Eidfjord - The power community

Welcome to the beautiful village and power municipality of Eidfjord, which connects perhaps Norway's most magnificent nature destinations: Hardangervidda high mountain plateau, the Hardangerjøkulen glacier, Sysendalen valley, Vøringsfossen waterfall, Måbødalen valley, the river Eio and the Hardangerfjord. The power development has meant a lot for Eidfjord, both in terms of economy and infrastructure that has benefited and continues to benefit residents and visitors. Would you like to hear more about the power development in Eidfjord? Join us on a tour with an audio guide where you can listen to the stories right where they happened.

On the other side of the fjord and 600 meters up on the steep mountainside, you see Kjeåsen, where the farm is situated on a mountain ledge, almost like an eagle's nest. The name of the place is derived from "kje," or small goat kids, probably reflecting the challenging terrain that was most suitable for goats. It was likely not the view or fear of tax collectors that drew the first people there in the mid-1600s, but rather the excellent hunting opportunities and enough land for self-sufficiency. Regardless, it was undoubtedly a challenging life to reside in a place where "no one would believe anyone could live." Kjeåsen was featured in a program in the popular NRK series with the same name. In the beginning, the only way up the steep mountainside was along bolted paths over dizzying rocks, a route for the truly daring. This was the only connection to the outside world and the school route for the children. They carried everything they needed on their backs, and all materials were transported plank by plank. It took 30 years to build one of the houses at Kjeåsen. In 1893 and 1937, it's likely that those at Kjeåsen were safe while Simadalen valley below endured floods that swept away 20 houses, yet no human lives were lost. The farm has been called the "world's most inaccessible," but that has changed. Today, Kjeåsen can be visited by car on perhaps Norway's narrowest and most expensive farm road. The five-kilometer road is open to traffic with designated times for descending or ascending. Check the links below for more information.

Currently, you're facing the Station Hall of the Sima Power Plant, showcasing exemplary Norwegian engineering in hydropower advancement. In terms of total capacity, Sima ranks as Norway's second-largest power plant. After a long political struggle, it was decided to plan two independent waterways, Sy Sima and Lang Sima, where the power would be processed here in Simadalen, with the operations center in Sauda. The work was carried out from 1973 to 1981 and cost nearly three billion kroners at that time. In this area, more than 60 kilometers of tunnels and shafts have been built to draw water from Langvatn, Rundavatn, Rembesdalsvatn, and Sysenvatnet, all lined with stone-filled dam walls. Additionally, the power plant controls the flow of Vøringsfossen, Skykkjedalsfossen, and Rembesdalsfossen waterfalls. The Station Hall is located 700 meters inside the mountain itself; it is 200 meters long, 20 meters wide, and 40 meters high. One could say that the hall could accommodate a residential building of 14 floors, with approximately 450 apartments for 2,000 people. The power plant has an annual production of approximately 3 TWh (3 billion kilowatt-hours). For comparison, this is almost equivalent to the annual consumption of a city the size of Bergen.

Now you drive along the river Eio, which flows between Lægreid, as you see on the right side, and Hæreid, which is situated higher up on the left side. The name Lægreid also means the low plateau, while Hæreid means the high plateau. The municipality had about 1000 inhabitants before the power development began, and then the population nearly doubled. During the construction period, there were jobs and money for everyone, and the period is still referred to as "Klondyke in Eidfjord." At the same time, the municipality took the step from being a poor municipality to becoming one of Norway's wealthiest municipalities in terms of population. While not all villages welcomed the influx of construction workers and the disruptions that came with a prolonged building period, Eidfjord largely embraced the development with enthusiasm. There was close cooperation with municipal and county authorities, leading to the establishment of permanent infrastructure for essential services such as housing, offices, warehouses, and factories, which could be integrated into the local community after construction. Additionally, investments were made in a community center featuring a swimming pool. The development also included the construction of roads up to Kjeåsen and Osafjellet in Ulvik. Even after the construction phase, these roads remain heavily utilized by both local residents and tourists. A large intervention like the power development, of course, left its mark on the environment. And Statkraft did its utmost to restore the landscape where possible.

How about trying a delicious and tender deer stew? Then you can park your car here at the Norwegian Nature Center Hardanger. It's a modern nature and cultural history experience center for the whole family, focusing on Norwegian nature, climate, and environment. Here you'll find three floors of exciting exhibitions, and a modern cinema where the spectacular panoramic film "Norway, My Land" is shown. The Norwegian Nature Center is also the official visitor center for Hardangervidda National Park. Hardangerviddahallen Restaurant & Café is located at the center, where you should take the time to enjoy a meal. The restaurant combines Norwegian culinary culture and history with fresh ingredients from the region, offering dishes such as deer stew and mountain trout. Bon appétit! Check the links for more information and opening hours.

We are now at the Måbødalen Cultural Landscape Museum, which manages the cultural-historical environment in Måbødalen valley. Here, the cultural landscape shows traces of human activity in the valley with the old houses, stone walls, clearance cairns, hayfields, irrigation systems, mountain farming, paths, roads, and bridges. The farmstead at Måbø is a small row of houses with two farms where for the last hundred years there have been two main houses, two barns, and a cooking house along the old packhorse trail that passes through the courtyard. Buildings, paths, and bridges have been restored. The museum has also turned the entire valley bottom into an exhibition area, where 21 information boards convey the history of resource utilization and development in Måbødalen. From the parking lot at Måbø farm, you can hike one of the old trails up from Eidfjord to Hardangervidda, through the historic row of houses and steeply up Måbøberget (also called Måbøgaldane) on the well-preserved approximately 1300 steps and further down to Fossatromma. The hike takes 2-3 hours round trip. Read more about both hikes and the museum in the links below.

Welcome to Fossli Hotel, beautifully situated with a fantastic panoramic view over the legendary Måbødalen valley and Norway's most famous waterfall, Vøringsfossen. The hotel was built in 1891, a full 25 years before Fossli got a road, so the materials had to be carried up by pack horses from Eidfjord. Here you literally walk in the footsteps of the world-renowned composer Edvard Grieg, who was a regular guest at the hotel and wrote, among other things, Opus 66 here. We recommend, of course, to walk down to the viewing platform where you can see the large amounts of water from Hardangervidda plunging 182 meters into Måbødalen valley. Feel free to continue on the great trail system down to the old Vøringfoss bridge from 1915, and back up over the spectacular step bridge. Check the links below for more information.

You are now driving along one of Norway's largest rock-filled dams, and behind the monumental walls lies Sysenvatnet, the main reservoir of Sy-Sima. It is an incredible 81 meters high, 1.16 kilometers long, and the width at the bottom is 248 meters. The dam consists of 3.6 million cubic meters of rock and fill material. At its core, the dam has a moraine that serves as a sealant. It took 6 years to build the dam before it was completed in 1980. The water supply to Vøringsfossen is regulated by the Sysen Dam. During the summer season, there is a requirement for minimum water flow, and this water is also used to increase power production in the Leiro power plant below the Sysen Dam. The dam represents large-scale facilities in the high mountains and advanced power development from the 1970s. It impresses with its size and location. Feel free to stop at the parking lot and enjoy both the view and the fresh mountain air.