The river Orkla is the basis for most of what is going on in Orkdalen (Orkla valley) and has given name to the town (from 2014) Orkanger and the new (from 2020), widened commune Orkland. The name possibly comes from the old norse ‘orka’ = work, which may describe the heavy streams in the upper river. There are no natural water magazines in Orkla, so floods are not uncommon. In the flood “Storofsen” in 1789, lives where lost. But it is a good salmon river, with the biggest catch ever being 25 kg.
The Orkla delta before routing to channels. Picture from info plate at ‘Furumoen’.
The river’s own work with creating a delta was not too much appreciated and the lower part of the river was channeled, so the delta could be used for industry instead.
Straight sight lines in the lower parts of Orkla.
The idea has worked well and there is now a significant amount of industry on Grønøra in Orkanger.
Orkla towards Orklafjorden.
The channeling of Orkla turned the old outlet to a backwater. What to do with that? Plans existed to fill this up for industry as well, but local enthusiasts stopped it from happening. The last 15 years, Orkanger Vel has put great effort into Gammelosen (the old river outlet), and it has given results. Covered with white shell sand, you have the nicest little city beach you can ask for. Pure paradise!
“Got to bathe, simply got to bathe!”Clearer sight under water than over!Oh, yes, at Gammelosen there is sand under the snow.
The nice thing about going to a sand beach at winter time, is that you don’t bring half the beach with you back home, because of the snow layer on top! Perfect!
…and for those who for peculiar reasons might not appreciate cold baths: Right by Gammelosen is also Orklandsbadet (since 2020), with everything you could possibly want of water slides, swimming pools and saunas. Enjoy!
In the building behind us we could have taken a warm bath, but why would we?
For the sporty ones, this where the triathlon race Trøndertri is arranged in august. With some luck the ice is gone before that…
Our wedding anniversary was approaching and the question was where to go to celebrate such a beautiful, round number as 29? After having been locked in at home office, first because of corona restrictions, then the storm Gyda, we felt an urge to leave our home for a while. We went to the mansion Bårdshaug Herregård in Orkanger, 42 km west of Trondheim. But who was Bård?
Bårdshaug Herregård was built by Christian Thams between 1890 and 1904 and consists of buildings in many styles put together like a fairytale castle. The tower is in Jugend style and has a chandelier that stretches over 2 floors. Classy!
The tower at Bårdshaug
Christian Thams was an architect, founder, business man, minister, consul and mansion owner. He took over the wood processing company Strandheim Brug in 1890 and amongst other things started production of prefabricated houses.
Strandheim Brug made the prefabricated stave church “The Norway building” for the world exhibition in Chicago in 1893. The church, now called the “Thams pavillion”, came back to Orkanger in 2017 after 123 years in the USA. Thanks to local patriots (whom the Norwegian Minister Of Culture with positive intent called “some crazy locals in Orkanger”) in the project group “Home again” (Heimatt), you now can visit this lovely stave church at Bårdshaug:
At the mansion you are welcomed with: ‘Heill ok Sæll’ = Healthy and Happy. Quite suitable for a wedding anniversary at our age?
Knut found a grand piano to play on in the ladies’ after dinner room, which another visitor jumpingly appreciated:
Idun liked the men’s after dinner room better: The library. Most of the books are said to be rather risqué, french literature!
Christians Thams was more than averagely interested in hunting (and ladies…)
Knut found the stairways to be even more interesting:
Come on baby, light my fire!
For the big occation we had reserved the King’s room. The bed was made for the visit of King Oscar II at Bårdshaug in 1902.
The King’s bedroom
The King’s room has since been used by King Leopold II (of Belgium), King Olav V, Crown Prince Håkon Magnus and Crown Princess Mette Marit. YES, it felt royal!
If this lady could talk…
The bath of the day had to be in the river Orkla, which passes right behind Bårdshaug. We had received a tip that there are nice, marked hiking paths both east and west of the river. And yes, the paths where overwhelmingly well marked. Overwhelmingly!
Thorough marking.
Jumping from Gjølme bridge was supposed to be standard procedure for bold swimmers in Orkanger, but we chickened out from that challenge. The river water was brown after the storm Gyda. We didn’t want to risk “a Birgit” (Norwegian para-athletic who lost use of both legs after jumping into shallow water) by jumping into muddy water without seeing the river bottom.
Well… was it really a good idea to jump from Gjølme bridge?
However, to the west of Orkla, right downstream from Gjølme bru we found this bird box:
The bird box west of Orkla.
With stairs down to the water inside the box!
Strangely enough, there where no benches or lockers for changing. Wasn’t this a bathing house after all? Anyway, for us it became one, even though getting out under it was a little unpractical.
NB! Don’t even think about jumping in from the upper floor! It is veeery shallow here. Except that, a great wedding anniversary bath: Brown, muddy, cold and snow in the wind. Can’t get any better! Or?
Back home the man in the house had done his part for a nice return:
