Vikna muncipality has approximately 4.500 inhabitants and covers a area of 318,4 km2. The principal industries are fishing, sea-farming, commodity trade and service. It is one of the most active fishing communities in Norway. The coastal town and municipal centre of Rørvik is situated centrally on the sea route, and the north-bound and south bound Coastal Express (Hurtigruten) ships anchor up. Every year on the first Thursday in July the Coastal Steamer, is celebrated with a big gathering of people. The Coastal Steamer (Hurtigruten) has daily departures. The museum NORVEG is located near the Coastal Express pier. In addition to the ocean, Vikna has many lakes where anglers can try their luck at trout fishing. Through Vikna muncipality runs the Coastal Route (Rv17).
Vikna lies in Namdal and is situated on the open sea. This is one of the most active fishing villages in Norway. Numbering 6.000 islands and skerries this is truly a paradise for ocean fishing, diving, canoeing, hunting and hiking all year round.
RØRVIK
From beeing a populous farm in 1875, it grew at an amazing rate and in 1890 Rørvik emerged as a bustling trading centre on the Norwegian coast. We recommend a visit to Norveg and the Coastal Museum. The highlight to many visitors is the design of the building and the museum was the winner of Mies van der Rohe Award 2005.
COASTAL STEAMER (HURTIGRUTA)
The World´s Most Beautiful Voyage is a voyage like no other. Nothing can compare with it. Nothing about this journey will resemble anything you have ever experienced before. A ticket for the Coastal Steamer is a ticket to the theatre, an 11-day drama in which new acts constantly unfold all around you. See the pictures from the Coastal Steamer taken by one of our passengers.
NORVEG
Norveg, the Coastal Museum and Woxengs Samlinger lies “moored” at the coastal town of Nord Trøndelag. Norveg embraces culture, industries and people’s lives in the past. Culture is keeping the living coastal community together. Therefore the hall and the scene is a natural part of Norveg. Norveg is nominated to the “European Museum of the Year Award 2005”, and was nominated to one of Europe’s most prestigious prizes for new architechture – the “Mies van der Rohe Award 2005”!
BERGGÅRDEN
In the sea side city of Rørvik you find the old shop Berggården. Here Johan Berg (1839 – 1929) and Betzy Berg (1853 – 1925) played a central role in the development of Rørvik as a market town. Towards the end of the 1870’s the couple established Berggården, which became a very significant shop for the Namdal coast.
The main building was placed in such a way that it was visible for people coming by boat. Inside the main building the Berg-family had its rather luxurious private quarters – and when Rørvik had important guests visiting, their accomodation was with the Berg-family. Products of every kind was sold at Berggården; fabric, clothing and fishing equipment. Bread and pastry were produced in their own bakery. Berg also bought goods – such as herring, egg, butter, meat and milk – often as payment for other goods. In the courtyard there was a house with bakery, barn, and stable. Towards the shore was a beautiful garden. Berg also built a big packing house down by the shore – Heimbrygga was used as storage for flour and salting of fish.
The shop, the living room and the kitchen is preserved in such a manner that you can get an insight in how life in Berggården used to be in the early 20th century. Our regular exhibitions include the coffee-shop Rørvik Kaffistova (opened in 1913), an exhibition over the life of the fisherman – including the fisherman combined farmer’s kitchen and tools, an old school and a workshop. If you go through the garden, you will find our regular exhibition over boats. The regular exhibitions can be visited during summer. Tours outside the season can be arranged.
VÅGSENGET
Vågsenget is the childhood home of the founder of the Coastal Museum in Nord-Trøndelag; the local historian Paul Woxeng (1883-1967). It was here he built up a private museum, with over 3000 artefacts. These artefacts were later moved to the Berggården in Rørvik. Paul Woxeng grew up in a time when many people (around 600) from the municipality Rørvik emigrated to America. He lived a diverse life: he worked at a saw mill, he worked as a gardener, a builder, a painter, a tram driver and as a shop assistant. It was probably the time he spent in America that inspired Paul Woxeng to start collecting artefacts. When he came back to Norway his collecting started for real, and he founded his first museum in 1919.
In 1932 Paul Woxeng built a house on the mound behind the main house, where he placed his collection of old utilities. This gave people the chance to experience past culture. He had also started writing articles about days past, and after a while people came from far away to Vågsenget; to see his collection and to hear the eminent story teller that Paul Woxeng was. There is no doubt the fact that Paul Woxeng took his work as a collector and local historian seriously. His children say their father often sat by the kitchen table and wrote, and that the local historical work was often more important than the work on the farm.
In many of his texts before World War II he wrote that the only way that one could preserve the rural culture was to have a museum in every municipality. These ideas got a break-through in Norway decades later. Among his books we find the complete story about the farm and neighbour-society, and the complete social history of Vikna. When he came back from America he was the main contact for the emigrants from Vikna. Together with John Rørvik he wrote the story of the emigrants . In 1931 Paul Woxeng started writing his part of the book “People from Vikna in America”. Woxeng and Rørvik wrote the book together; an epos and a saga of the emigrants. It contains complete lists over who emigrated, where they came from and where in the USA they settled.
The municipality of Vikna bought the collection of artefacts at Vågsengtunet. In 1972 it was decided that the collection could not withstand any more damp without being damaged. It was clear that if Woxeng´s collections should come to its right, most of it had to be moved to Berggården in Rørvik. Today Vågsenget is a scenic and popular place to visit. The houses are idyllically placed and surrounded by hills. The houses are rented out.
SØBLOMSTEN
Since prehistorical times the Namdalen has been a rich boat construction district. The coastal museum is responsible for coastal culture and the preserving of vessels in the county. An important task is therefore to take care of and to further develop the rich boat construction traditions, traditions that has existed in the region from the iron ages until today.
In cooperation with The Flotation Søblomsten (the Stiftelsen Søblomsten) it has now been blown new life into a closed dock in Rørvik, where the Schooner “Søblomsten” is kept. The schooner was built in 1864 in Vestnes in Romsdalen. “Søblomsten” carried fish and wood at the Norwegian coast. She has long been in service at the Namdalen and Helgeland coasts, and when fully restored she will be put into traffic as a floating culture provider. Through the restoration of the Schooner “Søblomsten” the museum has built up expert competance in this old craft subject, and the subject knowledge is tought to apprentices that has been involved in the Søblomsten project.
SØR-GJÆSLINGAN
Visit Sør-Gjæslingan, a village that was once home to 4,000 fishermen. Spend the night in one of the preserved fisherman’s huts and discover the area’s exciting coastal heritage. You can reach Sør-Gjæslingan by fast ferry from Rørvik and Namsos in summer or by hired boat from Rørvik.
WINDMILL PARK
On Mt. Husfjellet in Mellom Vikna is Norway’s only windmill park with five large windmills. A wonderful viewpoint with an outlook on the entire coast of Namdalen and the notorious Folla Sea.
COASTAL ROUTE (KYSTRIKSVEIEN)
Explore the coastline of Norway and enjoy one of Norway´s finest tourist roads, or simply find your paradise for relaxation and peace of mind. The Costal Route (Kysriksveien or Rv17) is an exciting 650 km long stretch of road between Steinkjer in the south and Bodø in the north.
Apart from the traditional campsites, you will find self catering accommodation like Cabins, Fisherman cabins, or seahouses in most places along the route. In most of the places boatrental is available.
ROUND TRIPS
Take a trip to the Husfjellet mountain near Garstad, around 36 km from Rørvik, and enjoy the magnificent views of Folla and sixteen different municipalities. The mountain peak, which is accessible by car, also boasts Norway’s first wind farm.
FISHING
Deep sea fishing enthusiasts can take a fishing trip out on the ocean. You can fish for salmon, cod and halibut. Vikna has many lakes where anglers can try their luck at trout fishing. Be aware that there are a number of special rules in regards to fishing. Remember to purchase a fishing licence.
GOLF
Golfclubs in North Trøndelag and South Trøndelag