Øresvik: Hiking and Local History

Øresvik offers two distinct starting points for planning your trip: a hike to Brenneshovudet with a clearly stated time commitment, and a local history told through relocated buildings and mills. Gammelstua on the Øresvik farm, the mill site in Molvika, and the former crofter’s holding at Sandvika give these themes specific names. You can tailor your search for a holiday rental to the stories and experiences you want to shape your days.

Cultural history in specific places

Gammelstua in Øresvika is one of the more recent cultural heritage sites. The building on the Øresvik farm was originally a large boathouse and was moved from Sørfjorden to Øresvik around the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Its exact year of construction is also uncertain. According to the grandmother of the current owner, the house is said to be over 250 years old. This means that a traditional account of its age sits alongside a date of construction that cannot be established with certainty.

A mill was built in Molvika in the 19th century and was also used by surrounding farms. A new mill was built at a site where foundation stones, a waterwheel, and millstones had been located. Sandvika was once a crofter’s holding under the Stensland farm; the small house there was previously moved from Tømmerdalen. These places offer different perspectives on local history: a relocated boathouse, a mill serving surrounding farms, and former living conditions.

Hike to Brenneshovudet

The hike to Brenneshovudet, also called Brenneshodet, is about 6 km in total and starts either at the school in Øresvik or at the junction of Tonnesveien and Øresvikveien in Rødøy Municipality. The ascent takes a little over an hour and a half, while the descent takes just under an hour. Allow about three hours in total, including time at the summit. The separate estimates show that the ascent takes longer than the descent; the overall estimate also includes time at the summit.

In the forest, posts and trees mark the trail. At the summit, markings on rocks and small cairns show the way. The type of trail marking therefore changes along the route. Brenneshodet is part of Polarsirkeltrimmen. For planning your day, the approximate total duration provides a useful time frame, while the longer ascent can be accounted for separately.

Rødøy as part of a wider trip

In the wider destination of Rødøy, Rødøyløva offers a different focus. It is an authorised National Tourist Route—the sixth of its kind and the first in Northern Norway. Along the route in Selvågen, there is a service building with facilities for refilling water bottles, a shower, toilet, lockers, and mobile phone charging.

Cultural and historical sites are also part of a wider trip to Rødøy: Bårstua was built in 1861 and is the oldest surviving building from the original rectory on Rødøya. Today, it houses Bamsehuset, with a large collection of teddy bears. At Falch Gamle Handelssted, Café Mathilde serves coffee, ice cream, and light snacks during the summer season; check current opening details before visiting.

The Nordland express boat travels to Rødøy from several places between Sandnessjøen and Bodø. The local express boat route also stops in Myken and Tonnes. As transport schedules can change, it is a good idea to check the timetable before travelling.

Choosing the right base for your trip

The roughly three hours needed for Brenneshovudet provide a useful guide for planning your day; Gammelstua, Molvika, and Sandvika offer other ways to explore local history. Øresvik also has a self-service library lending station. Check current usage details before visiting. If you are planning a family trip, the separate time estimates for the ascent, descent, and time at the summit can be factored into your shared schedule.

Explore more destinations: Oldervik, Jektvik, Nordvernes, Gjerøy, Vågaholmen, Rødøy, Nordnesøya.

Back to the wider travel guide: Rødøy.