Osen
Municipality · Trøndelag
About Osen
The cathedral-like Halvikhula sea cave, reached by boat and a short walk, the bouldering at Vingsand and the old fishing village of Seter.
Osen is outer coast on Fosen: many islands and skerries, short fjords cutting inland, and the Steinsdalen valley with its river running down to Osen village at the fjord. Behind it rise sparse forest and bare plateaus up to about 600 metres. Small fishing islands such as Skjervøyan lie off the coast.
Fv715 makes it the quiet way between the Trondheimsfjord and Namsos. Give it a night or two for coastal walks and boat trips out to the islands.
Good to know
- Getting there: Fv715 runs from the Flakk–Rørvik ferry through Osen to Namsos. Osen is about 1 h 15 from Namsos, 3 h 30 from Trondheim round the fjord.
- Season: The salmon jump at Nordmelandsfossen in June–August; the trail to Storheia, from a toll road in Steinsdalen, is best June–October.
- Sleeping: Osen Fjordcamping, open all year, and Nordmeland Gårdshotell, a farm hotel in Steinsdalen.
What to do and where to stay in Osen
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Halvikhula (Halvikhallin)Nature
A sea cave above Halvika on Svesfjorden whose opening is roughly 100 m high, reached only by boat and a 3.7 km return walk with about 310 m of climbing.
Halvika, south shore of Svesfjorden, between Vingsand and Seter · Half day incl. boat; walk 1 h+ (3.7 km return) · April–October
2Håmannsvika and Estenvikhallin cave walkHike
An easy 1.8 km path from Vingsand harbour past a big shelter with grill at Håmannsvika to Estenvikhallin, a two-level cave popular with boulderers.
Vingsand, outer end of Hopen · 2 h (3.6 km return) · all year
3Sørjerhesten (363 m)Viewpoint
A 4.3 km return hike from a rest area on Fv715 to a top looking out to Vikna, Halten and Smøla, passing the Sukkertoppen rock by Setransvatna.
Rest area on Fv715, Osen · 1 h 20 min (4.3 km return) · May–October
4Storheia (600 m)Hike
Osen's highest point, reached on a marked 9.4 km return trail from Steinsdalen past the old Austvassgården farm and fishing lake Austvatnet.
Toll road from Hestmo, Steinsdalen · 3 h (9.4 km return) · June–October
5Vingsand boulderingLocal oddity
A boulder field of gneiss and granite with over 550 boulders mapped around Vingsand and nearby islands, plus caves that locals climb in even in January.
Around Vingsand and the islands Helvika, Ramsøya, Skjærvøya and Hepsøya · 1 h to a full day · all year (caves in bad weather)
6Osen ChurchHistory & culture
A wooden long church from 1877 in Osen village, where the Steinsdalselva river meets the fjord; Osen is the municipality's administrative centre.
Osen village centre · 15–30 min · all year (outside); inside at services
7Seter and Buholmråsa lighthouseLocal oddity
A fishing village on Svesfjorden with no road to the rest of Osen – you drive in via Flatanger – with the 1917 Buholmråsa lighthouse 2 km offshore.
Seter, northern Osen (road via Flatanger) · 1 h · all year
8Strandpromenaden and HøkaskaretHike
An easy 4.6 km loop from Sandviksberget past Strand marina, a sandy beach and a boathouse picnic spot, with Høkaskaret, a hole in the ridge the summer sun shines through.
Sandviksberget–Strand, Osen · 1.5 h (4.6 km loop) · all year
9Svartholet cave, StrandNature
A large cave reached by a short climb from the community hall at Strand, at the start of the marked ridge route over Strandafjellet.
Above Strand, just west of Osen centre · 30–60 min to the cave and back (full ridge route 16 km, 5 h) · April–October
10NordmelandsfossenNature
A low waterfall on the Steinsdalselva in Steinsdalen where salmon try to jump upstream in summer, a few hundred metres from Nordmeland farm.
Steinsdalsveien, Steinsdalen, Osen · 15–30 min · June–August for leaping salmon