Frei (island)

Frei is an island in Kristiansund Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The 62.5km2 island lies south of the town of Kristiansund in the Nordmøre region of the county. The main villages on the island include Rensvik in the north, Kvalvåg in the east, and Nedre Frei in the south. The island was part of the old Frei Municipality from 1838 until 2008 when the island was merged into Kristiansund Municipality.The Viking-era Battle of Rastarkalv, between Haakon I of Norway and the sons of Eric I of Norway, took place near the village of Nedre Frei in 955 AD.GeographyThe highest point on the island is the 629m mountain Freikollen. The island is covered with mountains, pine forests, marshes, and sparse other vegetation. The Freifjorden lies to the east and south, the Kvernesfjorden and Bremsnesfjorden lie to the west, and the Bolgsvaet bay and Omsundet strait lie to the north. The islands of Nordlandet, Kirkelandet, and Innlandet lie north of Frei; the island of Averøya lies to the west; the islands of Bergsøya and Aspøya lie to the southeast; and the island of Tustna lies to the northeast.