Østerøya
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Østerøya () a
peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
in
Sandefjord Municipality Sandefjord () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Vestfold. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Sandefjord ...
in
Vestfold Vestfold () is a county and a current electoral district in Norway. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it borders Buskerud and Telemark counties. The county administration is located in Tønsberg, Norway's oldest city, and the larg ...
county,
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. It is one of two long, narrow
peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
s located south of the city of Sandefjord. The peninsula lies between the Mefjorden and Tønsbergfjorden and it sits across the fjord from the
Vesterøya Vesterøya () a peninsula in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is one of two long, narrow peninsulas located south of the Sandefjord (town), city of Sandefjord. The peninsula lies between the Mefjorden and Sandefjordsfjorden ...
peninsula. The
Tønsberg Barrel Tønsberg (), historically Tunsberg, is a city in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located about south-southwest of the capital city of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near its mouth onto the Skagerrak. The c ...
is located on the southern end of the peninsula. The Tønsberg Barrel is an old
sea mark A sea mark, also seamark and navigation mark, is a form of aid to navigation and pilotage that identifies the approximate position of a maritime channel, hazard, or administrative area to allow boats, ships, and seaplanes to navigate safely. ...
that is mentioned in ''
Sverris saga ''Sverris saga'' is one of the Kings' sagas. Its subject is King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway (r. 1177–1202) and it is the main source for this period of Norwegian history. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of mo ...
''. It has been described as one of the most beautiful sites in Sandefjord. Østerøya has a large number of beaches, campgrounds, recreational areas, and vacation homes. The peninsula has a length of , and is between in width. It was previously known as
Yxnøy Yxnøy (also spelled Yxney, formerly: Yxnøyn) is the southernmost part of Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Nordre Truber to Ertsvika. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the Vestfold coast. It i ...
, a name which now is used for the southernmost point of the peninsula. Yxnøy, also spelled Yxney, is now a recreational area home to several beaches, forests, sloping rocks, hiking trails, and Tønsberg Barrel. The peninsula is now named Østerøya ("east island") since it is located east of the centre of the city of Sandefjord. The southern end of the peninsula contains public areas for outdoor activities, recreation, fishing and swimming. A preserved area with black alder
swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
forest (containing
ramsons ''Allium ursinum'', known as wild garlic, ramsons, cowleekes, cows's leek, cowleek, buckrams, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic, bear leek, Eurasian wild garlic or bear's garlic, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the amaryllis family, Ama ...
,
iris pseudacorus ''Iris pseudacorus'', the yellow flag, yellow iris, or water flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet ''pseudacorus'' means "false acorus", r ...
and
early purple orchid ''Orchis mascula'', the early-purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Description ''Orchis mascula'' is a perennial herbaceous plant with stems up to high, green at the base and ...
) is located here. During the
Viking Age The Viking Age (about ) was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonising, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. The Viking Age applies not only to their ...
, ocean water levels were about higher, which meant both
Vesterøya Vesterøya () a peninsula in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is one of two long, narrow peninsulas located south of the Sandefjord (town), city of Sandefjord. The peninsula lies between the Mefjorden and Sandefjordsfjorden ...
and Østerøya peninsulas were islands surrounded by ocean waters. There are of hiking trails on Østerøya, which is an extension of the coastal path at
Vesterøya Vesterøya () a peninsula in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is one of two long, narrow peninsulas located south of the Sandefjord (town), city of Sandefjord. The peninsula lies between the Mefjorden and Sandefjordsfjorden ...
. The combined hiking trail is part of the international
North Sea Trail The North Sea Trail is a transnational Long-distance trail, long-distance hiking trail along the coast of the North Sea. The route passes through seven countries and 26 partner areas. The aim of the project is to promote sustainable tourism and ...
. '' Head Above Water'' ("Hodet over vannet") by
film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
Nils Gaup Nils Gaup (born 12 April 1955) is a Sámi film director from Norway. Career Gaup was born in Kautokeino, Finnmark County in Northern Norway. He first intended to become an athlete but from 1974 to 1978 he went to drama school and studied at ...
was filmed at the southern tip of Østerøya and features Ertsvika at Yxnøy.


Yxnøy

Yxnøy Yxnøy (also spelled Yxney, formerly: Yxnøyn) is the southernmost part of Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Nordre Truber to Ertsvika. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the Vestfold coast. It i ...
is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the
Vestfold Vestfold () is a county and a current electoral district in Norway. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it borders Buskerud and Telemark counties. The county administration is located in Tønsberg, Norway's oldest city, and the larg ...
coast. The tall Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon mentioned in ''
Sverris saga ''Sverris saga'' is one of the Kings' sagas. Its subject is King Sverre Sigurdsson of Norway (r. 1177–1202) and it is the main source for this period of Norwegian history. As the foreword tells us, the saga in its final form consists of mo ...
'' from around year 1200. Many ships have sunk near the landmark, which is located at
Yxnøy Yxnøy (also spelled Yxney, formerly: Yxnøyn) is the southernmost part of Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Nordre Truber to Ertsvika. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the Vestfold coast. It i ...
(Yxney) on the southern tip of Østerøya. The
seamark A sea mark, also seamark and navigation mark, is a form of aid to navigation and pilotage that identifies the approximate position of a maritime channel, hazard, or administrative area to allow boats, ships, and seaplanes to navigate safel ...
(navigation mark) sits on the mountain Tønneberget (Stenbåken) with ocean-views in all directions. It has an elevation of and marks the entry point for the city of
Tønsberg Tønsberg (), historically Tunsberg, is a List of towns and cities in Norway, city in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located about south-southwest of the capital city of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near ...
. Its circumference is at its most , and it is painted in white and black. The beacon originally consisted of a barrel, hence the name, but was replaced with the current seamark in 1900. Yxnøy and the area surrounding Tønsberg Barrel were fortified by the
German occupation German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...
forces during World War II. Bunkers, trenches and other remains from the war can still be seen in the surrounding area. A number of ships have also sunk here, including ships such as ''Wilhelm Tell'' in 1851 and ''Bjørgvin'' in 1961, which lies from the Tønsberg Barrel. In 1907, the ship ''Union'' sunk here and its crew of eight men drowned. The coastal hiking trail from Tønsberg Barrel to
Skjellvika Skjellvika is a lagoon and one of the most visited beaches in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold Vestfold () is a county and a current electoral district in Norway. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it borders Buskerud and Telemar ...
Beach is about long. It is part of the international
North Sea Trail The North Sea Trail is a transnational Long-distance trail, long-distance hiking trail along the coast of the North Sea. The route passes through seven countries and 26 partner areas. The aim of the project is to promote sustainable tourism and ...
. Yxnøy is the only place in Norway where the plant species (''Valeriana dioica'') occurs. Strandvika Nature Preserve is located at Yxnøy. It is home to a black alder
swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...
forest containing
ramsons ''Allium ursinum'', known as wild garlic, ramsons, cowleekes, cows's leek, cowleek, buckrams, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic, bear leek, Eurasian wild garlic or bear's garlic, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the amaryllis family, Ama ...
,
iris pseudacorus ''Iris pseudacorus'', the yellow flag, yellow iris, or water flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet ''pseudacorus'' means "false acorus", r ...
and
early purple orchid ''Orchis mascula'', the early-purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Description ''Orchis mascula'' is a perennial herbaceous plant with stems up to high, green at the base and ...
. The nature preserve was established in 1980.


History

Østerøya was fortified during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Beaches

Beaches on East Island include: *
Skjellvika Skjellvika is a lagoon and one of the most visited beaches in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold Vestfold () is a county and a current electoral district in Norway. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it borders Buskerud and Telemar ...
* Flautangen * Nordre Trubervika * Strandvika * Yxnøy * Ertsvika * Hagaløkka * Tallakshavn


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Osteroya Sandefjord Peninsulas of Vestfold