Ulvik in Hardanger is known for its Apple Tree Blossoming, Cider Production and not at least as the home of the poet Olav H. Hauge. But most of all, Ulvik is an idyllic fjord village that is worth visiting all year round.
Ulvik, which is the name of both the village and the municipality, is located northeast and at the innermost part of the Hardangerfjord. Bergen Railway runs through Ulvik Herad, and Finse Station at 1222 masl is also located in the municipality. From fjord to high mountains is therefore descriptive of Ulvik.
Visit Hardangerfjord – Visit Sunnhordland
Visit Hardangerfjord and Visit Sunnhordland are the official destination companies for the Hardangerfjord area.
Cider Cruise on the Hardangerfjord
In summer, you can take part in a Cider Cruise on the Hardangerfjord, where you can combine a fjord cruise in beautiful nature with a visit to some of the local farms along the fjord. The selected fruit and berry farms grow apple trees, plums and sweet cherries and produce short-travelled ciders where you can both taste and buy the local cider products. The cider cruise runs between Eidfjord and Odda and also stops in Ulvik, Lofthus, Aga, Nå and Tyssedal.
Read more on the website of Norway´s best_ for more information about the Cider Cruise, season and booking. Remember that if you want to visit local cider producers, you must book this in advance.
Taste Hardanger
You get the Taste of Hardanger when you visit some of the apple-tree-farms which produce their own cider. At Taste Hardanger you get an overview of the many apple-tree- and cider-farms that you can visit in Hardanger. Some of them are located in Ulvik where you can visit the farms and buy and taste the local cider products. Hardanger Saft og Siderfabrikk, Kveik Brygghus, Syse Gard and Ulvik Frukt og Cideri are all located in Ulvik and are well worth a visit.
The poet Olav H. Hauge
The famous Norwegian poet Olav Håkonson Hauge was born at the farm Hakestad in Ulvik, where he lived all his life. The highlight of his writing is the collection of poems Dropar i Austavind from 1966. The poems “Sleggja” and “Det er den draumen” are two of his most famous poems. Source: Wikipedia. The author Olav H. Hauge has his own Visitor Center down by the fjord in the center of Ulvik, close to Ulvik Church. By appointment, you can also visit the farm at Rossvoll where Olav H. Hauge lived.
It is that Dream – Olav H. Hauge (Translated by Matt Bagguley)
It is the dream we carry
that something wonderful will happen,
that it must happen –
that time will open,
that our hearts may open,
that doors shall open,
and the mountain shall open
that springs will gush forth –
that our dream will open,
and that one morning we’ll glide
into a cove we didn’t know.
Syse Glas – Glassblowing Factory and Outlet in Ulvik
Syse Glas is a Glassblowing Factory and outlet in Ulvik. They have vases, jugs, bowls, lamps, decorative glasses and various drinking glasses, both in different colours and with an engraved Hardanger pattern. Syse Glas does also have an online store.
Fjord Cruise on the Hardangerfjord
In the summer you can experience a great round trip by boat on the Hardangerfjord. The tour starts from Bergen with bus to Nordheimsund and then a fjord cruise from Norheimsund on the Hardangerfjord. The fjord cruise passes the idyllic fjord villages Herand, Utne, Lofthus, Kinsarvik and Ulvik on the way to Eidfjord. The return to Bergen goes back the opposite way. Season: See Go Fjords website.
Activities and adventures with Hardangerfjord Adventure
Hardangerfjord Adventure is an adventure and activity company in Hardanger and the Hardangerfjord that operates from Øystese, Norheimsund and Ulvik. Here you can join a Fjord Safari with Rib-boat and guided hikes and ski trips in beautiful surroundings where you will discover the hidden gems in Hardanger. Hardangerfjord Adventure arranges fixed tours from Øystese, Norheimsund and Ulvik in addition to tailor-made private tours.
The Ulvik Mountains.
Ulvik is a good starting point for many great hikes and Alpine Ski Touring adventures. The hike from Ulvik over the mountains to Granvin is a classic. This was the main road between the two villages until year 1901 (Ulvik and Granvin were previously part of Ulvik Herad Municipality, but Granvin became a separate municipality in 1891). The hike to Mt Oksen is another classic. Oksen is located just outside Ulvik Herad, but is one of many famous hikes in Hardanger. Finse, which is also part of Ulvik Herad, is a great starting point for hikes in the mountains, on bike and on glacier. Video by Elisabeth Sveum.
A Blossoming Adventure in Ulvik and Hardanger
I met my good friend Tor in Bergen, and after an overnight stay there we took the bus from Bergen to Norheimsund. At Norheimsund we boarded the boat that took us on a fantastic fjord cruise on the Hardangerfjord. We visited several idyllic fjord villages along the way before we hopped off the boat in Ulvik. We stayed at Brakanes Hotel and had some wonderful days in Ulvik in mid-May, when the apple tree blossoming was at its most beautiful.
National Tourist Routes in Hardanger
There are two National Tourist Routes in Hardanger, Ulvik is located in the middle between these two beautiful stretches of road. There is only a short distance from Ulvik to both of the two tourist routes.
The 158-kilometer-long Hardanger National Tourist Route passes through the scenic Hardangerfjord area, where for more than a century travellers have come to experience mountains, fjords, waterfalls and glaciers. The area offers many opportunities for hiking, outdoor adventure and culture experiences.
The 67-kilometer-long Hardangervidda National Tourist Route passes through the Hardangervidda National Park and Northern Europe’s largest mountain plateau. The Måbødalen valley and Vøringsfossen Waterfall are two tourist attractions you can see from the road. There might be a chance that the road is closed in short periods during winter.
Finse and Finse Station
Finse and Finse Station are located at 1222 masl and are a perfect starting point for mountain hikes on the Hardangervidda Mountain Plateau, the Aurlandsdalen Valley and for cycling along Rallarvegen (The Navvies Road). Glacier walk on Hardangerjøkelen Glacier is also a popular activity for those who visit Finse. You can only get to Finse by train (Bergen Railway) or by foot and by ski. At Finse you can stay at Hotel Finse 1222 or at DNT Finsehytta.
Bergfallet Rock Avalanche in Osafjorden
In the inner parts of the Hardangerfjord, at the outlet of the Osafjorden tributary fjord, on the Bagnsnes side, a large part of the fjord side has once fallen out. The fracture zone reaches about 100 meters in height, and the shape of the slide scar taken into account there is reason to believe that the zone extends far below the water surface. The place is called Bergfallet or Støkken.
We know that the time from the 16th century to the 1750s was a period of lower temperatures and much rainfall, in Norway as well as in other countries in Europe. The period from the 1600s to the 1750s is also called the Little Ice Age, and was a period when the glaciers in Norway grew a lot. The climatic conditions brought with them various slides and floods. It may well be that the block fell as part of this from the place we now know as Bergfallet.
The Historic Brakanes Hotel in Ulvik
Brakanes Hotel in Ulvik is idyllically located down by the Ulvikafjord and is one of several Historic Hotels in Norway. Brakanes’ history began as early as in 1860, and the hotel has since been expanded at regular intervals. In April 1940, the hotel burned down, but was rebuilt as a boarding house in 1949. The boarding house quickly became too small, and a new Brakanes Hotel was built in 1952. The hotel is today run by the hotel chain Fjordtind, which also has hotels in Eidfjord and Øystese.
The Hardangerfjord Area – What to See and Do
The Hardangerfjord area, the orchard of Norway, is known for Summer Skiing at Folgefonna Glacier and a spectacular fruit tree blossoming in spring. Drive in the Hardanger area and see the Vøringsfossen Waterfall and all the other great waterfalls. Hike the famous Trolltunga Hike or Dronningstien (the Queens Panoramic Trail) in the area around Sørfjorden. Lake Bondhusvatnet and Bondhusbreen Glacier was one of the first places the English tourists visited when they discovered Norway in the mid 1800´s. Join a Fjord Cruise on the Hardangerfjord which is located in the county of Vestland, near Bergen, in the middle of Western Norway.
Accommodation in Ulvik
There are several places to stay in Ulvik and the surrounding area. Here you can read more about accommodation by Ulvikafjorden and Osafjorden.
Brakanes Hotel – Ulvik
Strand Fjordhotel – Ulvik
Hardanger Guesthouse and Camping – Ulvik
Hardanger Panorama Lodge – Ulvik
Ulvik in Hardanger – Map Overview