A hiking adventure: Culture walk on Husøya

Join us for a walk through the village and island of Husøy in Norway’s oldest fishing village, Træna. With a history dating back to the Stone Age and a vibrant cultural scene today, this is a pleasant stroll through a warm and creative island community

The trip starts at the town beach, near the express boat dock, the local shop, and the tourist information center. During the summer, you can rent a bike at the tourist information center and take the trip as a cycling tour if you wish.

Read more about bike rentals here

«A prosa, a song, a poem look yonder»
The first stage of the trip goes through the village and past the Aloha Café. You return the same way, and if you want to stop for some food and drinks, you can do so now at the start of the trip or on the way back. The first stop after this is the sculpture “A prose, a song, a poem look yonder”, created by the Norwegian-Zambian artist Anawana Halobaba.

The sculpture plays music as it stands facing the sea on the northwest side of the island, a short distance along the path from the road. The trail is easy to walk and marked with signs. Feel free to take some time here to experience the atmosphere created by the meeting of art and raw nature.

The Petter Dass-chapel
The second stage is about 300 meters to the beautiful Petter Dass Chapel on the west side of the island. The chapel is a memorial to all those who never returned from the sea, out here where the sea can be mercilessly vast and the old, open wooden boats helplessly small. If the weather is a bit rough when you stand at the chapel, feel free to look out towards the swell behind the Træn Mountains, or the white foam on Trænfjorden, to get an impression of the natural forces at play out there.

Kristoffer Møllevik / Visit Helgeland

When the chapel is open, it’s worth going inside. Inside, it’s beautifully decorated by the artist Karl Erik Harr, with motifs from the harsh life at sea, inspired by Petter Dass’ poem “Nordlands Trumpet”. Petter Dass was a priest and vicar in Helgeland from 1672 to 1707, and in the poem, he describes life and nature in Helgeland at that time.

The water tower
Just above the chapel is the Water Tower. On a hill barely 40 meters above sea level, it offers a nice viewpoint over the low landscape and the surrounding sea areas. Here you’ll also find a direction indicator that tells you which mountains you see nearby and far away.

Træna Church
On the way back to Træna Church, you pass by Pixel-Ørna on the sports hall, a large wall mural of a pixelated sea eagle created by the artist Strøk (Anders Gjennestad) in connection with the Træna Festival in 2009. You also pass by Aloha Café once again, giving you another opportunity to stop for a bite to eat or something to drink.

Træna Church is located by the town beach, where the tour started. The church was built in 1773, on the same foundation as the first church built in Træna. From the first church, the altarpiece, pulpit, and a chandelier have been preserved. Over the centuries, the church has undergone significant changes, but it still contains much of the original features.

Træna Bygdemuseum

Træna Village Museum is located near the church and the tourist information center. The main building of the museum is an old Nordland house from 1910, called “The House on the Road”. At the museum, you can learn about Træna’s cultural heritage, including through an exhibition of archaeological finds from the cave Kirkhelleren on the neighboring island Sanna. The oldest finds there show that there has been fishing in Træna as far back as 8-9000 years.

Kristoffer Møllevik / Visit Helgeland

Here you can also see the exhibition “Træna – Hawaii,” which tells the story of Theodor Holmen, who left Træna and moved to Hawaii in 1898. He left before his younger sister Alma was born, and the siblings never met. But they maintained correspondence throughout their lives, and in 1925, Alma received a camera in the mail. Alma took pictures of life in Træna and remained there until her death in 1997. The photos and letters provide a fascinating window into the past, into two similar yet different lives, on each side of the globe.

Bystranda
Feel free to end the tour with a swim or a peaceful moment at the town beach in Janesvågen. The area is a combined bathing spot, recreational area, and social meeting place, and it was built by two students from Seattle.

This is another good example of how the island community both receives and draws inspiration and impulses from the outside world. In this way, Træna, after 9000 years, remains a rich and vibrant local community. Far out at sea, but far from isolated. A part of the whole.

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