Sunndal – Trails, Waterfalls and Cultural History

Sunndal lies between Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park and Trollheimen Landscape Protection Area. Its landscape, hiking trails and cultural sites offer a range of options for planning your trip. The national park has several access points in Sunndal; Grøvudalen and Torbudalen are starting points for hikes into the national park.

Landscape and trails in Sunndal

At Åmotan, rivers from six valleys meet in a fan-shaped river system. Steep cliffs, moraine ridges and river terraces shape the landscape. Marked hiking trails make it possible to experience Åmotan up close.

Vinnufallet waterfall is another striking destination: it originates at Vinnubreen, the largest glacier in Møre og Romsdal, and cascades down the mountain slopes in lower Sunndal in several stages, dropping around 860 metres. At the Holsskeidet rest area on the Rv 70, a constructed path and the Vinnutrappa Sherpa steps run alongside part of the waterfall.

The trails vary in character and difficulty. From the centre of Sunndalsøra, the Drivapromenaden is easy to reach; it follows the river for several kilometres along a constructed gravel path. The climb to Innerdalstårnet, by contrast, is exposed, reaches 1,450 metres above sea level and requires mountain experience as well as some scrambling. These details can help you distinguish between the difficulty levels of the two outings when planning.

Another trail runs along Håsøran from the Sunndal Jeger og fisk area, across a wetland to the marina in Sunndalsøra. At Seljebøvatnet, there is a shelter, fire pits and the option to rent a canoe.

Cultural history and gardens

Leikvin Cultural Heritage Park includes the Sunndal local history museum as a visitor centre, as well as an Iron Age burial ground, a botanical garden, a mill house and Løykja cemetery. The museum was founded in 1935 under the name Leikvin Bygdemuseum and has grown to include 13 buildings that show many facets of Sunndal’s history.

Another garden is Phillipshagen, a rhododendron garden in the British landscape style. The Briton Ethelbert Lort-Phillips created it in the 1890s; the garden contains more than 50 plant species.

The musical play “Lady Arbuthnott – Frua på Elverhøy” is also part of the area’s cultural history. It has been performed annually since 1996 and is now considered Norway’s longest-running musical play. It was written by Lars Ramsøy-Halle and Stig Nilsson; Pål Øverland directs. Yngve Horn handled the choreography, and John Kr. Alsaker the set design.

Sunndalsøra, local speciality and getting here

At the marina in Sunndalsøra, you’ll find the distinctive red boathouses, a designated bathing area and a sauna. A local speciality is Sunndalsgraut: waffles with butter porridge, also known in the Sunndal dialect as “graut og vaffelkak”. It is a staple at celebratory meals; most traditional cafés in Sunndalsøra serve it.

Sunndal is easy to reach via the E6 and the Dovre Line between Trondheim and Oslo. You can travel by plane, bus, train or car. The Aursjøvegen runs from Sunndalsøra to Eidsvåg and passes through the heart of one of Europe’s most important habitats for wild reindeer.

Nearby, Aursjøhytta is a staffed rest stop offering food and overnight accommodation. There are several trails in the area; from there, you can walk out onto the Aursjødammen and see the monument to hydropower development up close. Check the seasonal availability of food and accommodation before your trip.

Discover more destinations

Grøa, Sunndalsøra, Ålvundeid, Ålvundfjord, Øksendal, Gjøra, Herøy, Sande

Return to the main travel overview: More Og Romsdal.