Hornindal municipality in Norway has approximately 1.250 inhabitants and covers a area of 191,6 km2. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås. On the old, well-travelled tourist route between Sunnmøre and the upper reaches of the Nordfjord lies Hornindal. Nordfjord consists of the municipalities of Stryn, Hornindal, Gloppen, Eid, Bremanger, Vågsøy and Selje. The ski jumper Anders Fannemel holds the world record for longest ski jump at 251,5 meters, which he jumped in Vikersundbakken in 2015.
The Huffington post has Nordfjord as The Most Relaxing Places On Earth.
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. Grodås, the main village in Hornindal, is on the RV 60 at the east end of the Hornindalsvatn (Hornindal Water) which is Europe’s deepest lake 514 metres. Hornindal’s location is ideal as a base for excursions around the district to such attractions as the Briksdal Glacier, National Park Centre – Jostedalsbreen Glacier (Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter), the Geiranger Fjord, Norangsdalen Valley, the West Cape (Vestkapp) and the Stryn Mountains.
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.
HORNINDALS LAKE (HORNINDALSVATNET)
Hornindalsvatnet is Norway´s and Europe´s deepest lake, officially measured to a depth of 514 metres (1,686 ft). The village of Grodås lies at the eastern end of the lake in Hornindal and the village of Mogrenda is located on the western end of the lake in Eid. The E39 highway runs past Mogrenda and the lake. Hornindalsvatnet, the deepest lake and one of the cleanest in Norway, is located partly here and partly in Eid municipality. None of the glacier streams run out into the lake and this has resulted in Europe´s clearest lake. It is possible to swim, row a boat or fish here. The lake is also the site of the Hornindalsvatnet Marathon, held annually in July.
ANDERS SVOR MUSEUM
Characteristic for Anders Svor’s art is its simplicity, purity and authenticity. His works are naturalistic in form, often with a touch of romanticism about them. Excellent visiting exhibitions are also staged in the gallery. The museum have 450 sculptures.
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.
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.
Hornindalsrokken mountain (1.495 metres) The marked track which starts at Horningdalssetra, climbs fairly steeply the last half-hour. The walk takes about three hours one way.
Gulkoppen mountain (1.304 metres) Start in Lida. The path, marked in red, takes you up to the mountain top. Time approximately 2 hours one way.
Middagsfjellet mountain Start in Lidavegen road, drive up to the junction where there is parking. Signposted on up to Middagsfjellet. Time approximately 2 hours one way.
FISHING
The municipalities issue a joint fishing permit for inland fishing that covers more than 500 lakes and rivers. Fishing permits are available for salmon and trout in ten or so river systems. Up the fjord arms and valleys you will find large, deep “fjord lakes” offering good inland fishing. These often have good stocks of trout and char.
The Hornindalsvatnet lake is the deepest lake in Europe, 514 metres deep, and one of the cleanest in Norway and there a lot of fish here. Eidselva river is a good salmon river. 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.