Sævareid – Hiking, Forest and Industrial History

Sævareid brings together a short watercourse, a hike to Langedalsvatnet and a remarkable industrial history. The Sævareidelva is 250 metres long and flows from Henangervatnet to its mouth near Sævareid, at the inner end of the Sævareidfjord. The fjord and the Sævareidvassdraget also bear names that derive from Sævareid. In this way, the water and local history offer an immediate introduction to what makes this destination special.

A walk to Langedalsvatnet

The hike to Langedalsvatnet starts right in the centre of Sævareid. The trail follows the Haugaelva and leads to the lake, which lies at an elevation of 244 metres. The route can be completed as a loop via Stuarskleiva. This gives you two different ways to plan the hike: you can make the lake your destination or choose the loop route via Stuarskleiva. The hike is accessible via Fv 549, and there is parking in the centre of Sævareid. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Sævareid, the starting point in the village centre is a useful reference for planning your trip.

Forest as a defining natural landscape

Steinen Nature Reserve is part of the area’s natural landscape. The protected area covers 1,906 dekars and preserves old coniferous forest, deciduous forest and western Norwegian rainforest. The protection is for the forest; its different forest types give the nature reserve a distinctive role in the description of the area. If you are particularly interested in forest landscapes when choosing a holiday destination, this is a clearly defined natural feature. Together with the hike to Langedalsvatnet, Sævareid offers more than a single view or excursion destination: water, trails and protected forest provide different points of interest.

A story of paper and water

Sævareid’s industrial history is linked to Sævareid papp og kartong. The company was founded near Sævareidfossen in 1867 and operated until 1977. The cardboard and paperboard factory that grew out of the operation employed nearly 200 people at its peak. One particularly well-known product was “Sævereid Betræk-Pap”: it reached a large domestic market and is mentioned in Knut Hamsun’s novel “August”. These specific names and dates tell of a time when paperboard production played an important role in the area, giving visitors a historical point of interest alongside the natural attractions.

A sawmill with a reciprocating saw once operated by the waterfall at the outlet of the Sævareidvassdraget. Separately, another historical account of the area recalls the many boathouses that once stood by the sea in Sævareid. They belonged to the farms along the Sævareidvassdraget. Glacial potholes are also part of Sævareid’s landscape history; several such formations, including some in Sævareid, have been destroyed.

If you would like to compare more area guides, you can also find Holmefjord, Eikelandsosen, Strandvik, Fusa, Baldersheim and Nordtveitgrend here.

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