Ørnes: Culture, Shelters and Experiences by the Water

Ørnes combines insights into the history of Meløy with hiking destinations and experiences on the water. Three buildings have been preserved at the Ørnes trading post: the main building, the Old Bakery and the forge. There are also various ways to spend your time outdoors or enjoying culture. When choosing your holiday accommodation, consider whether you mainly want to explore the town, visit destinations on excursions or enjoy activities on the water.

History and everyday life at the trading post

The main building tells the story of the trading post’s role in the social development of Meløy. The Old Bakery features an exhibition about the sabotage operation during the Second World War, known as “Operation Musket Wonder”. The three preserved buildings offer different points of interest: the main building focuses on the development of society, the Old Bakery on a specific chapter of wartime history, and the forge is also part of the preserved ensemble.

The trading post also includes a café serving light meals and a museum shop with local goods and souvenirs. You can round off your visit with a meal or a look at regional products. There is also a cultural connection to everyday life in the town centre: the Meløy Equipment Centre shares its location in central Ørnes with the Meløy Library.

Hiking destinations and shelters

For a walk in town, there is the Sentrumsrunden hiking route. Other excursion destinations include shelters: the shelter by Lomtjønna can be reached from several starting points, including Aspdalen, Ørnes School, Spildra School and the toboggan run on Fjellveien. It is considered a lovely destination for the whole family. When choosing accommodation in Ørnes, you can take destinations like these into account when planning your days without committing to just one activity.

There is a shelter by the toboggan run on Fjellveien, which is open to everyone. Another destination is Spildervannet, which is suitable for an excursion in both summer and winter. The shelter at Spildervannet is on the hillside below Spilderdalsveien and can be reached via this road. Knutbu, a shelter intended as an excursion destination for everyone, is located at Mosvollskardet. These places offer different points of reference for planning: a shelter by the road, destinations with several specified starting points, and a lake that is suitable for excursions in both seasons.

Experiences on the water

Meløy Adventure’s RIB trips depart from Ørnes. Everyone taking part in the RIB rafting adventures is provided with a thermal flotation suit. If you are interested in this kind of experience, you can consider these trips as a separate item on your itinerary. Meløy Adventure also offers a sea eagle safari: it starts in Ørnes and travels by RIB boat past Messøya and Meløya. Along the way, you can spot sea eagles, seabirds and the changing coastal scenery.

The Meløy Equipment Centre also rents out various equipment, including kayaks, bicycles, skis, skates and hiking equipment. This opens up different options for active days, from hiking to activities with a kayak or bicycle. If you are more interested in cultural experiences, the trading post and its exhibition offer a different focus. This lets you take your travel group’s interests into account when choosing holiday accommodation in Ørnes, rather than planning your stay around just one type of excursion.

Connections and other town pages

The Ørnes–Vassdalsvik–Meløysund–Bolga ferry service is listed as route 18-435. It is a useful point of reference when looking into connections around Ørnes. Other town pages: Reipå, Engavågen, Glomfjord, Meløy, Halsa, Støtt, Åmnes, Ågskardet.

Back to the main travel overview: Meløy.