Islands / Nesodden / Skjælholmene
Two small islets in Bunnefjorden off Nesodden, owned by Oslo. They look barren, but Søndre holds 138 plant species and a rich seabird life. Both have been nature reserves since the 2008 conservation plan.
Skjælholmene are two low islets in the middle of Bunnefjorden, the eastern arm of the Oslofjord that runs south past the east side of Nesodden. From the boat they look barren and treeless, but the grass and the shore vegetation hide a rich flora. You are well inside the fjord here, between Nesodden and the Oppegård side.
Nordre and Søndre Skjælholmen nature reserves; landing forbidden 15 April to 15 July. 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.
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.
The islets were formerly called Skjærholmene; the name was changed by a decision of the Norwegian Mapping Authority (Kartverket) in 1992. They are owned by the City of Oslo. The sources record no building, lighthouse or industrial history here. These are two natural islets, protected for their flora and their seabirds, never settled or built on.
The two islets, Nordre and Søndre Skjælholmen, are both nature reserves under the 2008 conservation plan for the Oslofjord. Søndre is the larger, 500 by 100 metres, and holds 138 recorded plant species along with a rich seabird fauna. Nordre is smaller, 260 by 90 metres. They are used for quiet recreation outside the nesting season, with conservation as the governing concern.
Landing by private boat or kayak. Søndre has a small quay and mooring bolts on the north side. **Access restrictions (protection is law, check the regulation):** on Søndre, motorised traffic on land is forbidden all year, and on the water from 15 April to 15 July. On Nordre, all access on land is forbidden from 15 April to 15 July. No ferry goes here.
The islets look bare from the water, but Søndre alone has 138 plant species, shore meadow and dry ground packed onto a patch 500 metres long.
The official name was changed from Skjærholmene to Skjælholmene as late as 1992, by a decision of the Norwegian Mapping Authority.
The City of Oslo owns both islets, even though they lie in Nesodden.
Oslo Sea Experience passes Skjælholmene on its private fjord trips from Tjuvholmen.
The Norwegian version notes which facts were taken from each source: Skjælholmene på norsk.