Mystical happenings in the Norwegian valley!

I must admit this valley is the most beautiful I know. If you want to experience a fairy tale scenery, this is it. Norangsdalen is described as the wildest and most spectacular valley in Sunnmøre. The steep mountains, the cultural history and the raw nature are unique. For hikers, divers and tourists this valley is a must see when you are in Norway and Sunnmøre. 

The hill farms named Stavbergsætra og Urasætra

The old houses are built into rocks and the mountains to shelter from avalanches and wind. In the winter the road through this valley is closed most of the time.  Every year avalanches and strong wind hits this area.  The little buildings were built in the mid-1800s and they had farm drift. Stavbergsætra and Ursætra is the two most photographed areas in Norangsdalen. In the last picture you see Urasætra hidden in the middle.

Lyngstøylsvatnet-an exiting dive

When you move through the valley you`ll pass Lyngstøylsvatnet. Many divers have dived down to see the underwater ruins from a massive landslide that happened 24 may 1908.  The rocks from the landslide blocked the river. The houses got buried and the river grew to, the lake Lyngstøylsvatnet. Amazingly no one got hurt, but they lost all they had, as it all got buried. Even today you can see the ruins from the farm on days with clear water.

Hiking

Norangsfjorden and Norangsdalen is a playground for hikers in the summer. The best known are Slogen (1564 metres), Smørskredtinden (1631 metres) and Kvitegga (1693 metres), Saksa  (1073 metres),Råna (1586 metres) and Jakta (1588 metres).  William Cecil Slingsby, E.C. Oppenheimer and C.W. Patchell are famous climbing pioneers who started to climb these mountains over here.  I can see why. The view from these tops are breathtaking and worth a visit.

Råna 1586 metres.

These two photos is from Saksa 1073 metres and the view is stunning all the way round from the top.

Villa Norangdal is a boutique hotel built in 1885. This hotel housed tourists that came to explore the mountains. William Cecil Slingsby was one of them. This hotel is beautifully located in Norangsdalen and a bit off the main road. The surroundings are steep mountains and beautiful Norwegian nature. The hotel was re-restored in 2007. The unique style is from Art Nouveau 1900, Art Deco in 1920/1930, Scandinavian Design in 1950 and Space Age in 1960. I would highly recommend a visit to this hotel.

The unique Hotel Union Øye-The haunted hotel

In the end of Norangsdalen you should pay a visit to the stunning, Hotel Union Øye, opened in 1891. This hotel is one of a kind and you will never forget the atmosphere and beautiful surroundings it offers you. The hotel is one of the most unique I ever stayed in. The 27 hotel rooms is named after famous people who visited the hotel like Keiser Wilhelm II, King Oscar II, Queen Maud and King Haakon, and the writers Karen Blixen, Knut Hamsun, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.

The staff is full of stories about the hotel and you should ask for the Blue Room when you check in. The story says that a beautiful girl named Linda fell in love with a German earl who was on vacation around year 1891. He lived in an unhappy arranged marriage. The love between him and Linda was mutual, and when he was visiting, they lived in The Blue Room. The earl promised to divorce his wife to marry Linda. When he didn`t get the divorce in Germany, the earl took his own life on a boat trip back to Norway. When Linda found out, Linda responded by drowning herself in a river, wearing a wedding dress and flower garland. They say you can still hear Linda crying at nights, photos are being moved around, and you can hear her walking restless around. Some guests prefer to have a bowl of garlic outside the door to keep the ghost away. What would you prefer? 

The Blue Room-Lindas room!

Breakfast view towards the garden!

The garden outside! How beautiful is this? Even on a rainy day :)