Islands / Hvaler / Møren
Small, uninhabited group of islets at the outer edge of Hvaler, one of four former bird reserves taken into Ytre Hvaler national park. An important nesting area for seabirds.
This is the outer Møren, a small uninhabited group of islets at the southern end of Hvaler facing open sea. The islets are low rock slabs with no houses on them and a great deal of bird life. Stay off; through the nesting season this is a place to look at from the water.
seabird reserve within Ytre Hvaler national park; access ban in the nesting season (check Naturbase for dates). The boundaries and the rules are in Naturbase, and they are worth checking before you land anywhere outside the marked areas.
private boat or kayak; landing normally banned in the nesting season.
No scheduled boat comes here. You will have to find the nearest public quay yourself, and the rest is your own boat or a kayak. Check the wind and wave forecast before you set out; the open stretches in the outer fjord turn unpleasant in a fresh breeze.
Møren was one of the old seabird reserves in Hvaler, established to protect nesting seabirds on the exposed outer islets. When Ytre Hvaler national park was established on 26 June 2009, Møren became one of four former bird reserves taken into the park, along with Akerøya, Heia and Søndre Søster. The area is an important nesting ground for seabirds.
The islets are uninhabited and serve as nesting ground inside the national park. There is no other use. The protection exists to leave the birds in peace at one of the most weather-exposed points in the archipelago.
Reached only by private boat or kayak. Landing is normally banned in the nesting season. The access ban in the seabird reserves in Ytre Hvaler runs typically from 15 April to 15 July, but the exact dates and boundaries are law, so look them up in Naturbase before going in rather than guessing. Keep well clear through the whole nesting season.
There are two islets called Møren in Hvaler: this one furthest south, and another further north towards Vesterøy. The name recurs on low islets with plenty of birds.
One of four old bird reserves that became part of Ytre Hvaler national park in 2009. From the water the islet looks like nothing much; in law it is protected.
Oslo Sea Experience passes Møren on its private fjord trips from Tjuvholmen.
The Norwegian version notes which facts were taken from each source: Møren på norsk.