Høyanger: Fjord Landscapes, Hiking and Art

Impressive mountains, beautiful mountain lakes and fjord landscapes define Høyanger. There are also hikes in the Høyangerfjella and art at Byporten. This lets you tailor your stay to different interests: sometimes the landscape takes centre stage, sometimes a cultural excursion. When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to first consider which of these sides of the destination you would most like to explore.

Mountains and hiking in Høyanger

The Høyangerfjella is popular with hiking enthusiasts and offers trails of varying difficulty. One specifically described hike is the Kraftruta over Bergefjell: starting in Høyanger, it is about 13.5 kilometres long, rated moderate and has 700 metres of elevation gain. These details give you several points of reference when choosing: alongside the distance, the difficulty and elevation gain also matter. This makes it easier to assess the hike than one for which only the distance in kilometres is known.

If you enjoy spending time outdoors, you can make the Kraftruta a clearly defined hiking focus. The Høyangerfjella also offers hikes of varying difficulty. This means the region has options with different levels of challenge, though that does not mean every hike is suitable for every person or group.

Art and a guided town tour at Byporten

In Høyanger, Byporten is designated as a cultural heritage site. The Gunnar S. Gallery opened there on 29 November 2018. The gallery houses the Municipality of Høyanger’s collection of original works by Gunnar S. Gundersen. The first floor also has a changing exhibition featuring various artists, organised by the Høyanger Art Association. The exhibition programme may change, so if you are planning a visit, it is worth checking what is currently on show.

A guided town tour in Høyanger is also possible, but must be arranged in advance. Plan this activity with a prior appointment rather than as a spontaneous walk. This makes the tour different from a walk you choose to take on your own: it is a separate activity that needs to be arranged.

Cultural history in the wider Høyanger destination

The Høyanger Industrial Museum is located at Byporten, in the centre of Høyanger, within the wider Høyanger destination. Byporten was completed in 1934 and now houses the museum. The building therefore combines its status as a designated cultural heritage site with its present-day use as a museum. For travellers interested in industrial history as well as art, this offers a distinct cultural focus.

The Vasskraftmuseet in Høyanger was established in 1986 in the former Kraftstasjon 1. A key part of the exhibition is one of the original units, featuring a turbine and generator. The two-day Kraftruta combines the hike over Bergefjell with a town walk through Høyanger. This section shows how the management of the Høyanger aluminium plant built an ideal community and how this gave rise to a distinct industrial culture and architecture. This lets you consider mountain hiking and urban history as different parts of a longer experience.

Another cultural highlight in the wider destination of Høyanger is Høyanger Church. It was consecrated by Bishop Ragnvald Indrebø in 1960 and designed by Arnstein Arneberg and Olav S. Platou. The church is built in the basilica style and has 374 seats. Its stained-glass window depicts Jesus on the cross. The architectural style, the period in which it was built and the image each offer a different perspective on the church: architectural, historical and artistic.

Synkenhytta and trails in the wider Høyanger area

Synkenhytta is a day-use cabin owned by the municipality, located on Høyangerfjellet in the wider Høyanger destination. It is accessible, with a ramp leading into the cabin. Two Hasle canoes, along with paddles and life jackets, are available to borrow free of charge. This adds another excursion option to the hiking and cultural activities. The information about the facilities and access applies specifically to the cabin.

Different route lengths and starting points are given for the walk to Synkenhytta: the longest route is 6.5 kilometres and leads from the car park at Siplo to the cabin. The shortest is about four kilometres and follows the gravel road from “Flyplassen”. Trail conditions may vary; check them before setting out.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can start with your personal priorities: do you want to focus mainly on hiking, or would you like to include art and industrial history? The Kraftruta and the town tour, which is available by prior arrangement, offer different starting points. If you are interested in the tour, include arranging an appointment in your trip preparations.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kyrkjebø, Lavik, Bjordal, Vadheim.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Høyanger.