Discover Ølen: Church, Farmstead and Old Roads

In Ølen, a wooden church, a historic farmstead and old roads tell different parts of the area’s story. Architecture, farming traditions and specific routes give the place a distinctive cultural character.

Church history at the centre

Ølen kyrkje stands in the centre of Ølen, above the E 134, and was built in 1874. It is a traditional wooden long church with 550 seats. It also houses several treasures from the old stave church that stood in Ølen in the 14th century. The church brings together the history of the present-day building and evidence of a much older ecclesiastical past.

Nerheimstunet and farm history

Nerheimstunet in Ølen offers a different perspective on the area’s heritage. It is one of the two original farmsteads on the Nerheim Store farm. The restored farmstead includes a barn, a cowshed, a firehouse, a storehouse and a dwelling house. Together, the different buildings make farm history tangible as an ensemble rather than reducing it to a single house. In the Vindafjord destination, the farmstead at Store Nerheim was probably built around 1660; the buildings have been restored. In Vindafjord, Nerheimstunet is also associated with a pre-Christian pagan temple. A historic meeting place was probably located there as well.

The Postvegen through Ølen also tells of a broader historical connection: it is part of the old postal road between Bergen and Stavanger.

Two different routes

The illuminated Lysløypa in Ølen starts east of the SR-Bank Stadium and follows the Oselva to Hellevadvegen. On the return, it runs along the road to Øvrehagen and Steinbru before returning to the stadium. The Ølen sentrum rundtur circular walk starts behind Ølen’s cultural centre, at the Ølen Båtlag jetty, and passes through the historic centre. The two routes offer different points of reference: the Lysløypa follows the Oselva and returns via the roads mentioned above, while the circular walk starts at the cultural centre and takes in the town centre.

More things to explore in the Vindafjord destination

In the Vindafjord destination, the Vindafjordmuseet focuses on local crafts and economic history, particularly shipbuilding traditions. The museum is set up as a rural farmstead and includes the municipality’s last telegraph station. Those interested in hiking landscapes can also explore Olalia in Vindafjord: the area is used for hiking in winter, summer and autumn. An illuminated path of about five kilometres runs between Oppheim and Fjellstøl; marked trails and ski trails lead to the hiking destinations Hest, Vådli and Staurskar.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your stay. Ølen’s church, Nerheimstunet and the local routes put the emphasis on architectural and farm history, as well as walks around the area. If you would also like to explore craft history or the seasonal hiking landscape, you can include other things to explore in the Vindafjord destination in your plans.

Discover more destinations

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Back to the main travel overview: Vindafjord.