Life along the fjord

Up on the mountainside to the west you can now see Ytste Skotet, one of the most impressive and well-preserved shelf farms in Norway. The farm clings to the steep mountainside high above the Storfjord, without a road or modern conveniences. This was one of many so-called shelf farms – small farms that were located on narrow mountain shelves, often inaccessible and demanding to get to. Life here was hard, but also full of knowledge and adaptation. The farmers cultivated the land on steep slopes, kept livestock, and fetched firewood and water with raw muscle power. Transport was on foot or by boat – often with heavy loads over long distances. In winter, the farms could be completely isolated for weeks. Ytste Skotet was vacated in 1954, but is now restored and operated as a living museum. Here visitors can experience what life was like in earlier times – without electricity, machines or modern aids. All work is done by hand and with traditional tools. When you see the farm from the fjord, it is easy to be impressed by the courage, endurance and ability to survive in the steep and beautiful fjord landscape.