Hennebygda: Rock carvings, fjord paths and old farms

Hennebygda lies in the heart of the Nordfjord, on the Nordfjord. The village combines a landscape that stretches from the fjord to the farms of Ladehaug, 250 metres above sea level, with traces from different eras. This makes for a special mix when planning your trip: you may be interested in a walk by the fjord, designated hiking destinations, or the history of the rock carvings and the old quarry.

Rock carvings and craftsmanship

At Ytre-Hennane, rock carvings are dated to the Bronze Age. Four ship figures can be seen; the largest ship also features lines representing its crew. Other rock carvings on rock faces on both sides of the quay in Hennebygda are attributed to the Iron Age. The two sites offer different insights into the long history of ship depictions in the area.

The Katlafossen quarry is also part of the village’s history. Soapstone was extracted there from ancient times to make cooking pots and similar objects. Around 1730, the stone was also quarried for shipment to Bergen. If you are travelling with children, the different motifs offer plenty to talk about: ships carved into rock, craftsmanship and traces of farming life tell very different stories about the past.

Nearby, at the mountain farm Øvre Åse (Øvreåsane), the remains of a smokehouse dated to 1819 have been preserved. North of Åseneset, between Lote and Hennebygda, there is also a protected deciduous woodland area. It is one of 13 protected deciduous woodland reserves in the former county of Sogn og Fjordane.

A walk or designated hiking destinations

For your visit to the lower part of Hennebygda, you can choose a walk of about an hour; parking is also available. The circular route first follows a forest track and then the village road by the fjord. Along Sjøavegen, you will pass old boathouses. Ytre Hennevika has more old boathouses and an information board about local history, also along the circular route.

If you would like to plan a longer hike, the approximately 8-kilometre Henneskarsvatna/Henneskaret route starts in Hennebygda. It initially follows an old summer-farm track and passes a smithy, a farm barn and a mill. A detour on the approximately 8-kilometre route reaches Indre Hennestøylen, with three summer-farm cabins and two barns. One of the barns is partly in ruins and can make a good photographic subject.

Other designated hiking destinations from Hennebygda include Hennjeskaret and Svartegga; the three summer farms in Hennebygda are also listed as hiking destinations. Another route leads from Hennebygda via the roadless farms of Åsane to Lotsberg. This gives you a choice of different named destinations and route descriptions, without needing to combine them into a single route.

Fjord location and routes into the surrounding area

The journey to Hennebygda has changed over time. The road between Lote and Hennebygda was built from 1976 to 1980; before then, Hennebygda had no road connection until 1980. After that, people in the village could drive to Nordfjordeid. The opening of Fv 698, Panoramavegen, in 2005 also made it easier to travel east towards Hopland and Randabygda, and onwards via Fjelli to Stryn.

Hennebygda is recommended as a detour along the Panoramavegen drive by the Nordfjord, between Blekjesvingen near Stryn and Lote. The landscape and the local routes described here give you a reason to consider more than just a place name when choosing a holiday apartment: Are you mainly interested in a walk past boathouses and local history, or would you like to include several hiking destinations in your trip?

Fruit and berry tradition

Hennebygda has long been shaped by fruit and berry-growing traditions, which are associated with its mild climate. This adds another aspect of local character to the historical and scenic impressions. If you would like to combine culture, walks and regional traditions when planning your trip, you can take these interests into account when choosing where to stay.

Other places at the same level: Heggjabygda, Kjølsdalen, Nordfjordeid, Haus, Stårheim, Eid, Holmøyane and Torheim.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Eid.