Vaksdal
Municipality · Vestland
About Vaksdal
Dale of Norway's factory museum and outlet, home of the national ski team's sweaters, and the old mountain road through Bergsdalen.
What to do and where to stay in Vaksdal
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Dale of Norway factory outlet and museumHistory & culture
The Dale of Norway outlet, at a textile mill working since 1879, has a free small museum with old knitting machines and the national ski team sweaters made since 1956.
Sandlivegen 2, 5722 Dalekvam (Dale) · 45 min–1 h · all year; 2026: Mon–Fri 9–17, Sat 10–17, Sun closed
2Dalegarden Outlet & CaféFood & drink
Café beside a big outlet near the Dale factory with cakes, baguettes, a dish of the day and homemade raspeballer every Thursday; summer terrace.
Dale industriområde 9, Dale · 30–60 min · All year, open every day; check opening hours before you go
3Bergsdalen road (Fv5400)Viewpoint
The old mountain road climbs from the E16 at Dale up Bergsdalen to Hamlagrø and on to Voss, a 45 km alternative route with DNT cabins and hiking country.
From Dale up Bergsdalen towards Hamlagrø and Voss · 1–2 h drive · summer (check winter road status)
4Fv569, the hand-built roadLocal oddity
A county road built by hand in the 1930s and kept as a cultural-history road, with low tunnels and stone work on the exposed stretches above the fjord.
Fv569 from Dalseid (north of Dale) past Eidslandet towards Eksingedalen and the Modal tunnel · 30–60 min drive · all year
5HesjedalsfossenNature
A split waterfall, said to be about 70 m, falling from the hanging Hesjedal valley towards the Osterfjord, seen from a stone road bridge on Fv569 near Eidslandet.
Fv569 near Eidslandet, facing the Osterfjord · 15–30 min · all year; most water in spring and early summer
6SkipshellerenHistory & culture
A 30 m high rock overhang at Straume where hunters and fishers camped for thousands of years; finds include red deer, seal and wild boar bones.
Straume, south side of the bridge · 30–45 min (0.3 km each way) · all year
7HananipaHike
From Trengereid station a road and marked path lead to the top at just over 700 m, with a 360-degree view over Vaksdal, Osterøy and the Sørfjord far below.
Start Trengereid station, via Skulstadvatnet · about 5 h (15 km return) · mid-April to autumn
8Nesheimsnipa by the 'Stairway to Heaven'Hike
From Yksendal farm a red-graded path climbs Sherpa-built stone steps, the last stretch called the Stairway to Heaven, to the 1,035 m top; 11 km return.
Yksendalen, upper Eksingedalen (Nesheim) · About 5–6 h · June to October
9Stamnes ChurchHistory & culture
White wooden church from 1861 at Stamneshella; the earlier church here was a polling station in 1814, at Norway's first national elections.
Stamneshella, Stamnes · 20 min · all year (interior at services)
10Eksingedalen and Eksingedal stone churchNature
A 50 km farm valley along the Ekso river up to the Stølsheimen mountains, with an 1883 stone church at Flatkvål; Grieg's 'Inga Litamor' uses a folk tune from here.
Eksingedalen, Fv5398 from Eidslandet to Nesheim · 1–3 h drive and stops · all year (upper valley best summer)