Meløy

Meløy invites you to discover island nature and coastal history from different perspectives: on the water around Meløya, among historic sites, and on Støtt, where the fishing community still lies directly along the shipping route. When choosing your holiday apartment, you might first consider whether you want to focus on kayaking and nature experiences, cultural history, or a stay on Støtt.

Meløya: Getting There, Beach and Trails

The easiest way to reach Meløya is by ferry from Ørnes or Vassdalsvik. On the island’s west side, the route through Meløyværet starts at the small boat harbour at Tukthuset. You can launch kayaks there and rent them from Meløy Skjærgårdsferie. This makes it possible to combine a trip to Meløya with exploring the skerry landscape from the water.

The island also offers a range of places to visit on land. Bremnes beach is a sandy beach with benches and a toilet. From a car park in Bremnes, a clearly visible path or forest trail leads across easy terrain to the shelter at Tømmerhella; the route is about one kilometre long. If you like having a specific waypoint on an outing, you can make this short trail and the shelter the focus of your plans.

Another natural landmark is Engabreen, also called Engenbreen. It extends into the Holandsfjord in Meløy and can be seen from the Braset rest area on Kystriksveien, County Road 17. Spilderdalsbotn has sandy beaches, suitable camping spots, and fishing opportunities in the lake. A fishing licence is required to fish.

The nature reserve includes Flatværet and Varkgård. It is not permitted to go ashore on the islands from 15 April to 31 July. If you are planning a trip through the area, take this seasonal restriction into account when choosing your activities.

Cultural History on Meløya and in Ørnes

A cultural heritage trail on Meløya passes several historic sites with information boards. Sjyskaret has an Iron Age burial ground with seven burial mounds, a memorial stone, and an information board. These stops give visitors interested in history specific places and details to explore; the burial ground stands out in particular for its seven mounds.

Meløy kirke, also known as Meløykatedralen, was consecrated in July 1867. It is one of Norway’s largest wooden long churches and originally had 800 seats. The square Meløygården in front of the church is believed to have been the medieval main seat of the Benkestok noble family and is one of the few known noble estates in Nordland. Those interested in architectural and regional history will find two distinct historical subjects here: the large wooden church and the site associated with the noble family.

Meløy bygdemuseum offers insights into rural school and boarding-school life. On display are authentic classrooms in a school building dating from 1923. Another exhibition explores the interplay between fishing and farming, which shaped coastal life for several centuries. Group visits can be booked in advance; the museum does not have regular opening hours.

In Ørnes, three buildings have been preserved at the trading post, which originally consisted of 12 to 14 houses: the main building, Gammelbakeriet, and Smia. Gammelbakeriet houses an exhibition about the World War II sabotage operation also known as Operation Muskedunder. Svenningsheia also has bunkers and remains of wartime gun emplacements.

Støtt: Fishing Community and Island Trails

Støtt was once an important trading post for coastal seafarers and still lies directly along the shipping route. A guided tour of the fishing community explores this history. Støtt Old Trading Post is considered one of the best-preserved monuments to coastal culture in Nordland county.

The island has 4 to 5 kilometres of road with no significant climbs, making it easy to explore by bicycle. The archipelago around Støtt can be explored by kayak, fishing boat, or RIB. The options offer distinctly different ways to explore: a loop on the island’s roads or a trip on the water.

The Meløymarsjen followed a network of trails about 8 kilometres long, marked with yellow markers, from the ferry terminal in Meløysund to Bremnes. It was held on Meløya every June until 2010. For current trip planning, it is of interest as part of the island’s recent history; the annual event described here took place up to 2010.

If you would like to explore more places at the same destination level, you can find Reipå, Engavågen, Åmnes, Støtt, Ørnes, Glomfjord, Halsa, and Ågskardet here.

For the full destination overview: Meløy.