Modalen between fjord, mountains and hiking trails

Modalen lies at the inner end of Mofjord, with steep slopes rising on both sides of the fjord. There is also a sandy beach in Mo, historic art in the village church and regional baked goods. When planning your holiday, you can choose between hikes and viewpoints, nature destinations and places to explore in the village.

Fjord scenery and trails into the mountains

Modalen lies on Romarheimsfjord and the inner Mofjord, which forms the innermost arm of Osterfjord. The landscape rises steeply on both sides of the fjord and the inner valley. It reaches around 1,000 metres above sea level at the head of the fjord and 1,200 to 1,300 metres inland. Near the village of Mo, Kvernhusfossen plunges almost 100 metres vertically. If you are interested in different perspectives on this landscape, there is a viewpoint at Nedstavatnet: beside an old dam above the waterfall, it offers views of the innermost fjord scenery of Osterfjord.

Starting from a shared point in Modalen, you can reach Nedstavatnet after a 30- to 40-minute hike. Another hiking idea is to visit the rock known as The Castle. The two-hour hike there is considered relatively easy and suitable for everyone, including families with children. The rock resembles a pulpit and rises steeply 200 metres above Mofjord. From the summit, you can look down over the village of Mo. The hiking time, views and distinctive rock formation give this destination its own character among the experiences in Modalen.

Stølsheimen and special natural features

Modalen is one of the municipalities that make up the Stølsheimen Landscape Protection Area. Stølsdammen is a commonly used gateway from Modalen into the protected area. From there, a trail leads towards the well-known summer-farm settlements of Solrenningane and Åsedalen. Skavlabu, a self-service cabin run by the Norwegian Trekking Association, is on the high plateau known as the “Roof of Modalen”. From there, you can see across a large part of the Stølsheimen protected area.

Hestabotn is another nature destination: the area is a nature reserve with naturally growing yew. At Otterstadstølen near Mo, you will find the westernmost naturally occurring spruce forest in Northern Europe. These distinctive stands add specific botanical discoveries to the fjord and mountain scenery.

Culture, a swim and village life

In Mo stands Mo kyrkje, a wooden long church dating from 1883. Its altarpiece dates from 1893, and the choir also contains an older altarpiece from 1612. A memorial stone in the village commemorates the poet Olav Nygard. At Mostraumen, where the fjord narrows, there are Bronze Age rock carvings. So a stay here offers not only nature experiences, but also church art, literary history and traces of earlier times.

In summer, the sandy beach in Mo is suitable for swimming. In the centre of the village, the guest harbour at Mobryggja has 72 berths for visiting boats. Bryggjeslottet in Mo includes a swimming pool, bowling alley, library, sports hall, sauna and weight room. When choosing a holiday apartment in Modalen, these different interests can help you decide what to focus on during your holiday: you can plan your stay around hiking and nature, or around swimming and leisure activities in the village.

You can discover local food culture at Sognafloren, where offerings include Modalslefser, potato cakes and flatbread associated with local traditions. Since being restored in 2015, the premises have been used for market days and the sale of baked goods. Aktiv i Modalen also offers bicycle rental. There is a scheduled bus service from Bergen to Modalen, with transfers at Knarvik bus station and in Ostereidet.

You can also discover Nesheim.

For the broader travel overview: Modalen.