Hike Holmen to Sætre

From Holmen, via Slemmestad to Sætre and Sandspollen bay

The coastal path from Holmen is easily accessible by bus. Feel free to stop by Holmen Fjordhotell, which is beautifully located down by the water with a jetty, beach and restaurant. After just over a kilometre, Hvalstrand Bad is like a gem by the fjord. This bathing facility dates back to 1934 and both the diving tower and the restaurant building are in typical functionalist style. The hiking trail continues around Leangbukta past Thon Hotel Vettre and through Løkenesskogen Nature Reserve on paths and eventually on cozy small roads out to Konglungen. Strandsitterhuset is the oldest house on Konglungen. The building was moved here from Oust in Bærum and the family who lived here made their living from the sea. Today the house is a museum and here you can enter and see how the family lived. Over the headland, the hiking trail goes down to Spirebukta and further past Løkenes Gård. Kråka Pub is located on a farm and has an open Friday pub. Here is also the Wettre Brewery. Just after Blakstad Hospital, the outlet of the Asker River is crossed. There has been salt production here and the first time salt from Asker was documented is in the 1300s. Salt was important for preserving food before the time of refrigerators. Salt was also a means of payment and was used to pay taxes. The village of Vollen is idyllically located right down by the fjord. There are several nice eateries, a nice beach, kayak rental and the Oslofjord Museum is located here.

The trip continues to Elnestangen. Here it is possible to spend the night in the DNT cabin Driver's Residence. Elnestangen nature reserve is a great outdoor area with lots of paths and benches. The next stop is Sjøstrand; from the late 1800s to the mid-1920s, the Sjøstrand area was an important storage and export place for natural ice. Today it is a popular beach. The last stretch towards Slemmestad goes on a hilly path through the forest. One of the chimneys and the four largest silos remain as memories from the cement period – the others have been demolished to renew Slemmestad. Slemmestad is a central location for the Oslo field with rich deposits of fossils and a wide range of rocks from the earth's primeval and ancient times. At the library there is an organic café and Trilobox with fossils, rocks and minerals. If you want to explore fossils more, Fossildalen and the area around Slemmestad stadium can be recommended. There is a scheduled boat to Aker Brygge from the pier. At Odden is the porter's house (the residents here were the concierge and caretaker of the director's residence) and the cave (just for decoration – a water pipe was led here to create the illusion of a water source).

The path further is hilly, both up and down over Slemmestadåsen, and can be experienced as somewhat demanding. There is a nice view of Nærsnes and picnic benches along the way. The trail goes down to Grundvig before it takes a new round up through the hill, down towards Graffstranda and along the coast further. In several places there are signs that tell about ice ponds and how ice was exported at the end of the 1800s. Propsen is a nice little beach and at Nærsnes you can stroll on the cozy small roads. To avoid the main road, the coastal path goes through residential areas and up through the forest – take in the Flådda viewpoint along the way.

At Ramton camping there is accommodation, swimming area, golf and mini golf, jetty, rocks and kiosk in the summer. Høvikvollen is the next cozy recreational area and beach. The trail continues past Fagertun bathing area to Båtstø – this is a nice little place with a marina, swimming area and white houses. There are cozy small roads on gravel and asphalt, and at Tittutåsen there is a nice viewpoint with a bench. At Åros, the coastal path goes over the hill through Ivers vei to avoid the busy Hurumveien. Skogsborg recreation area has large grassy areas, beach and kayak rental. Here it was a holiday home for industrial workers in Slemmestad. The walk continues towards Beston bathing place. From there, it is not far to Sætre – here you will find a city beach, several restaurants and a bus terminal.

The round trip along Sandspollen starts on a pedestrian and cycle path out of Sætre and continues on a small road across Engene. This was the location of the Engene dynamite factory from 1876 to 1976. The production of nitroglycerin gave the workers headaches, which eventually passed. Throughout the holiday, it was not uncommon for them to put a bit of nitroglycerin in their hat brim to avoid getting used to it again after the holiday. The old factory is not accessible to the public. Continue on small roads past farmyards, Kongsdelene church and several small lakes. Where Verpenveien turns into a path, it becomes more hilly. The coastal path around Sandspollen passes many nice bathing spots, viewpoints and is at times very hilly - especially around Kinnartangen. It passes historic sites – such as Nesset Battery and Færgestad. The fjord has been essensial through times to unite the two sides and the brave ferry woman Jacobine was rowing the priest, the doctor and school children better than any man across the fjord in all weather - rain or storm. Here is information about the underwater wall that was built in 1879 to block boat traffic and ensure that boats on their way into the fjord had to pass in front of Oscarsborg Fortress's cannons. The wall is 1500 meters long, and is also called the Jeté.

The trip returns back to Sætre the same way or extend your stay at Wærpen holiday homes to enjoy the area more days.

To get her by bus: Bus to Holmen and Sætre. Check schedule at www.entur.no 

CLICK ON OUR INTERACTIVE MAP BELOW TO SEE THE WHOLE ROUTE AND POINTS OF INTEREST: