Vollen: Hiking Trail, Culture and Coast

Vollen offers specific cultural and coastal sites to help you plan your trip. These include the 5 km Vollen hiking trail, the historic Selvikvillaen, the Oslofjord Museum with its museum harbour, the Rabben and Fritznerstranda bathing area, and Vollen Marina. The attractions range from history and architecture to swimming and water sports equipment rentals. This can help you decide whether trails, culture, swimming or water sports should be the focus of your trip planning.

The Vollen hiking trail and its history

The Vollen hiking trail was created to help more people discover the nature, history and places that make Vollen special. In 2011, 18 historical information boards were installed along the trail. In 2016, Vollen historielag used the trail as part of the “veifar til fjorden” project; it was extended from Aukes gartneri along Strandengveien to Vollen Marina. The trail’s original purpose and its extension in 2016 are two distinct aspects: one focuses on discovering nature and history, while the other describes a specific route.

The hiking trail reaches Århustoppen, at 148 m above sea level. At its highest point is one of the oldest cultural heritage sites in southern Asker. The 18 information boards along the trail and the cultural heritage site at its highest point are two distinct historical landmarks along the route.

Selvikvillaen and the Coastal Culture Centre

Selvikvillaen adds architectural history to the story of the trail: the brothers Alfred and H. C. Johnsen built it in 1881 as a country retreat in a simple Swiss style. The reference to the Swiss style describes the architecture, while “country retreat” refers to its original function.

Vollen Coastal Culture Centre is open to everyone, with opening hours that match those of the café at Selvikvillaen. The café is open seasonally. Check the café’s current opening hours before your visit, as the centre’s hours follow them too.

Museum, water and bathing area

The Oslofjord Museum in Vollen has a museum harbour. Children can build rubber-band boats and test them in an indoor pool. Check before your trip whether this activity is available during your stay. In the wider destination of Asker, the Oslofjord Museum also showcases historic leisure boats and covers topics such as marine pollution and the construction of the polar ship Maud. Its scope therefore ranges from leisure boats to environmental issues and polar shipbuilding.

Rabben and Fritznerstranda together make up a bathing area in Vollen. It includes a sandy beach, rocks, a jetty, a bathing platform, walking paths and a boules court. In central Vollen, Vollen Marina rents out water sports equipment; check current availability in advance. The bathing area and the marina have different focuses: the former brings together several waterfront features, while the latter offers water sports equipment rentals.

Discover more destinations: Nesøya, Nesbru and Asker.

For the broader travel overview: Asker.