Møre og Romsdal – ToBatheOrNotToBathe

The Troll Church Cave

In anticipation of a somewhat more cooperative winter weather, we will recommend a fabulous bathing trip from the summer of 2021: Trollkyrkja (the Troll Church) in Hustadvika municipality (formerly Fræna), Møre og Romsdal. The kids were inspired by the James Bond movie ‘No Time to Die’ and booked a trip along ‘Atlanterhavsveien’ (the Atlantic Road), and from there Trollkyrkja is an excellent detour, located in the heart of Trolldalen, by national road 64 between the fjords Frænfjorden and Kornstadfjorden.

From the parking lot there is a nice path through the forest before the ascent begins.

Magical atmosphere on the way to the Troll valley.

Don’t worry, this is not a hard climb. It’s fine! After a while the forest opens up and you can see the mountains behind Trollkyrkja cave.

The ‘Molde and Romsdal Tourist Association’ made Trollkyrkja known, secured and passable as early as 1890. And the trip still is well arranged with a marked trail, small bridges and wooden walkways where needed.

It takes about 90 minutes to walk up to Trollkyrkja. Originally there were 4 caves, but one has collapsed.

Yes! This is a great place! We think the name is more than modest enough (completely logical for relaxed people from Central Norway): It could just as easily have been named the ‘Troll Cathedral’. The caves are washed out of a large limestone vein, and in the lower one the water falls 14 meters into a white marble pool. Absolutely gorgeous!

And the bath? Amazingly cold! Even at a nice and warm day in July, you experienced ‘frost smoke’ as you entered the cave, and the kids said it was very cold to wait for the crazy old bathaholics.

A little too shallow for swimming, but it was absolutely worth a small dip.

The return trip? Was great, except for ‘the guard of cows’ that would not let us pass on the trail.

Opera Bath in Kristiansund

Kristiansund with its 25,000 enthusiastic inhabitants started its opera tradition in 1928, 32 years before Oslo got it’s opera.

Kristiansund, with the island ‘Innlandet’ to the left.

Every year, in February, the city is filled with small and large events. The whole city is in party mood, and we have joined the festival several years in a row, naturally enough since Idun has worked for a couple of years in Kristiansund. – Try it yourself – this is fun! Tempting bubbles can be found even in the shoe store! Doesn’t get better than that!

We were tempted, indeed. There were free bubbles and not quite as free shoes before noon on a Saturday.

There were no less than 3 generations of Bræin who were behind Kristansund’s development into an opera city: Christian Bræin, Edvard Bræin and Edvard Fliflet Bræin. The larger productions take place in Kristiansund’s main hall ‘Festiviteten’, but during the opera weeks you can experience small and large cultural events almost anywhere: At a café, restaurants, ‘Sundbåten’ or maybe at the library. The small, charming boat ‘Sundbåten’ has been on route between the ‘lands’ (islands) in Kristiansund since 1876.

While waiting: A view of a “seagull stand” (Måsestativ) but no Sundbåt in sight.

In a city consisting of three islands and one peninsula, there are many swimming opportunities of course. This time we promote the simplest alternative for opera bath enthusiasts visiting Kristiansund: The beautiful, tiny beach by the Thon Hotel on the island ‘Innlandet’.

White mini beach at the Innlandet island.

Here we have bathed several times, both with and without hotel booking, and the water has been crystal clear every single time. The reseptionists send somewhat weird looks as we pass the reception on the way in and out, but so be it.

…and after the bath it’s just the right time to party.