Discover 8 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Eidfjord (Norway). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Vøringfossen, Valursfossen, and Sima Valley. Also, be sure to include Old Eidfjord Church in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Eidfjord (Hordaland).
Table of Contents
Vøringfossen
Also known as: Vøringsfossen
Waterfall. Vøringsfossen is the 83rd highest waterfall in Norway on the basis of total fall. It lies at the top of the Måbødalen valley in the municipality of Eidfjord, in Vestland county. It is located near Norwegian National Road 7, which connects Oslo with Bergen. It has a total drop of 182 metres, and a major drop of 163 metres. It is perhaps the most famous in the country and a major tourist attraction on the way down from Hardangervidda to Hardangerfjord.
There are several warning signs in regard to the dangers of falling to one's death. Other measures for preventing deaths were planned for implementation in the spring of 2015, and a stairway bridge opened in 2020.[1]
Valursfossen
Valursfossen is a waterfall in the municipality of Eidfjord in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is part of the river Veig, where it runs down from the mountain plateau Hardangervidda and down into the valley Valursdalen. It has a total descent of 272 m.[2]
Sima Valley
The Sima Valley is a river valley in the municipality of Eidfjord in Vestland county, Norway. The 8-kilometre long valley begins below Lake Rembesdal, with an elevation of 905 meters, which is one of the sources of the Sima River. The valley then runs west along the river to the Sima Hydroelectric Power Station at the head of the Simadal Fjord, where the river empties into the fjord. Norwegian County Road 103 runs through part of the valley and then continues along the south side of the fjord.
The Sima Valley is known for its waterfalls, including Rembesdal Falls (Rembesdalsfossen) and Skykkjedal Falls (Skykkjedalsfossen). It suffered catastrophic floods in 1893 and 1937. The valley had a population of 10 in 2017.[3]
Old Eidfjord Church
Also known as: Eidfjord gamle kirke
Old Eidfjord Church is a former parish church of the Church of Norway in Eidfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Eidfjord. It was historically the church for the Eidfjord parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The whitewashed, stone church was built in a rectangular design around the year 1309 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 100 people.
The church was the main church for the Eidfjord parish (sokn) until 1981 when the new Eidfjord Church was completed. The old church is now used only for special occasions since it only seats about 100 people. The church is decorated as to look as it did in the 18th century.[4]
Kjeåsen
Mountain. Kjeåsen is a mountain farm in the municipality of Eidfjord in Norway's Hardanger district, in Vestland county. The farm lies at an elevation of 513 meters at the innermost point of the Simadal Fjord. The farm is no longer being worked, and one person lives there during the summer. The site is popular with tourists, especially Swedes. The farm has been referred to as "the world's most inaccessible farm."
Kjeåsen can be reached on foot up the steep path from the Sima Hydroelectric Power Station. This was the farm's road until 1974, and the trip takes about 1½ to 2 hours each way. Kjeåsen also has what is known as "the world's most expensive farm road"; it is 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) long, of which approximately 2.6 kilometers (1.6 mi) consists of a tunnel from the Sima Valley to the farm. The tunnel has a single lane, with driving directions scheduled up on the hour and down every half hour. The road and tunnel to Kjeåsen were built in 1974 in connection with hydroelectric development works in the Sima Valley. The tunnel has now been outfitted with lights. Walking and cycling are not permitted in the tunnel.
The name Kjeåsen comes from kje 'kid' and ås 'hill', inflected for definiteness. The farm has been inhabited at least since the 1650s. Until the road up to the farm was built, all transport took place on the steep path from the bottom of the fjord. In the 1930s a cable car was built that could carry food and others material up to the farm. However, the residents of Kjeåsen still had to use the trail as before. The outlying farmstead at Kjeåsen was vacated in 1962, and since 2010 the other farmstead has been inhabited only in the summer. The outlying farmstead was sold in 2016 after several hundred years in the same family.
The Swedish author Bror Ekström visited Kjeåsen in the 1950s and wrote a book about the people living there. His work, Folket på Kieåsen (The People of Kjeåsen), was first published in 1958 and became very popular. In Norway, Halldor O. Opedal published Kjeåsfolket i Hardanger. Soga om eit utkantfolk (The People of Kjeåsen in Hardanger. The Story of an Unknown People) in 1980. In 2001, Reinhard Kungel made a film for the German broadcaster ARD about the last mountain farmers in Norway. In Kjeåsen, he portrayed the last inhabitant, Bjorg Wiik. The Norwegian broadcasting company NRK aired a program about Kjeåsen in its series Der ingen skulle tru at nokon kunne bu (Where No One Would Think Anyone Could Live) in 2002. Sveriges Radio, the Swedish national radio broadcaster, has also aired a program about the farm.[5]
Eidfjord Church
Also known as: Eidfjord kirke
Eidfjord Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Eidfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Eidfjord. It is the church for the Eidfjord parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The modern-looking red brick church was built in a rectangular design in 1981 using plans drawn up by the architect Sigurd Sekse. The church seats about 375 people.[6]
Address: Laegreidsvegen 24, 5783 Eidfjord
Eidfjord Aktiv
Nature, Fjord
Address: Lægreidsvegen 11, Eidfjord
Hardangervidda Natursenter
Museum
Address: Riksvegen 25A, 5783 Eidfjord, Eidfjord