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In-Depth Information
Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Jan.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; laundry service;
nonsmoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: A/C, TV, minibar.
5 Ulvik: Misty Peaks & Fruity Fjord Farms
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149km (93 miles) E of Bergen
Ulvik is a rarity—an unspoiled resort. It lies like a fist at the end of an arm of
the Hardangerfjord, and is surrounded in the summer by misty peaks and fruit
farms. The village's 1858 church is attractively decorated in the style of the
region. It's open June to August daily from 9am to 5pm. Classical concerts, often
presented by visiting chamber orchestras from other parts of Europe, are offered
in summer inside the church. When a concert is to be presented, notices are
posted throughout the town.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE
If you're not driving, you can reach Ulvik by train or bus
from Bergen or Oslo. From either city, take a train to Voss, where you can catch
a bus for the 40km (25-mile), 45-minute ride to Ulvik. Buses run from Voss
daily, five times in the summer, three in the winter. In Ulvik the bus stops in
front of the Ulvik church in the town center. There's no formal bus station.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Contact the
Ulvik Tourist Office,
in the town
center (
&
56-52-63-60;
www.ulvik.org/ulvikinfo). It's open May 15 to Sep-
tember 15, Monday to Saturday from 8:30am to 5pm, Sunday 1 to 5pm; Sep-
tember 16 to May 14, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. The office can arrange
excursions, from trips on fjord steamers to bus tours of the Osa mountains.
SEEING THE SIGHTS
A number of do-it-yourself excursions begin at Ulvik; see the tourist office for
details. They change seasonally and depend on the weather. Our favorite walk is
along the northern tip of the Hardangerfjord, a paradise for hikers. It's home to
some 1,000 people and the continent's largest herd of wild reindeer. Mountain
trout attract anglers to the area. We've been through this area in July when the
cherries ripen, followed in just 3 weeks or so by the most delicious-tasting
plums, pears, and apples. It's a great opportunity for a summer picnic. You can
stop and buy fresh fruit and other foodstuffs at one of the roadside farm kiosks.
The Ulvik area offers some of the best walks in the fjord country. These are
part of what is known as the
Kulturlandskapsplan
, and are divided into four
different walks, including the stone-covered grave mounds at Nesheim and Tun-
heim, the cotter's farm at Ljonakleiv, and a restored country mill in Nordallen
in Osa. The tourist office sells a manual,
Heritage Trails of Ulvik,
outlining
details on all these walks. The same office will provide information about organ-
ized walks on Tuesday and Thursday in summer along forest roads and into the
mountains.
SHOPPING
In the center of Ulvik is the summer-only
Husfidsnovae
(no phone), a small
crafts shop run by locals who spend their long winter nights concocting arts and
handicrafts. For most of them, it's only a hobby; for others, the craft work is a
full-time job. You'll find woven tablecloths and tapestries, Hardanger embroi-
dery, knitwear, crocheted tablecloths, beadworks for Hardanger folk costumes,
ceramics, woodwork, and silver jewelry—all handmade in Ulvik. Hours are
irregular, but give it a try to see if it's open.
