Gloppen muncipality in Norway has approximately 5.750 inhabitants and covers a area of 1.027,7 km2. Gloppen towship lies in the middle of Nordfjord. Nordfjord consists of the municipalities of Stryn, Hornindal, Gloppen, Eid, Bremanger, Vågsøy and Selje. A journey along the Nordfjord offers an exceptional variety of scenery ranging from blue glacier arms and towering mountains to fertile valleys and deep lakes, and taking you right out to the coast and the relentless breakers of the Stadhavet sea. The Huffington post has Nordfjord as The Most Relaxing Places On Earth.
The Jostedalsbreen glacier gives the rivers and lakes a special green hue that is found only near the glacier. Here, there is plenty of refreshing water and fresh air for everyone. The noumerous attractions of Nordfjord lie waiting for you. You can take part in some of our many activities or just wander in the sun along white sandy beaches, breathing in the fresh air. Or maybe you would like to explore our cultural history? Regardless of where you are, whether on the glacier or mountains, by the fjord or sea, you will find the small idyllic places that you’ve always been looking for. Such places that you can only see afterwards by closing your eyes.
The main attractions are Fishing in rivers, lakes (130) and the fjord. Hiking in the mountains. “Utsikten” (viewpoint) above Sandane. Russehola at Rygg. Fjordhestgarden (Horses). Nordfjod Folkemuseum in Sandane. Gimmestad old church. Eidsfossen. Old memorial signs from the Vikings (Karnolstunet). Fjordcruise with M/B Breim on Breimsvatnet a big lake 6 km from the campingplace.
BYRKJELO
Byrkjelo is located about halfway between the villages of Sandane and Skei along the European route E39 highway. The village of Re lies about 5 kilometres to the west and the small village of Egge lies about 5 kilometres to the south. Byrkjelo is located near the Jostedalsbreen National Park, the Myklebustbreen glacier, and the Breimsvatn lake. Byrkjelo Stadium is used for several large athletic competitions each year. One of the largest dairy factories in Western Norway is located in Byrkjelo, and it is operated by Tine.
THE FJORD HORSE
The Døla stallion “Rimfakse” was bought in to Nordfjord at the end of the 19th century. The intention was to use him for breeding purposes to make the Fjord horse a bigger and sturdier working horse, but after some time weaknesses became apparent in Rimfakse’s descendants. Their colouring was unattractive and they became bad-tempered. At a meeting in Innvik a decision was made to remove horses of Døla descent from breeding.
The Fjord stallion Njål, sold to Sunnmøre in Rimfakse’s time, was bought back and along with his descendants devoted 100% to breeding. Njål from Oppstryn is therefore reckoned to be the common ancestor of all today’s Fjord horses both in Norway and abroad. You can get better acquainted with these beautiful beasts by visiting one of the riding schools in Nordfjord and letting the Fjord horse itself give you a guided tour of its beautiful realm.
NORFJORD FOLK MUSEUM
Nordfjord district´s museum. The Nordfjord Folkemuseum has a large collection of houses of cultural-historical interest and objects from the whole of Nordfjord, including the characteristic Holvikjekta sea vessel. The district museum for Nordfjord, it has 40 old houses of historical interest, mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. Many of the houses are furnished more or less as they were originally. There is a permanent cultural-history collection and continuously changing exhibitions.
SEA VESSEL
The 60 foot long sea vessel is the last of the traditional passenger/ freight boats that sailed the coatline and fjord in the previous century. Holvikjekta is located outside of Sandane town centre on the main road E-39.
Nordfjord is a traditional district of Norway. The region is located in the northern part of Sogn & Fjordane. The Nordfjord region covers an area of about 4,295 square kilometres.
The fjord is the sixth longest in Norway stretching 106 kilometres from the island of Husevågøy at the mouth to the village of Loen at the other end. The region encompasses the rough coastline of the Stadlandet peninsula to the Jostedalsbreen, Europe´s largest mainland glacier. The region also includes the Hornindalsvatnet lake, Europe´s deepest lake at 514 metres below sea level. The glacier Briksdalsbreen is particularly scenic. The Stryn area provides year-round alpine skiing, and there are numerous old fishing communities along the fjord going back to pre-Viking times.
FISHING
Eidselva river is a good salmon river. There’s also plenty of fish in the Eidsfjord. Nordfjord is a veritable Eldorado for angling in lakes and rivers.
If you are looking for good sea fishing, you cannot do any better than outer Nordfjord. Here you can catch a huge cod or the salmon of your dreams, not to mention other delicacies such as wolf fish and monkfish! The fishing in this area is rich and varied, and it is possible to catch most of the different kinds of fish that live along the coast.
Sea-angling trips are available from Bremanger and Selje. You can take a trip on a fishing boat with a local expert, take a boat out yourself or take your fishing rod out to a headland or some rocks. The whole of the Nordfjord coast is rich in fish and there are plenty of opportunities for angling all year round.
There is great variation here between fjord fishing, fishing in among the islands and skerries and deep-sea fishing. You can catch most kinds of fish in this area. The currents and the nutritional content of the seawater make for unusually rich fishing. The most common species of fish are cod, haddock, saithe, pollack and mackerel. A certain amount of deepwater fish such as tusk and ling are also caught in the area. In Kalvåg in autumn and early winter you can go fishing for crabs, either using crab pots or by raking them directly off the rocks.
GOLF
Sandane Golfclub is a golf course with 6 holes and a variation of difficulties. The course lies close to Gloppenelva river in very nice surroundings.