ETR // Stage 10 // Hofles - Brekstad

64°49'39.1"N 11°36'44.1"E
64.827537, 11.612254
Hofles - Brekstad
VR EXPO - 60 Stages
ETR Map for Mobile
what3words.com
goo.gl/maps

Distance

Hofles - Brekstad
Radius 100 km
283 km

Highlights

Salsvatn Lake
Austratt Fort
Austrattborgen
Museet Uthaugsgaarden
Museet Kystens Arv
South-Trøndelag Coastalmuseum
Munkstigen Klatresti

Atlantic Island Life

Before you take the ferry from (or to) Hofles in the region of Nord-Trøndelag, you have a number of options. You could take the road west to the edge of the islands of Borgan, Kalvøya and Valøya, to explore the remote North Atlantic island lifestyle, or continue south and take the ferry from Hofles to Lund, where you can start with a quick stop at Lund Chapel, built in 1965. Back on the bike and head south (or north).

Europe’s third deepest lake

Just south of there is Smines Bridge connecting Garsøya to the mainland. A few kilometers further, and you reach Salsvatn (Salsvatnet) which, with a depth of 464 metres is Norway’s and Europe’s third deepest lake, after Hornindalsvatnet. Salsvatn lies very close to the ocean at 9 metres above sea level at the surface, reaching depths of 455 metres below sea level. Conflicting measurements give depths of 464 metres or 482 metres at the deepest point, whichever way you choose to look at it.

The Rock & Roll city of Namsos

The city of Namsos has deep traditions in the logging and timber industry, and is a vital centre for trade and commerce throughout the Helgeland and Namsdalen regions. When the German forces invaded Norway in WWII, Namsos, along with Bodø and Steinkjær were bombed repeatedly, due to their strategic locations and industrial significance.

You can easily spend a couple of days exploring the culture and heritage of Namsos and the region, either relaxing or being active. You can do both at Northern Europe’s largest swimming facility, which is carved into a mountain. Oasen has a 50-meter swimming pool, sauna, a heated pool and other wellness features, great for recovering from many days of hard riding, and building up your energy for the next stages.

Once you have got your mojo back, it's time to explore Namsos on foot, and visit Spillum Dampsag og Høvleri, Norway's only museum dedicated to steam-driven sawmills. Namsalsmuseet is also worth a visit, to give you an insight into the difficult history of this fascinating area.

Austratt Fort, Brekstad

The area around Brekstad has a number of historical sites, speciality museums and military museums that are worth your time. The cannon tower at Austratt Fort is five stories tall and was originally was part of the battleship Gneisenau It has three 28.3 cm cannons with a range of 38 km, and is the only of its kind remaining. You can explore the impressive inside of the gun turret.

Closeby, Austrattborgen is the oldest Manor with park and garden in Norway. Dating back to the 12th century, the current incarnation of the Manor dates from the mid 1600's.

Other speciality museums in the area include Museet Uthaugsgaarden, Museet Kystens Arv, the South-Trøndelag Coastalmuseum.

Photos

Dave O'Byrne
European Touring Route AS

Partners

Museet Kystens Arv

The Coastal Heritage Museum in Stadsbygd has a dedicated focus on preserving knowledge related to the construction and use of clinker-built boats. One of Norway's finest museums, it houses an active boat building yard, a historic rose garden, one of the country's largest collections of clinker-built raw sailboats and a cosy restaurant with outdoor seating, where you can relax and take it all in. They protect and curate the deep local traditions, the sailing craft, the stories and the knowledge. Museet Kystens Arv is a living museum, and in the summer months you can row the traditional boats in Prestelva.

South-Trøndelag Coastal Museum

Norway has always harvested from the sea and developed new ways of using marine resources, and coastal culture and fishing are of great importance to the nation. Kystmuseet i Sør-Trøndelag in Hitra exhibits recent coastal culture and documents contemporary changes in the industry. The national museum network for fisheries history and coastal culture assigned the Coastal Museum a special responsibility to ensure knowledge about the emergence and development of the Norwegian aquaculture industry. In addition, the museum is a local museum for the municipality of Hitra with focus on cultural conservation tasks in Snillfjord municipality.

To get a break from all the great culture, history and heritage, you could take a 950-meter climbing tour along Munkstigen Klatresti or hike as far as Elgsethytta, for some great views of the region.