The idyllic fjord village Skjerdal is a hidden gem above the Aurlandsfjord. There you can visit Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café, which is a short-travelled and beautiful summer-experience.
You have to walk from Skjerdal and up to Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café. The prize is that you can enjoy a fantastic view down towards the fjord when you are in the café.
About season and other important information
SEASON – July 1st to August 30th.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROAD TO SKJERDAL – Many of the roads in Western Norway are prone to landslides, especially in rainy and snowy weather. The road between Aurland and Skjerdal is one of these exposed roads. Due to this, it is encourage to avoid driving the road between Aurland and Skjerdal when the weather is bad and there is a lot of rainfall. Take the weather into account, both where and when you drive and when you are out in nature.
Fjord Safari and hike to Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café
You can combine a Fjord Safari on the Aurlandsfjord with a visit to Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Cafè, then you need to walk from the fjord and up to the café. This service is provided by FjordSafari in collaboration with Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café.
Short hike from Skjerdal to Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café
You have to walk from Skjerdal and up to Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café, the hike takes about half an hour.
The hike is steep, so you should wear good mountain shoes and hiking clothes.
This hike goes on a tractor road up through the cultural landscape, with fantastic views of the Aurlandsfjord and the steep mountains around. The hike back to Skjerdal is on the same tractor road as you hiked up.
The pictures from the hike was taken when walking down from the café.
Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café
At the traditional Norwegian mountain farm Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café at Leim in Skjerdal in Aurland, the brown and white goat cheese has been produced for hundreds of years. At the café we experienced the life on the farm and the taste of traditional, local food.
The mountain farm is about 30 minutes hike fromSkjerdal. Follow an old farm road up through the steep landscape, with beautiful views over the Aurlandsfjord and the surrounding mountains.
The Traditional Pasture Farming in Norway was inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage list on December 4, 2024. A great example of traditional pasture farming in Norway is exactly Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café.
Skjerdal Stølsysteri and Café are open between 1st of July and 30th of August. Opening hours everyday from 10 AM to 7 PM in this period. We recommend you to order tour and food/drinks in advance to be sure they have food and drinks ready for you when you arrive the café. See website for more information about the café.
The reason why there is some background noise in the video from the café is because the goats were milked while we were filming. It is the pumps in the milking machines that are making the noise. A good sound in other words …
In the archive of NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) you can see a film about mountain farm life with the Skjerdal family at Skjerdal in Aurland, filmed in 1974.
Hike with a great view to Skjerdal and the Aurlandsfjord
On the same day that we visited Skjerdal, we continued our hike further up the valley above Skjerdal Stølsysteri. This is a nice but steep terrain to hike in, there is a path up to Øystølen, which is the mountain farm at Skjerdal. In this area there is a fantastic view down to the Aurlandsfjord and to the mountains that surround the fjord.
Remember that there are several paths in the area, and that some of the paths split. Here you have to know where to go, it is easy to go wrong.
If you continue further upwards, you will eventually reach the mountain plateau of Aurlandsfjellet. These are the high mountains without trails, if you are not familiar with the local area it is recommended to use a guide in this area.
Øystølen has been used for hundreds of years by those who farm in Skjerdal, and the mountain farm is still in use. In the old days, they milked goats and produced cheese and dairy products on the mountain farm, they transported everything up and down with horses.
Today, sheep graze in the valley and in the area around Øystølen. The goats live around Skjerdal Stølsysteri and are milked there, in the same place as the dairy. There we are not talking about short-travel food, but about non-travel food.
The pictures below show some glimpses of the area between the mountain plateau and Skjerdal Stølsysteri. It was a long and demanding hike, and we walked back down along the same scenic path we went up on.
Skjerdal – Accommodation
SKJERDAL SUMMER HOUSE BYGNINGEN is located at Skjerdal, six kilometers outside Aurland. The unique summer house “Bygningen” overlooks the Aurlandsfjord and the UNESCO World Heritage area. The house lets you experience the fjord life up close.
Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord – What to See and Do
Flåm, Aurland and Gudvangen are perfect starting points for experiences and activities in and around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, two of the world’s most beautiful and dramatic fjords. On July 14, 2005, the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord and the surrounding area were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Geirangerfjord. The Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord are both branches of the 204 kilometer long Sognefjord, which is located in the middle of Western Norway.
Visit Sognefjord
Visit Sognefjord is the official destination company for the Aurlandsfjord, Nærøyfjord and Sognefjord area.
Hotels and accommodation in the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord area
Overview of hotels and other places where you can spend the night in the area around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord.
Sakte – Stay and Explore the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord
“Sakte” is a collaboration between companies that provide adventures, accommodation, dining and short-travelled food- and products. “Sakte” are located in the area around the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord and is an offer for those who want to contribute to a sustainable society in the world heritage area.
