Kjerringvåg: A harbor village with a herring fishing history

Kjerringvåg is a settlement and former ferry port on Dolmøya in the municipality of Hitra, Trøndelag. Its harbor, road layout, and traces of herring fishing give the village a distinct character. From 1964, Kjerringvåg was the departure point for the ferry service to Flatval on Frøya; in 2000, the ferry route was replaced by the Frøya Tunnel.

Kjerringvåg between road and harbor

County road Fv. 6454 runs from the junction with Fv. 714 at Kjerringvåg to the junction at Beknes and is 6.674 kilometers long. Various nautical features meet at the harbor: it is exposed to northerly winds but has only slight wave activity. Between Husneset and Kjerringvågskjera there is an anchorage for smaller boats, with a depth of seven meters and a sandy bottom.

The harbor facilities also tell of the area’s different functions. A decommissioned ferry landing has a 48-meter-long quay edge. There is also a 29-meter-long wooden landing stage and a floating dock. These details describe the harbor as part of the village’s history and maritime setting, without confusing the former ferry service with today’s traffic.

Herring fishing and cultural history

The freestanding Notheng in Kjerringvåg is a modern-era cultural monument that tells the story of herring fishing. It dates from the 1950s and 1960s and is one of the few surviving facilities of its kind along the coast. Fishing is therefore not only part of the former ferry port’s past, but also a tangible part of its cultural heritage.

Nearby is the medieval Dolm kirke, one of the oldest buildings still in use on the coast of Trøndelag. The historic cultural landscape around the church is suitable for hiking and has information boards at many points. This makes it possible to combine a visit to the church with a walk through a landscape shaped by history.

Dolm, Hopsjø, and Dolmsundet

Near Dolm kirke, on the other side of the strait, is Hopsjø Market Village. Its history dates back to the 18th century. The market village may be home to Norway’s oldest surviving shop; visitors can buy souvenirs, traditional sweets, and local handicrafts there. Hopsjø harbor also has an exhibition about the heyday of whaling in the region, with artifacts and images from the whaling industry in Hestnes.

A warehouse in Hopsjø has been converted into a restaurant specializing in locally sourced food and drink. As restaurant operations may change, check whether it is open before visiting. Nearby Dolmsundet is home to a cultural heritage park with a reconstruction of an Iron Age longhouse, prehistoric settlement sites, and burial grounds. The different sites have their own focus: Hopsjø combines market history and a whaling exhibition, while Dolmsundet centers on archaeological traces.

Hitra as the wider travel destination

The wider travel destination of Hitra includes an archipelago of islands and skerries. Hitra’s landscape ranges from coastal scenery and mountains to thousands of fishing lakes. Hitra’s Feskarbonde tradition also combines farming and fishing. These regional features complement Kjerringvåg’s local history, but belong to Hitra as a whole.

The Kystmuseet is based on Hitra and is the municipality’s local museum. The exhibition “Ringer i vannet” at the Hitra express boat terminal explains the effects of Norwegian aquaculture on nature, society, and administration. Guided tours run by the Kystmuseet start at the Hitra express boat terminal in Sandstad and take visitors by boat to a working aquaculture facility. In this way, Hitra offers insights into aquaculture as well as cultural history on land.

For regional travel, the Kystekspressen express boat service, Route 800, regularly connects Trondheim and Kristiansund with Hitra, Frøya, and the outer island chain. Check the current timetable before travelling. The houses belonging to Kjerringvåg Kai are by the sea on Dolmøy, on the outer side of Hitra. If you include this accommodation in your plans, check its current status before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Sandstad, Korshamn, Kvenvær, Knarrlagsund, Hitra, Dolmøy, Melandsjøen, Hestvika.

Back to the main travel overview: Hitra.