Grip

Grip is a cluster of low rocks fourteen kilometres out from Kristiansund, and until 1964 it was Norway's smallest municipality, with a population that once reached several hundred living on an islet a few hundred metres across with no soil, no shelter and no harbour worth the name. The people fished, and the sea repeatedly took them: storms in 1796 and 1804 destroyed much of the settlement. The last permanent residents left in 1974, and the houses are now summer cottages. At the centre stands Grip stave church, built around 1470, one of the smallest in Norway, painted red inside with a Dutch altarpiece said to have been given by a Dutch queen. Boats run from Kristiansund in summer.

History

The name is first recorded in 1338 as Gripar, perhaps from the Norse grípa, "catch", referring to fishing. From 1897 until 1964 the islands formed Grip Municipality before being merged into Kristiansund, and the main island holds the historic Grip Stave Church (Wikipedia, Grip, Norway).

What you'll find

• The stave church - a small red-painted church of about 1470.
• The clustered houses - timber cottages packed on bare rock.
• The exposed islet - a settlement with no shelter from the open sea.
• The lighthouse - a tower on a neighbouring rock, visible from the village.

When to go

June to August, the only period boats run; crossings are cancelled in swell, which is frequent on this coast. Tours are timed and short, usually a couple of hours ashore.

What to expect

The crossing is often rough and sailings are weather-dependent. Time ashore is limited by the boat schedule. There are no facilities beyond a seasonal kiosk, and the houses are private summer property.

Nearby

Kristiansund is the departure port; the Atlantic Road and Averoy lie southwest.