detour by road and bridge to Vågøya. Then continue on to Sandsbukta bay and the Malmefjord. You then get onto the main road from Molde, but from here, there is a continuous cycling path to Elnesvågen and some way past Tornes. The road on from Stavik passes Skjæret and Harøysundet before you continue on to Bud. There is a pedestrian and cycling path along a large section of the car road until you get to Bud.

Interesting alternatives: Turn off at Sylteosen and follow the district road to Sylte, Elnes and then on to Elnesvågen. From the crossroads at Eidem, turn off towards Farstad and then take the quiet Åsvegen road to Tornes. You could also take the trail through nature between Løset and Stavik. Look for the start of the Tornes walking trail around 200 metres past the community centre Sagatun samfunnshus, and follow the signposts.

If you’ve planned to break up the cycling trip with other experiences, we recommend a hike up to Trollkirka, an impressive limestone cave with a waterfall inside the mountain. Bring a headlight, but not a flaming torch, as they are banned to prevent soot tarnishing the milky white marble. Turn off at the Moakrysset roundabout and cycle towards Eide until you come to a large car park at the start of the path up to the Trollkirka cave. The walk up to the cave entrance takes around 1.5 hours.

The old fishing village Bud is well worth seeing and experiencing. It was the biggest trading post between Trondheim and Bergen in the 17th century. Bud has retained the unique charm of an active fishing village with an impressive location on the furthest flung headland between the fjord in Julsundet sound and the sea at Hustadvika. Recommended experiences: Eat at a fish restaurant, visit Bud museum, which specialises in coastal culture and subsea archaeology, see the remains of the World War II Ergan Coastal Fort, both above and below ground, admire Bud cruciform church with its distinctive onion dome and, not least, the view of Bjørnsund sound and Hustadvika bay from the elevated position of Ergan, where both Bud museum and Ergan Coastal Fort are situated. The Coastal Trail between Bud and Kjeksa is a good option if you’re looking for a physical activity. Gulberget is a good choice if you’re looking for a mountain hike with an even more impressive view than from Ergan.

BUD-HUSTAD-FARSTAD-SKOTTHEIMSVIKA-VEVANG

The next stage also provides lots of great opportunities for experiencing the ocean at close range. First along the cycling path to the viewpoint Kjeksa, and on to Bergset. The cycling path comes to an end here, and you have to share the road with cars. Other detours you definitely should do are to Drågen, Vikan and Askvågen. Maleremmen is a part of Romsdal Museum, and shows how a typical fisherman-farmer family would have lived a few generations ago. Also have a look at the burial mounds at Malefeten on the left side of the road before you get to Hustad. This place is steeped in history. Have a look at the standing stone that was erected to commemorate King Øystein Magnusson who died here in 1123. A short hike up the 200-metre rock formation known as Aslaksteinen is another interesting experience. One steep passage on this hike is secured by chains. People sought refuge here during periods of conflict. Archaeological excavations show 2,000-year-old traces of human settlement, and there is much to indicate that there was a rural fort here, certainly during the Viking Age. The information signs at the start of the path and up to the top explain more about this interesting period of Norwegian history.

Continue on to Farstad, and make sure to visit Storholmen island to see Hustavika bay from yet another angle. Breivika and the impressive Farstadsanden beach are situated at Farstad, where the waves roll in from the Norwegian Sea. Farstadsanden beach is popular on warm summer days, and the area in and around Breivika bay and Storholmen is a paradise for kiters and surfers all year round. There is also a popular coastal path out to the lighthouse at Nordneset and on to Julshamna. When cycling from Farstad on to Vevang, we recommend the beautiful detour via Skotheimsvika bay as a good alternative to the main road. You can also do a detour to Kråkholmen marina, and enjoy views of Teistklubben and Kvitholmen with its distinctive double lighthouse. You can also see the marble sculpture ‘Kvinnen ved havet’ (Woman by the sea) by Torild Storvik Malmedal.

You will now cross the border from Romsdal to Nordmøre, and you’ll soon find yourself in Vevang at the start of the Atlanterhavsvegen road. Before you set off, you can do yet another walk on yet another coastal path to see the artwork ‘Marmorormen’ (the marble snake) which winds its way across the landscape just before you cross the first of the eight bridges on the section of road that has been called the most spectacular in the world.

The Atlanterhavsvegen road, which opened in 1989 and has Norwegian Scenic Route status, covers 8.3 km and crosses islands and sounds between Vevang in Hustadvika municipality and Kårvåg in Averøya municipality. The landscape is magnificent and full of contrasts with the fjord in the south and the ocean in the north. The road has won titles as both the best driving experience and cycling experience. The eight bridges are listed below in the correct order: Vevangstraumen bridge (119 metres), Hulvågen bridges (3 bridges with a combined length of 239 metres), Storseisundet bridge (260 metres and sailing height of 23 metres), Geitøysundet bridge (52 metres), Lille Lauvøysundet bridge (52 metres) and Store Lauvøysundet bridge (115 metres).

The biggest attraction when you cycle the Atlanterhavsvegen road is the scenery, landscape and the bridges themselves, particularly the biggest one, Storseisundbrua bridge. You can naturally simply enjoy the surroundings from the seat of your bike, but the number of tempting stopping places is also overwhelming. A small sample follows below: The fishing bridges on both sides of one of the Hulvågbruene bridges. There are always people fishing here, and what’s more, they almost always catch something! If you’ve brought your rod, we recommend trying your luck here or from the many rocks along the road. Eldhusøya island is also well worth stopping at. Walk around the island on the universally designed Svevestien path, and visit the service building that is both a building and a work of art.

And then there’s Håholmen. You can get there on a Viking ship (knarr) from the quay on Geitøya. The old fishing village was taken over and converted into a tourism business by Ragnar and Kari Torseth in 1989, and is now part of Classic Norway. You can spend a night, enjoy a meal or have other experiences on Håholmen.

KÅRVÅG-HOSET-RAMSØYA-BREMSNES-KRISTIANSUND

The last leg is Averøya, Norway in miniature, with fjords, mountains, forests and ocean. You can cycle the leg from Kårvåg in the south-west to Sveggen in the north-east along the Korstadfjord, or you can cycle along the outer side of the island, beside the sea. This is the route we recommend, not least because it means you can cycle one or more side roads out to the sea. We suggest turning off at Hoset. You can then cycle 7 km on quiet roads out to Henda, Langøya, Tjønnøya and Honningsøya and, not least, Sør-Ramsøya.

On Langøya, you can see the stone sculpture ‘Pilespisser' erected in memory of King Magnus the Good meeting the farmers of the coast in 1040. The peaceful negotiations ended with some of the famers’ demands being met, and this meeting, which led to a number of laws being amended, has been described as Norway’s Magna Carta The cairn-shaped monument was erected in 1989 and was made by sculptor Kristian Blystad.

This walk ends out by the sea at Sør-Ramsøya. Get off your bike and walk out onto the rocks. The view of the sea and Hestskjæret lighthouse is very impressive from here. Large fish drying racks stand behind you, full of fish hung up to dry. Watching the sun set into the sea from here in the middle of summer is a great experience.

Other sights in Averøya: Bremsneshatten, a hat-shaped rock formation where lots of archaeological finds have been made, and Nordmøre’s biggest cave, Bremsneshola. The area is also popular among climbers. The start of the Atlanterhavstunnelen tunnel isn’t far from here. If you’d like to conclude with one final round trip, idyllic Sveggen and Sveggesundet sound are a good option.

You have several options from the car park and bus stop at Atlanterhavstunnelen tunnel. You can cycle the shortest way back to Molde, and be picked up by friends with a car and bike rack or simply continue through the subsea tunnel to Kristiansund. If so, you’ll have to take a bus or taxi as cycling through the deep, steep subsea tunnel is strictly prohibited. See the sign at the bus stop at the car park. You’ll find information there about the bus timetable and ordering a taxi with a bike rack.

When you arrive in Kristiansund, you can enjoy a clipfish dish, take the Sundbåten boat and lots more. Then you can conclude the cycling trip with an evening trip on the Hurtigruta coastal express past Hustadvika back to Molde.