On our visit to Norddal we were lucky to be able to visit an event held in the local church. There was a live concert performed by some of the country’s finest accordionists, including Håvard Svendsrud, who is a big name in Norway. The concert was very interesting, with classical pieces from Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and other great composers. The event was in memory of the legendary midwife Jensine Grønningsæter, a lady who served the community in the late 19^th century, and whose devoted work and braveness save many lives, reaching the remote houses, when and where no one else could go.

Going back to the church, this is how I first encountered it and I was just fascinated by the beauty and atmosphere inside.  The wooden church, that still stands and is in immaculate condition, was built in 1782 and was the first octagonal church to be built in the province of Sunnmøre.

There few interesting facts about the church. Before the church we are talking about was build, another, the old stave church, once stood. It was not build on sight but in the village across the fjord called Valldal, and moved to Norddal in some time in the 1620s. Imagine this in that time with no roads and ferries!

When building the new, wooden church, parts of the old stave church were used. The interior of the church is unusually light and spacious with 400 seats. Locals say that in the begging of last century for some reason the walls and ceiling, supports and benches were painted in somber colors; however, by 1981 most of this had been stripped and the church is now been restored to its original state. Just beautiful!

The church has its own organ installed in the 1920s. On the gallery wall there are six old portraits of priests and their wives. The altarpiece includes figures, relief and leaved doors, all painted with great skill and care. The altarpiece we were told, originally came from Germany and was made some 200 years before the church was build.

 

This picture is taken by me from the waters of Norddalsfjorden from a kayak. When in Norddal one of the musts is sea kayaking. You can hire a kayak (or few) from Jon or Inge. Just pop in to the local convenience shop (there is just one in Norddal) and ask for Jon – he’s the shop keeper. He and Inge have a boathouse and rent out kayaks. They both are very experienced kayakers, will provide you with life jackets and will make a quick induction, if this will be the first time kayaking for you. Most of time Jon and Inge are available to accompany you on a sail around the fjord, just ask them.

Jon is a good photographer and takes any opportunity to shoot the wildlife. He will show you the best spots and will recommend the best time of the day when the fjord is calm so you can enjoy the kayaking and take good pictures.

The village of Norddal is host to many farmers. These are mostly people who were born in the village, went to the “big city”, studied and lived there and got back to start their own business and families where they came from.

Traditional animals here are the goats. People keep them in barns during the winter but in wormer months they take them to the summer farm called Herdalssetra, situated in a plateau, 4 kilometres above the village.

The Herdalssetra anidyllic herdal mountain summer farm in that has been operated continuously for more than 300 years. And you can see that from the first minute you are there. The mountain area has a unique setting, there are over 30 old houses (local call them cabins) gathered in a cluster. They are exactly as you van see them on the picture – small, cozy, made of wood only and with roofs covered with grass.

Old traditions are kept alive here: there no electricity, brown and white goat cheese, and authentic goat's-milk caramels are made by hand. Most important of all you have the opportunity to participate in preparation of cheese and later taste special, traditional food, made by hosts.

There are several hundred goats, but also cows, sheep and fjord horses on the farm, making it one of the Norway's largest joint mountain summer farms.

You can come here with your children, they will just love it! It’s a genuine playground here and best way to learn “where the milk comes from”.

For those who like so much and are seeking additional excitement, host provide an overnight accommodation in some of the old cabins (some over 200 years old) or in or in tents outside the farm area. For understandable reasons there is no bathing facilities and no electricity.

Overall, it’s a journey in time, smell, taste and traditions… or just another “must” when in Norddal.

 

Juvet Landscape Hotel is situated in the steep gorge Gudbrandsdalsjuvet in north-western Norway. The hotel is comprised of series of glass-and-wood boxes ( a total of 7 rooms) scattered across a mountainside, surrounding an old farmhouse at Alstad.

Juvet hotel is a result of some sort of high-modern architectural airdrop maneuver. Each stand-alone guest room has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking beautiful, rugged terrain and nothing else. The effect: total immersion in nature. The architects (Jensen & Skodvin Architects) came up with the idea for a landscape hotel whilst designing the viewing platforms at the waterfall Fossejuvet close by.

The interiors, as well as the structure of the buildings is simple and minimalistic, meant to enhance and open up to the nature outside. The hotel is built in a way that does not make any major impacts on the surrounding nature.

Juvet landscape hotel was awarded the Travel+Leisure Design Award 2010 in the category ”The World’s Best Small Hotel”.