Hjelle: Lake, Mountain Road and Cultural History

Hjelle lies at the eastern end of Oppstrynsvatnet. The lake lies like a mirror between steep mountain slopes; from Hjelle, the view stretches across the valley and up towards the mountains. There is also a historic mountain road, traces of early history and peaceful activities on the water. In Hjelle, landscape, culture and activity come together.

The lake and paths around Hjelle

On the tranquil lake, kayaking, stand-up paddling and rowing are offered as peaceful activities. Along Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, there are various hiking opportunities. These offer different ways to spend your stay: time on the water and hikes through the landscape provide different impressions of the area.

Gamle Strynefjellsvegen begins at the landing stage in Hjelle. Its mountain section is characterised by hand-built walls of carefully hewn stones and long rows of guide stones. Alongside the surrounding scenery, these details give the road a craftsmanship and history of its own.

A road with a history

A road monument in Hjelle commemorates the opening of a section of Strynefjellsvegen in 1894. It is called “Pål-akkorden”. The inscription bears the name of the foreman, Paul Andersen, as well as the names of the rest of the work crew. Gamle Strynefjellsvegen was designated a protected road in 2009.

A much earlier history is also present in Hjelle: an archaeological investigation here uncovered a rarely documented, ring-shaped assembly site from the early Viking Age. The carefully built mountain road and the archaeological find represent different chapters in the history of the area.

The area’s long tradition as a travel destination also goes back a long way: the first tourists arrived in Hjelle by steamboat in the 1890s. Hjelle Hotel was built in 1896 in the Swiss chalet style and is one of the historic wooden hotels in Western Norway; it stands as a testament to early tourism. Gamlebutikken dates from 1882. Coffee and lunch are served there in a local atmosphere.

Segestad and Glomnesfossen nearby

The Segestad farm lies in an open high-mountain landscape on a projecting ridge at the entrance to Glomsdalen. As a cultural treasure, it bears witness to the work and lives of people who settled in remote mountain areas and made their living from the land. The farm also offers a glimpse into the way of life of mountain farmers just a few generations ago.

The path to Segestad starts at Glomnes. From Hjelle, first take an approximately one-kilometre farm access road to get there; the ascent then usually takes about an hour. The approximate access-road length and typical ascent time help you plan how much time to allow for this outing.

The large Glomnesfossen waterfall is near Hjelle, by Oppstrynsvatnet. It is particularly impressive during the spring snowmelt, often well into summer and autumn. Just before the tunnel at Hjelle, the old road branches off to the right; after the hotel, the route crosses the river towards Glomnes. There is a paid car park shortly before Glomnes. From there, hiking trails lead towards Glomsdalen and the Glomnessetra summer farm.

Choose Hjelle as your base for the trip

If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can base your choice on the experiences you want to shape your stay: the tranquil lakeside scenery and water activities, the history of Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, or nearby hiking destinations. Hjelle brings these interests together without requiring the same daily itinerary for all of them. Before you start looking, you can weigh up whether you would rather focus on time by the water, cultural discoveries or paths through the mountain landscape.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Briksdalsbre, Olden, Innvik, Utvik, Stryn, Loen, Blaksæter, Oppstryn.

For the main travel overview: Stryn.