Ulvik
Municipality · Vestland
About Ulvik
Hardanger cider farms just above Ulvik village, poet Olav H. Hauge's literature centre, and Finse on the Bergen Railway for the Rallarvegen bike route.
What to do and where to stay in Ulvik
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Olav H. Hauge CentreHistory & culture
By the fjord in Ulvik's old council building, a centre on the fruit-farmer poet who spent his whole life here, with his books, his diaries and hands-on poetry rooms.
Promenaden 7, Ulvik centre · 1 h · Feb–Dec (closed January); Tue–Sun in summer, Tue–Fri otherwise
2Fruit and Cider Route (Apalvegen)Food & drink
A walkable lane from Ulvik centre links three fruit farms – Ulvik Frukt & Cideri, Syse Gard and Hardanger Saft- og Siderfabrikk – each with its own shop and cider.
Apalvegen, just above Ulvik centre · 1–3 h · all year; tours and tastings by arrangement
3Syse GardFood & drink
Family farm on the cider route since 1888 that cures its own fenalår lamb and sausages and serves cider or cured-meat boards in a summer café.
Apalvegen 104, Ulvik · 45 min–1 h · shop six days a week Easter–Christmas; café mid-June to mid-August
4Ulvik ChurchHistory & culture
Church from 1859 with rose painting from 1923 by local artist Lars Osa and a copy of the medieval altar frontal from the earlier church; the original is in Bergen.
Storøyni 6, Ulvik centre · 20–30 min · open daily 1 June–20 August; otherwise via tourist office
5Liavegen and Jobykse viewpointHike
A family hike from the village up the old gravel road towards Jonstølen ends at the Jobykse edge, looking over Ulvik and the Osafjord.
Above Ulvik centre, via the fruit and cider route · about 3 h (300 m up) · spring to autumn
6Osaossete summer farm hikeHike
From the head of the Osafjord a marked path climbs Norddalen past waterfalls and steep Sherpa steps to summer farms by a small lake.
Osa, inner Osafjord · 4–6 h (12 km return, 600 m up) · June to October
7Finse and the Blåisen glacierHike
From Finse station, 1,222 m up on the Bergen Railway with no road in, a 10 km return path leads to Blåisen, an arm of Hardangerjøkulen.
Finse, east end of Ulvik on the Bergen Railway · about 4 h (9.9 km return, 270 m up) plus the train · June to September (blue ice best late summer)
8Rallarvegen from FinseActivity
The Bergen Railway's old construction road runs from Finse at 1,222 m through Ulvik and on past Myrdal down to Flåm in Aurland, a bike route open about July–September.
Finse (start) towards Myrdal and Flåm · 1 day Finse–Flåm by bike, or a short walk/ride from Finse · about 1 July–30 September
9Hardanger Bridge on foot from VallavikLocal oddity
A paved walking and cycle path crosses the 1,380 m Hardanger Bridge high over the fjord, from the Vallavik car park, reached by road via a roundabout inside the mountain.
Vallavik, north end of the Hardanger Bridge (Rv7/Rv13) · 1 h return · all year (snow, ice or wind can affect it in winter)
10Finse, where Hoth was filmedLocal oddity
The ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back was filmed around Finse in 1979; by the station stands a 1914 memorial to Captain Scott.
Finse, Bergen Railway (no road)
Nearby, also among the best for fjords
- EidfjordVestlandFjords (among Norway's best)Quiet & remote (among Norway's best)
- AurlandVestlandFjords (among Norway's best)Viewpoints by the road (among Norway's best)
- UllensvangVestlandFjords (among Norway's best)Hiking (among Norway's best)
- KvamVestlandFjords (among Norway's best)Waterfalls (among Norway's best)