Bjerkreim – Hiking, Church and River

In Bjerkreim, you can plan a hike with specific local landmarks in mind: the Ramnafjellet circular hike starts at the school, and Bjerkreim Church adds a cultural highlight. The Bjerkreimselva is also part of the character of the place. If you are preparing for your stay, you will find ideas here for an active day and for exploring the wider destination of Bjerkreim.

Ramnafjellet: a clearly defined hike

The Ramnafjellet circular hike is 10.2 kilometres long, with a stated walking time of 4 hours and 10 minutes. It follows a red-marked trail. This gives you a specific time frame for planning your hiking day, rather than viewing the circuit as just a short addition between other activities.

The starting point and parking are at Bjerkreim School. From the E39 in Bjerkreim, follow the turn-off to Lauperak and continue to the school and Bjerkreim Church. This gives you both the starting point of the circuit and the route to get there. The distance and stated walking time provide a clear framework when you are considering how much of your stay to devote to a hike.

Church, organ and the Bjerkreimselva

Bjerkreim Church has a Ryde & Berg Orgelbyggeri Opus 51 organ. The instrument, with 14 stops, was installed in 2001. Anyone interested in churches and music will find it an independent cultural point of interest in Bjerkreim, alongside the hike.

The Bjerkreimselva is a national salmon river. Åsentunet is also nearby in the destination area: the complex includes a dwelling house dating from 1740 and an outbuilding that was rebuilt from approximately the same period. These two historic buildings offer another cultural point of interest, without limiting your stay to just one type of outing.

The wider destination of Bjerkreim

Beyond the local area, the wider destination of Bjerkreim offers further opportunities. There are 520 kilometres of marked trails in total, 420 kilometres of which are in Bjerkreim Municipality. A hiking map shows marked trails through the municipality’s natural and cultural landscape. Compared with the specific Ramnafjellet circuit, this network offers more options for hiking plans; the individual circuit, with its 10.2 kilometres and stated walking time, remains clearly defined.

The Bjerkreimselva is also a point of interest in the wider destination: it has a total of 54 kilometres of fishable waters. At Gjedlakleiva, where the E39 crosses the river, fishing facilities have been adapted for people with disabilities. This fishing opportunity is a regional feature and should not be confused with the marked hike in Bjerkreim.

In winter, Stavtjørn has a ski lift, downhill runs and cross-country ski trails; they are suitable for everyone. M/K Ørsdølen operates tourist services on the 17-kilometre-long Ørsdalsvatnet. The lake is also a starting point for boat trips, hikes, summit trips and excursions to abandoned farms and hamlets. The wider destination therefore offers a range of activities: winter pursuits, trips on the water and outings on foot.

Bjerkreim is one of the five municipalities in the Magma UNESCO Global Geopark; Eigersund, Sokndal, Lund and Flekkefjord are also part of it. Vinjakula lies in the northeastern part of Bjerkreim, on the border with Gjesdal. At 907 metres, the summit is the highest in the geopark; it is described as offering a panorama of a rugged gneiss landscape. The Gloppedalsura Via Ferrata leads into the interior of Northern Europe’s largest boulder field. The circular route is stated to take about 1.5 to 2 hours.

The wider destination also has something for culture enthusiasts: Kløgetvedttunet, a living farm and open-air museum with restored buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. It has no regular opening hours. Tours for groups and individuals can be arranged after contacting the cultural affairs office or service department of Bjerkreim Municipality. Bjerkreimsmarken takes place every year on the last weekend of September in Vikeså, Bjerkreim. The market includes exhibitions of animals and agricultural machinery, music and dancing by local performers, competitions, arts and crafts, and local food offerings. Check the current event dates when planning your trip.

Choose a holiday apartment to suit your travel plans

When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to first decide which experiences you want to shape your stay. A hike on Ramnafjellet makes for a clearly defined day out in the local area; skiing, trips on Ørsdalsvatnet or a visit to Bjerkreimsmarken are part of the wider destination of Bjerkreim.

Discover more destinations: Vikeså.

See the overview of the wider destination: Bjerkreim.