Around Brønnøya - hiking on a car-free island in Asker municipality

A few minutes by car from Oslo is a car-free island where you can walk in peace and quiet and enjoy beautiful nature. Brønnøya is a stone's throw southeast of Nesøya, southwest of Ostøya and west of Langåra. It is only 2 km long and 1 km wide and is mainly covered by forest. There are dirt roads criss-crossing, and you can also walk around the island along the coastline. In the summer you have to use a free, self-service cable ferry across the Vendelsund to get there, in the winter you can go over to a floating jetty. The island has scattered cottage developments (261 units) and a few (16) year-round residences with permanent residents.

To enter the route, you go up the stairs straight ahead and turn left after you have come over with the cable ferry. At the crossroads after 20-30 metres, you have two choices. You can start the round by taking the gravel road to the right. Then you come to Langåra Sound, also called Middagsbukta. It is only 50 meters wide and is known for having such a high density of leisure boats on Sankthansaften that you can literally walk dry-docked from boat to boat. There you turn left and continue along the coastline until you are back at the starting point.

Søndre brygge on the Brønnøya

If you turn left onto Vendelveien, you go round the other way via Nordre brygge, Østre brygge and then Søndre brygge (Middagsbukta). Along the way, you pass through a cozy cottage area and a nature reserve. At Søndre brygge, turn right to continue the round back to the starting point.

Wooden bridge to Vendelholmene in Vendelsund

Both at Nordre brygge and Østre brygge and in the shoreline between, there are several good swimming opportunities. Most of the beaches on Brønnøya are privately owned, but jointly by several landowners. As a visitor, you are welcome there. There are also benches with a view of the archipelago in several places.

Nordre brygge - the northern pier on Brønnøya in Asker

Sandy beach at Østre brygge - the eastern pier

Sandy beach at Storeslottet bathing facility

Benches and bathing ladder at Storeslottet brygge

Land that has previously been used for farming

On the east side is a nature reserve - Viernbukta nature reserve. It contains a large tidal wetland that has both seabirds and waders, a forest of swamp ore trees and a lush deciduous forest. Here you can have many nice nature experiences all year round.

The nature conservation area on the east side of Brønnøya

A woodpecker feeds its baby bird in the nature reserve

Red-brested Merganser male and female

An Eurasian Oystercacher feeds its young on the reef by the cable ferry

More excursions: www.turideer.com

This week's excursion: Brønnøya in Asker municipality - hiking on a car-free island.

Length/duration: As short or as long as you wish. A round trip along the coastline is approx. 8 km long and takes almost 2 hours to walk.

Suitable for: Anyone in normal physical shape. Wheelchairs and prams are ok, but there is a steep and heavy descent to the Cable Ferry from Nesøya on a concrete-covered walking path that goes in hairpin bends.

Getting there: Enter: "Parkering Søndre vei - DNB-tomta" in Google Maps. Alternatively: Follow the E18 from Oslo towards Drammen. Take off towards Nesøya straight after Sandvika. Follow the signs to Nesøya. Follow the main road straight ahead until you come to a sign with a dead end where there is a car park on the left and a sandy beach on the right (Hvamodden). Turn left just before this car park on the road marked Vendla. After approx. After 500 metres, you will come to a car park on the right.

Park the car here. Walk on the road that turns off to the right just before this car park. This is the continuation of Vendla. After a few hundred meters you will see the cable ferry below. Then you will also come to a car park reserved for residents of the area. At the end of this parking lot, a concrete-covered walkway leads down to the cable ferry.

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