Åfarnes: Coast, cultural heritage and hiking trails

Åfarnes by the sea

Åfarnes is by the sea, with a small boat harbour nearby. The long, beautiful evening sunshine is also one of Åfarnes’s defining features. From the upper building plots in Åfarnes, views extend to places including Molde, Sekken and Veøya, the old Viking trading town. These details combine the coastal setting with different perspectives on the area: the sea and boat harbour define its connection to the coast, while the views stretch out from the upper building plots.

Cultural heritage and local history

Herje Mølle is a rare cultural heritage site and one of eight village mills in Møre og Romsdal. It still stands by the river; the present mill was built in 1939. The mill’s regional significance is thus paired with the specific year its current structure was built.

Postvoren in Åfarnes was built in 1827–1828 as part of the old postal road between Veblungsnes and Molde. It was later extended with a steamship quay and a ferry ramp. This sequence connects the old postal road with later additions for steamships and ferries.

Skarhammeren is a viewpoint where Norwegian soldiers kept watch to maintain neutrality during the war. Åfarnes is also home to an anchor from an English destroyer, which is part of the area’s war history. These are two distinct historical points of interest: the viewpoint and its history of neutrality watch, and the anchor as part of the area’s war history.

Hikes starting at the sports ground

Two hikes start at the sports ground in Åfarnes. The trail to Herjevatnet climbs uphill on a good path to the lake. The Skarhammaren hike runs from the sports ground to Grindbygget below Skarhammaren and is 0.76 kilometres one way. Both routes share the same starting point, but differ in their destinations and the route descriptions. One leads to Herjevatnet, the other to Grindbygget below Skarhammaren. The distance given for the Skarhammaren hike is for the one-way trip.

More to explore in the wider Rauma destination

The wider Rauma destination offers additional, distinct attractions. The Geiranger–Trollstigen National Tourist Route, also known as County Road 63, is 104 kilometres long, starts at Sogge bru in Romsdalen and runs through Rauma. At Trollstigen, paths and stairs lead to several viewpoints; one platform is 200 metres above Trollstigvegen. Trollveggen is a 1,000-metre-high, vertical, overhanging rock face.

Another regional highlight is Rødven stave church by the Romsdalsfjord: it is a Møre-type stave church with diagonal external support posts, known as “skordene”. Its unique surviving south portal probably dates from the first half of the 12th century.

The Romsdalsgondolen is another attraction in Rauma: it takes visitors from the fjord to the summit of Nesaksla in seven minutes. Eggen Restaurant is located at the summit, 708 metres above sea level, and serves dishes made with high-quality ingredients from the surrounding region.

Discover more destinations: Åndalsnes, Måndalen, Veblungsnes, Mittet, Voll, Innfjorden, Vågstranda, Eidsbygda

Back to the main travel overview: Rauma.