Stryn
Encyclopedia
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
of Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located in the traditional district
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
of Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Stryn which had a population of 2,177 in 2009. The municipality is located along the innermost part of the Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
. Some other villages in Stryn include Loen
Loen
Loen is a village in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located in the inner part of the Nordfjord region. Loen is located about north of Olden and about southeast of the municipal center of Stryn. The lake Lovatnet is located just to the southeast of Loen...
, Innvik
Innvik
Innvik a village and a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. Innvik is located in the present-day municipality of Stryn on the southern side of the Nordfjord. The village is located about west of the village of Olden...
, Olden
Olden, Norway
Olden is a village and urban area in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway.-Location:Olden is located at the mouth of the Oldeelva river in the Oldedalen valley along the Nordfjord. It is about southwest of the village of Loen, about a drive southeast of the municipal...
, and Flo
Flo, Norway
Flo is a small village in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located on the northern shore of the lake Oppstrynsvatn, about east of the municipal center of Stryn...
.
Farming, forestry, fruit growing, animal breeding for furs, small manufacturing industries, tourism, and the service trades provide the main occupations. A wide river enters the town from the east after meandering through the fertile Stryn Valley, from Oppstrynsvatn
Oppstrynsvatn
Oppstrynsvatn is a lake in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located about east of the municipal center of Stryn. The villages of Flo, Oppstryn, and Erdal are located on the shores of the lake.The lake has an area of and is surrounded by many large mountains...
. At the shore of the lake the Jostedalsbreen National Park Centre
Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter
Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter is a visitors center that is located in the village of Oppstryn in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The center is located east of the villages of Loen and Olden, on the shore of the lake Oppstrynsvatn...
is situated. At the east end of the lake the road enters the narrower Hjelledalen and shortly zigzags up some 300 metres (984.3 ft) to the entrance of the first of the three tunnels of the mountain highway leading to Geiranger
Geiranger
Geiranger is a small tourist village in Sunnmøre in the municipality of Stranda in Møre og Romsdal county, in the western part of Norway. It lies at the head of the Geirangerfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord. The nearest city is Ålesund...
and Grotli.
Stryn is known for its all year glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
ing. It is also the home of the footballer-brothers Tore André Flo
Tore André Flo
Tore André Flo is a Norwegian football striker, who plays for the Norwegian club Sogndal. He initially retired after being released by the Milton Keynes Dons in 2009, but announced his comeback in March 2011. His brothers Jostein Flo and Jarle Flo, and cousin Håvard Flo are also professional...
, Jarle Flo
Jarle Flo
Jarle Flo is a retired Norwegian footballer. His position was central defender.During his career he has played for his hometown club Stryn and Sogndal. He is the brother of fellow footballers Tore André and Jostein Flo, and cousin of Håvard Flo.-references:...
and Jostein Flo
Jostein Flo
Jostein Flo is a Norwegian former football player, famous for his physical playing style and aerial dominance.-Biography:...
, who grew up in the village of Stryn, as well as their footballing-cousin Håvard Flo
Håvard Flo
Håvard Flo is a former football player from Norway. He played for Stryn IL and Sogndal, before he left Norway in 1994 and played for AGF, SV Werder Bremen, and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. He returned to Sogndal in 2001. He did a comeback for Sogndal Fotball in 2010.His most successful spell was...
who is from the village of Flo
Flo, Norway
Flo is a small village in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located on the northern shore of the lake Oppstrynsvatn, about east of the municipal center of Stryn...
.
Name
The name (Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Strjónar) originally (probably) belonged to the river of Stryneelva. The name is derived from strjónn which means "(strong) stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is from modern times (1987). It shows a yellow branch of a linden (tilia
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
) on a green background.
(See also coat-of-arms of Lindås
Lindås
Lindås is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway.-Background:The parish of Lindaas was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Masfjorden was separated from Lindås on 1 March 1879. Austrheim was separated from Lindås on 1 January 1910...
)
Background
InnvikInnvik
Innvik a village and a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. Innvik is located in the present-day municipality of Stryn on the southern side of the Nordfjord. The village is located about west of the village of Olden...
was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). The original municipality was identical to the Innvik parish
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
(prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Oppstryn, Nedstryn, Loen, Olden, Innvik, and Utvik.
In 1843 the sub-parishes of Loen, Oppstryn, and Nedstryn were separated from the municipality of Innvik and became a separate municipality named Stryn. The population of Stryn at this time was 2,401.
On 10 January 1922, the area of Raksgrenda was transferred from Innvik to Stryn. The population in this area was 120 at that time.
On 1 January 1965, a merger took place combining the following areas into a new Stryn municipality:
- the municipality of Innvik (population: 3,003)
- the municipality of Stryn (population: 2,982)
- everything east of Navelsaker and Holmøyvik in the municipality of HornindalHornindalHornindal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås.Hornindal was separated from Eid in 1867...
(population: 1,184) - Hopplandsgrenda in the municipality of GloppenGloppenGloppen is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. Gloppen is generally subdivided into three areas: Hyen in the west, Gloppen in the center, and Breim in the east. Each of the areas have their own main service centres. ...
(population: 42)
The new municipality of Stryn had a population of 7,211.
On 1 January 1977, the parts of Hornindal
Hornindal
Hornindal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås.Hornindal was separated from Eid in 1867...
and Gloppen
Gloppen
Gloppen is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. Gloppen is generally subdivided into three areas: Hyen in the west, Gloppen in the center, and Breim in the east. Each of the areas have their own main service centres. ...
that were merged with Stryn in 1965 were transferred to the newly re-constituted Hornindal municipality. The population of Stryn was reduced by 1,202 in this transaction.
Churches
The Church of NorwayChurch of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
has ten churches within the municipality of Stryn. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin
Diocese of Bjørgvin
Bjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
and the Rural Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
(Prosti) of Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
. Stryn is home to two parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es: Innvik and Stryn. There are also two other churches in Stryn that belong to the neighboring Hornindal parish.
| Parish (Prestegjeld) | Sub-Parish (Sogn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stryn Parish | Oppstryn | Oppstryn kyrkje | 1863 | Oppstryn |
| Nedstryn | Nedstryn kyrkje | 1859 | Nedstryn | |
| Loen | Loen kyrkje | 1838 | Loen Loen Loen is a village in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located in the inner part of the Nordfjord region. Loen is located about north of Olden and about southeast of the municipal center of Stryn. The lake Lovatnet is located just to the southeast of Loen... |
|
| Innvik Parish | Innvik | Innvik kyrkje | 1822 | Innvik Innvik Innvik a village and a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. Innvik is located in the present-day municipality of Stryn on the southern side of the Nordfjord. The village is located about west of the village of Olden... |
| Utvik | Utvik kyrkje | 1840 | Utvik | |
| Olden | Olden kyrkje | 1934 | Olden Olden, Norway Olden is a village and urban area in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway.-Location:Olden is located at the mouth of the Oldeelva river in the Oldedalen valley along the Nordfjord. It is about southwest of the village of Loen, about a drive southeast of the municipal... |
|
| Olden gamle kyrkje | 1772 | |||
| Ljosheim kapell | 1924 | Mykløy | ||
| Hornindal Parish* | Randabygda | Randabygda kyrkje | 1916 | Randabygda |
| Nordsida | Nordsida kyrkje | 1973 | Roset | |
| *See also Hornindal Hornindal Hornindal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås.Hornindal was separated from Eid in 1867... municipality, where this parish is headquartered. |
||||
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Stryn, are responsible for primary educationPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
(through 10th grade), outpatient health services
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, senior citizen
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
services, unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
and other social services
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
, economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, and municipal road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
s. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Stryn is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to every four years. For 2007–2011, the partyPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
breakdown is as follows:
Mayor
The mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
(ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Nils Petter Støyva of the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
(Det Norske Arbeiderpartiet) was re-elected mayor for the 2007-2011 term.
Geography
Location
Stryn is located on the northern border of Sogn og FjordaneSogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
county. To the north, Stryn is bordered by the municicaplity of Hornindal
Hornindal
Hornindal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås.Hornindal was separated from Eid in 1867...
(Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
county) and Stranda
Stranda
Stranda is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Stranda....
(in Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county), to the east is Skjåk
Skjåk
Skjåk is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bismo...
(in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
county), to the southeast is Luster
Luster, Norway
Luster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is Gaupne. Other villages include Skjolden, Hafslo, Jostedal, and Veitastrond....
, to the southwest is Jølster
Jølster
Jølster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Skei...
, and to the west is Gloppen
Gloppen
Gloppen is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. Gloppen is generally subdivided into three areas: Hyen in the west, Gloppen in the center, and Breim in the east. Each of the areas have their own main service centres. ...
and Eid
Eid, Norway
Eid is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Nordfjordeid is the administrative center of the municipality. Other larger villages are Mogrenda, Stårheim, Haugen, Kjølsdalen, Heggjabygda, and LoteEid is...
.
Nature
Stryn is world famous for its beautiful scenery with glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s and majestic mountains running into the mirroring fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s and lakes. The most famous glacier is Briksdalsbreen
Briksdalsbreen
Briksdalsbreen is one of the most accessible and best known arms of the Jostedalsbreen glacier. Briksdalsbreen is located in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The glacier lies on the north side of the Jostedalsbreen, in Briksdalen which is located at the end of the...
and it lies in the Oldedalen valley, but the Stryn area offers numerous spectacular valley glaciers including Tindefjellbreen
Tindefjellbreen
Tindefjellbreen is a glacier in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The glacier lies about east of the mountain Skåla, roughly halfway between the villages of Bødalen and Erdalen. The glacier is in the mountains east of the lake Lovatnet and south of the lake...
. Most of the valley glaciers in Stryn are originating from the great Jostedal
Jostedal
Jostedal is a village and a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Luster, about north of Gaupne. The village of Jostedal currently has around 410 inhabitants ....
glacier (Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
) between the Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
and Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
areas.
Ramnefjellsfossen
Ramnefjellsfossen
Ramnefjellsfossen is unofficially listed as the third-highest waterfall in the world in several publications. On the other hand, The World Waterfall Database, which includes all minor and seasonal waterfalls, lists it as eleventh-tallest...
, the third highest free-falling waterfall in the world, is located in the municipality. Stryn also has the largest linden
Tilia
Tilia is a genus of about 30 species of trees native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The greatest species diversity is found in Asia, and the genus also occurs in Europe and eastern North America, but not western North America...
forest in Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. The largest lakes are Oppstrynsvatn
Oppstrynsvatn
Oppstrynsvatn is a lake in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located about east of the municipal center of Stryn. The villages of Flo, Oppstryn, and Erdal are located on the shores of the lake.The lake has an area of and is surrounded by many large mountains...
, Lovatnet
Lovatnet
Lovatnet is a lake in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located about southeast of the village of Loen and about east of Olden. The lake lies just southwest of the mountain Skåla. The water from the lake flows down from the mountains; especially from the...
, and Oldevatnet. The mountains Skåla
Skåla (Sogn og Fjordane)
Skåla is a mountain in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The mountain is located about east of the village of Loen and about south of the lake Oppstrynsvatn. There are two summits to the mountain, one at and one at above sea level. The latter one is sometimes...
, Lodalskåpa
Lodalskåpa
Lodalskåpa is the highest nunatak on the glacier Jostedalsbreen. It is located on the border between the municipalities of Stryn and Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway, within Jostedalsbreen National Park....
, and Høgstre Breakulen are all located in Stryn.
Jostedal Glacier National Park
The Jostedalsbreen National ParkJostedalsbreen National Park
Jostedalsbreen National Park is a national park in Norway that encompasses the largest glacier on the European mainland, Jostedalsbreen. The park was established by royal decree on 25 October 1991, and then in 1998, it was enlarged to the northwest...
has an area of approximately 1310 square kilometres (505.8 sq mi). A breathtakingly beautiful flora and fauna area situated between the fjord and glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
. The museum Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter
Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter
Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter is a visitors center that is located in the village of Oppstryn in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The center is located east of the villages of Loen and Olden, on the shore of the lake Oppstrynsvatn...
is located in Oppstryn.
Briksdal glacier
Visitors from all over the world come to see the beautiful BriksdalsbreenBriksdalsbreen
Briksdalsbreen is one of the most accessible and best known arms of the Jostedalsbreen glacier. Briksdalsbreen is located in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The glacier lies on the north side of the Jostedalsbreen, in Briksdalen which is located at the end of the...
glacier outlet, which is beautifully situated amid waterfalls and high peaks. Briksdal glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
is a part of the Jostedal
Jostedal
Jostedal is a village and a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Luster, about north of Gaupne. The village of Jostedal currently has around 410 inhabitants ....
glacier ice field
Ice field
An ice field is an area less than 50,000 km² of ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes of the world where there is sufficient precipitation. It is an extensive area of interconnected valley glaciers from which the higher peaks rise as nunataks...
, which is the largest glacier on the European mainland. The highest point of the glacier lies at 1950 metres (6,397.6 ft) above sea level and in some places it measures 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) in depth. It is located at the end of the Olden Valley.
Lodalen - Kjenndalen
The impressive scenery and the valley's dramatic history make a visit to Lodalen a special experience not to be missed. On two occasions, enormous rockslides from Ramnefjellet hit the lake below. The resulting flood wave wiped out the settlements of Nesdal and Bødal, killing 135 people. The years 1905 and 1936 will forever remind the people of Inner Nordfjord of the Lodalen disasters.Wildlife
There are many bird species in this area including the Golden EagleGolden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
(Aquila chrysaetos), Rough-legged Buzzard
Rough-legged Buzzard
The Rough-legged Buzzard , called the Rough-legged Hawk in North America, is a medium-large bird of prey. It is found in Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia during the breeding season and migrates south for the winter.The species exhibits a wide variety of plumage patterns...
(Buteo lagopus), and the White-backed Woodpecker
White-backed Woodpecker
The White-backed Woodpecker is a Eurasian woodpecker belonging to the genus Dendrocopos.It is the largest of the spotted woodpeckers in the western Palearctic, 24–26 cm long with wing-span 38–40 cm and has plumage similar to the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but with white bars across the...
(Dendrocopus leucotos). Some of the larger mammals that live in this region are Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), Wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
s (Gulo gulo), and Lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
es (Lynx lynx).
National Tourist Route
The Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is a National Tourist Route, the Rv258, goes from GrotliGrotli
Grotli is a village in Skjåk, Norway. The village is abandoned except for a hotel and some cabins....
, (Skjåk
Skjåk
Skjåk is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bismo...
) (Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
) to Videseter, where a waterfall is, to Stryn (Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
).
Stryn Center
Stryn, a busy and developing small town at the tip of the most northernly of the three short branches at the inner end of Nordfjord, is the local government and shopping centre for a large community and the junction of roads which connect inner Nordfjord with the rest of NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Olden Valley
The southernmost of the three short branches at the inner end of Nordfjord terminates at Olden from which a lovely valley, Oldedalen, goes due south for about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) between slopes rising sharply to more than 1700 metres (5,577.4 ft) to the edge of the Jostedals glacierJostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
.
Olden has two churches. The one in the village was built in 1759 on the site of a Stave church
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
dating from around 1300. Its pews, doors, and jambs are made from timbers of the Stave church. The "new" church, a short distance along the valley, was built in 1934 so that the old church could be preserved.
In nearby Loen
Loen
Loen is a village in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located in the inner part of the Nordfjord region. Loen is located about north of Olden and about southeast of the municipal center of Stryn. The lake Lovatnet is located just to the southeast of Loen...
, the Hotel Alexandra
Hotel Alexandra
Hotel Alexandra is a historic hotel in the village of Loen in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The hotel was opened by Markus Anders Loen under the name Loen's Hotel in 1884, but since 1892 has been in continuous operation under the name Hotel Alexandra. The hotel is...
is a popular tourist retreat.
Innvik and Utvik
On the southern shore of Nordfjord, between Hildaneset and Utvikfjellet, lie the villages of Innvik and Utvik, in the area known as Vikane. The main road (Rv 60) skirts the fjord past Innvik and ascends from Utvik to Utvikfjellet mountain. At Hildaneset, beside the main road, there is a sculpture of Mr. Singer. Mr Singer financed the building of the road.Skiing
Stryn Sommarskisenter is one of Norway's best known skiing facilities. It offeres excellent skiSki
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
ing conditions in the summer, with lifts and tracks for all types of skiing, including Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, Telemark skiing
Telemark skiing
Telemark skiing is a form of skiing using the Telemark turn. Unlike alpine skiing equipment, the skis used for telemarking either have a binding that only connects the boot to the ski at the toes, just as in cross-country skiing, or may be released to only connect there.Telemark turns are led with...
, and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
.