Discover Bjordal: Hiking and History

Bjordal combines marked hiking routes with a history closely connected to the fjord. Different experiences are at the heart of planning your holiday: a return hike to Systølen, the longer one-way hike via Ulserhaug, and historic sites such as Bjordal kyrkje. The route details help you assess hiking days by distance, duration, and elevation gain; the cultural history offers a different perspective on the region.

Hiking to Systølen

The marked hike from Bjordal to Systølen is a moderately challenging return hike. It is 7.0 kilometres long, takes four hours, and covers a total elevation gain of 397 metres. Along the way, the route follows the lake to Systølen. These figures apply to the entire hike and give you specific points of reference for planning your day: distance, stated duration, and elevation gain together describe this return hike. If you are looking for a hiking day with a clearly defined destination, you can treat Systølen as a hike in its own right and factor the return journey into your plans.

The route via Longåsdalen and Ulserhaug

The moderately challenging Bjordal–Longåsdalen–Vikebygd hiking route via Ulserhaug follows a different format. It is a 12.7-kilometre one-way hike with a stated duration of three hours and 30 minutes and an elevation gain of 652 metres. Its season runs from April to October. The route begins with 3.5 kilometres along a forest or tractor road to Longåsdalen. It then continues alongside Longåsdalsvatnet through flat terrain. These details distinguish this longer hike, which is not described as a return hike, from the Systølen hike. When comparing options for a family holiday, you can consider the route type, stated duration, and elevation gain side by side without treating the two hiking days as equivalent.

The starting point for the route via Longåsdalen and Ulserhaug is a car park in Bjordal near Bjordalstunet; a parking fee applies there. This provides specific guidance for the start of this hike. There is also a separate car park for the hike to Varden: parking is available at Bjordal kyrkje. These details relate to the respective hikes and should not be confused when planning.

Church and fjord history

Bjordal kyrkje is a wooden long church on a hill, with views of the fjord and valley. It was consecrated on 1 November 1906. Its consecration in November 1906 spared the people of Bjordal the arduous church journey across the Sognefjord to Kyrkjebø. The site thus combines a striking church building with a specific change in the religious life of the local community. Those interested in architectural styles and local history will find a different focus here than on the hiking trails.

Jektenaust and Saltebua at Osland also tell the story of the fjord’s significance. Jektenaust is an important testament to the time when the fjord was the main transport route, and thus represents transport history. Saltebua preserves local knowledge of the history of fjord fishing from the period before the mid-20th century. Together, the two sites draw attention to different aspects of life by the fjord: waterborne transport on the one hand and fishing on the other. You can include these themes in your travel plans as a cultural complement to the hikes.

Whether you want to focus on a single hike or on Bjordal’s church and fjord history will influence which experiences matter most during your stay.

More places to discover: Høyanger, Kyrkjebø, Lavik, Vadheim.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Høyanger.