Skageflå, Norway

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Skageflå lies on a mountain ledge 250 metres above sea level on the south side of the Geirangerfjorden. The farm has been use since the Middle Ages. In 1873 there was a massive landslide above the farm that destroyed much of the arable land. In order to make clearance easier, Skageflå was divided into two. A brother and sister from Skageflå married a sister and brother from Mollsæter, and all four then settled at Skageflå.

 Skageflå is an abandoned fjord farm that lies in beautiful surroundings above Geirangerfjorden. It became famous when Queen Sonja and King Harald invited more than thirty members of the royal family to lunch at the farm as part of the celebration of their Silver Wedding in 1993. You can visit Skageflå on foot (steep climb) by agreeing a drop-off and collection time with M/S "Geirangerfjord".

Although it was abandoned in 1916, Skageflå was once one of the richer goat farms in Geiranger, and had 2 or 3 mountain pastures for its animals. it is now a tourist attraction. A rock slide in 1873 destroyed much of the cultivated land. From the fjord, the farm has a difficult uphill hike to get to the farm The farm has traditionally been regarded as one of the richest farms in Geiranger. This is due not least to the fertile pastures in Skagedalen. At its maximum, Skageflå could provide pasture for 125 goats.

In the autumn of 1993, a large royal party, led by Queen Sonja, took the road up to Skageflå, where lunch was held for four reigning monarchs and other representatives of most of the royal families of Europe. Those who did not walk were taken there by helicopter. In 2006, Queen Sonja unveiled a World Heritage plaque at Skageflå to mark the inclusion of the Geiranger area on UNESCO's list of the world's natural and cultural heritage.

 Ingolf Molsæter accepted the 2008 'Godt vern' prize from Fortidsminneforeningen, (The Norwegian Society for the Protection of Ancient Monuments), Sunnmøre section, on behalf of the Skageflå Cooperative Society. Fortidsminneforeningen also gave awards to Storfjordens Venner and Atle Ringseth, the project leader, in connection with the work at Skageflå.

The farm was very difficult to access from Geirangerfjorden, and that is one of the main reasons why Skageflå lay abandoned at times. The road from the fjord up to the farm twists its way up the mountainside and runs over a slippery, sloping rock which is almost impossible to cross unless you have something to hold onto. In the old days, wooden poles were set out to help people get by and the story goes how once when the local sheriff was on his way up to Skageflå to collect taxes, the farmer took the poles away and the sheriff had to turn back. In 1855 the municipal council decided to grant Skageflå money to move the road away from the sloping rock or to set up railings along the most dangerous part of the route. More recently, both Skageflå and the road have been restored by an alliance of Storfjordens Venner, the landowners, the Directorate of Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren) and the county of Møre og Romsdal.

How To Get To Skagefla

If you want to get to Skagefla you need to arrive to Geiranger, Norwegia. The Geiranger Fjord (Norwegian: Geirangerfjorden) is a fjord in the Sunnmøre region of Møre og Romsdal county in Norway. It is in the municipality of Stranda. It is a 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) long branch of the Storfjord (Great Fjord). The small village of Geiranger is located at the end of the fjord where the Geirangelva river empties into it. After arrived in Oslo international airport you cn take a bus to goto GeirangerGjord. There are express bus routes from Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen daily to Geiranger. In summer, daily buses to Åndalsnes (Nkr197, three hours) via Valldal leave Geiranger at 1pm and 6.10pm. For Molde, change buses in Åndalsnes; for Ålesund, change at Linge.

If you using boat, The popular, hugely recommended run between Geiranger and Hellesylt (passenger/car with driver Nkr100/210, one hour) is quite the most spectacular scheduled ferry route in Norway. It has four to eight sailings daily between May and September (every 90 minutes, June to August). Almost as scenic is the ferry that runs twice daily between Geiranger and Valldal (adult/child single Nkr160/80, return Nkr250/120, 2¼ hours) between late-June and mid-August.

From mid-April to mid-September, the Hurtigruten coastal ferry makes a detour from Ålesund to Geiranger (departs 1.30pm) on its northbound run only.

Domestic flight connections are good, with direct flights from the largest cities of Norway to Ålesund Airport Vigra and to Ørsta/Volda Airport Hovden. Direct flights to Copenhagen and Riga. Northbound and southbound coastal express Hurtigruten calls daily at Ålesund and Torvik by Fosnavåg, and during summer season you can join daily round trips between Ålesund and Geiranger. Good bus connections to/from most cities and towns in Norway. The train trip with Raumabanen is an experience in itself, from Åndalsnes the "Train Bus" takes you further on to Ålesund & Sunnmøre.

If you choose to get there by plane, Domestic flight connections are good, with direct flights from the largest cities of Norway to Ålesund Airport Vigra and to Ørsta/Volda Airport Hovden. Direct flights to Copenhagen and Riga. Northbound and southbound coastal express Hurtigruten calls daily at Ålesund and Torvik by Fosnavåg, and during summer season you can join daily round trips between Ålesund and Geiranger. Good bus connections to/from most cities and towns in Norway. The train trip with Raumabanen is an experience in itself, from Åndalsnes the "Train Bus" takes you further on to Ålesund & Sunnmøre.

 Skageflå is one of a handful of farms on the slopes of the Geirangerfjord in Stranda, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Skageflå lies approximately 250 metres (820 ft) above the fjord. The farm is a 2 to 4 hour walk from Geiranger, and can also be reached with help of a local sightseeing boat (M/S Geirangerfjord). The boat takes passengers to a spot on the fjord just below the farm, from which point they face a very steep half-hour climb. Coastal Odyssey, a sea kayaking company, runs guided kayaking tours to the farm with interpretation. Directly across the fjord is the old Knivsflå farm and the Seven Sisters waterfall. (Back To GeirangerFjord)

 

Posted in: Norway