Øye: History and Mountain Trails

Øye brings together the history of Union Øye with hiking trails in Norangsdalen and to Slogen. If you’re looking for a hotel in Øye, you can plan your stay based on whether the historic house, the cultural landscape or a mountain hike is your priority. Names and events make the cultural connection tangible, while elevation gain and approximate duration help you gauge how much time a hike will take.

The Cultural History of Union Øye

Since 1891, Union Øye has welcomed kings and queens, writers and mountaineers. Its historic guests included Karen Blixen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Edvard Grieg and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The rooms in the house are named after distinguished guests who spent their summers there.

The building that became Union Øye arrived by ship via the Hjørundfjord in 1891. The historic route from Øye through Norangsdalen to Hellesylt also commemorates a royal journey: after the Norwegian royal couple’s silver wedding anniversary trip in 1993, it was named The Queen Route. Together, the building and the route offer two tangible glimpses into the area’s travel history.

Dining Room and Harbour

The historic dining room at Union Øye serves simple dishes rooted in the local area, the fjord and the earth. It welcomes hotel guests as well as the local community. If you’d like to consider the house’s culinary connection to the area alongside its history, the dining room is a specific place to visit.

Øye boat harbour on the Norangsfjord is a guest harbour. It adds a direct connection to the water to the local attractions around Union Øye.

Cultural Landscape and Lygnstøylvatnet

Øye/Norangsdalen is designated as a B-area within the designated Hjørundfjorden and Norangsdalen cultural landscape. The designation aims to preserve biodiversity, landscape, cultural monuments and cultural landscapes, and to ensure their long-term care and management. Natural and cultural heritage are therefore both objectives of this cultural landscape.

Lygnstøylvatnet lies in Norangsdalen, between Øye and Hellesylt, close to Øye. The lake was formed by a rockslide in 1908. Remains of the old road, the mountain pasture huts’ stone walls and the fence can still be seen in the water. Here, the lake’s formation through a natural event and visible traces of earlier use are found side by side.

Hikes and Time Planning

The summit hike from Øye to Slogen is 3 km long, involves an elevation gain of about 1,500 metres and takes approximately 4 to 5 hours. Consider these figures together: the 3 km distance alone does not indicate how long the hike will take. Also take the elevation gain and approximate duration into account, and check conditions and safety before setting out.

The car park for the Slogen trail is about 1 km east of Øye town centre. As parking regulations may change, check the current situation before your hike.

Another route leads from Øye on the Hjørundfjord via the steep Skylstadbrekka trail to Habostaddalen, in the direction of DNT Patchellhytta. The nearby cabin is a self-service cabin stocked with supplies and has a total of 23 beds. This lets you choose between the summit hike to Slogen and the trail via Skylstadbrekka towards Habostaddalen when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ørsta, Norangsfjorden, Sætre, Bjørke, Sæbø, Barstadvik, Storestandal, Vartdal

Go to the main travel overview: Ørsta.