Me-Åkernes

Me-Åkerneset 1940

Me-åkerneset seen from Oaldsbygda

Me-åkerneset seen from Oaldsbygda, a settlement across the Sunnylvsfjorden

Me-Åkernes or Midtre Åkernes (literally "field in the middle of the headland") is a deserted fjord farm along the Sunnylvsfjord (inner branch fjord of the Storfjord_(fjord)) in the municipality of Stranda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) northeast of Hellesylt.^[1] The farm is located in the West Norwegian Fjords Norwegian World Heritage Sites and has been preserved both for its unique geologic siting and as a representative of typical Norwegian farm culture in the fjord regions.^[2] This geologically unique farm has also been identified as the model for the farm place appearing in Henrik Ibsen’s play Brand based on the similarity in the description and his visit there on 16 July 1862:

And here it stands without a fear

Because the glacier passes here

Just when the time of leave sprouts comes

Above the heads like boulder storms

The parsonage protected stands, like in a cascade cave.^[3]

Location and access

The farm is situated on a ledge about 100 metres (330 ft) above sea level located on a steep, avalanche-threatened hillside. Thus the five farm buildings are built against the rock face of a protected overhanging cliff face in the hillside, and the roofs are level with the slope, such that avalanches pass over the buildings without harming them. The only access is from the Storfjorden waters below; access from the ridge above is extremely difficult.^[2]

There is no natural harbour on the shore, just a small, man-made landing place and some remaining stone walls that are remnants of an earlier boat shed. The boats were dragged onto dry land for safekeeping from the seas from the fjord.^[1]

Buildings and operation

The main house is located where it is least exposed to avalanches. The hay barn and cowshed are added onto opposite ends of the house, for a total length of 35 metres (115 ft). The Me-Åkernes farm is, except for the unusual adaptation to the terrain and accommodation for danger from avalanches, a typical multi-activity farm representative of the fjord and mountain farms of the Sunnmøre district. The farms had to base their economy on agriculture, fishing, and hunting.^[2]

Me-Åkernes was originally a single farm, but in 1881 its fields were divided in two halves between two related couples. The house and farm buildings were shared in common, but each couple maintained their own livestock. There could be as many as 12-14 people living simultaneously at the farm. Each family would support livestock of four cattle and 40 sheep by supplementing fodder in the winter season by use of seaweed. The seaweed was treated in warm water, minced, and barley flour added. Although recently they grew potatoes and barley, a field area named "Rugåkeren" (the Rye Field) indicates that rye was grown there in earlier times. To thresh the grain they used a manual threshing machine.^[1]

Today, the farm is private property, but the preservation society "Storfjordens venner" (The Friends of The Great Fjord) have maintained the buildings.^[2] The last residents farming the land were Anders and Solveig Hanson Ringdal. They moved away from the farm on December 6th, 1958.

Risk of landslide and extinction

Today the farm is, due to its location by the Åkernesrenna (the Åkernes crevice), at considerable risk. The Åkernesrenna has in the recent years widened at an accelerating rate, and analyses show the threat of a coming landslide, estimated at 50,000,000 cubic metres (65,000,000 cu yd) (Latest estimates pile up to 100,000,000 cubic metres / 130,000,000 cubic yards). The landslide will go directly into the fjord, causing a flood wave (landslide induced tsunami) of about 30 metres (98 ft) in height, which will sweep the fjord and devastate the areas adjacent to Sunnylvsfjord and Storfjord.^[4]

Media gallery

• 

  Kitchen interior, as it was when vacated in 1958.

• 

  Passage to the barn.

• 

  From the rally of Storfjordens Venner in June 2003.

• 

  Åkernes, Me-Åkerneset headland, the farm in the lower part to the left in the hillside. The pink line identified the Åkernes crevasse.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Ansok, Sakarias (1973) (in Norwegian). Far etter folk. Stranda Sogenemnd. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} "The 2004 Norwegian nomination for World heritage sites" (PDF). http://www.verdensarv.com/filer/546.pdf. 
3. ^ "Article on Henrik Ibsen’s play Brand" (in Norwegian). http://www.hellesylt.no/Ibsen/Aakeneset.htm. 
4. ^ "Åkernesrenna, Giant landslide in Storfjorden" (in Norwegiam). http://www.forskning.no/Artikler/2004/august/1093010825.98. 

External links

• Åkernesrenna, Giant landslide in Storfjorden — Article and video (Norwegian)
• Giant landslide threatening rural districts (Norwegian)
• World Heritage List