Øvre Årdal: Copper Mines, Industrial History and Trails

Øvre Årdal can be explored through several distinct themes: an outdoor swimming pool, a walk to old copper mines, hiking and cycling routes, and the Årdal Visitor Centre with its industrial history. If you are planning a stay, you can use these to choose between activities in the town and additional destinations in the wider Årdal destination.

Activities in Øvre Årdal

The outdoor swimming pool in Øvre Årdal has a 50-metre pool for swimmers and two smaller pools for children. This provides different pool sizes for different uses. It is one way to combine a stay in the town with time in the water.

A walk to old copper mines starts at Torget in Øvre Årdal. The mines were fully operational 300 years ago. Along the way, there are views across all of Øvre Årdal, of Årdalsvatnet and towards Bøttejuv. History and scenery come together on the same route, without requiring a visit to another destination.

Tunnelvegen to Tusenmeteren is also popular with hikers and cyclists. For anyone looking for a more demanding option, a route from Øvre Årdal follows Røyrgatevegen. The Tusenmeteren viewpoint offers views of Hurrungane, Bøttejuvet and Utladalen. These different route descriptions help with planning: the more demanding option is explicitly identified, while Tunnelvegen is described generally as a route for hikers and cyclists.

Industrial history at the Årdal Visitor Centre

The Årdal Visitor Centre is located in the old Hydro houses just outside Hydro Aluminium in Øvre Årdal. The exhibition traces the metal industry in Årdal from the 18th century to the present day. Visitors can learn about aluminium production in Årdal and around the world. Other topics include the use of advanced technology in heavy industry, sustainability and the industry of the future.

An old power station dating from 1919 is part of the exhibition. It gives the centre a tangible historical connection within its broader presentation of industry. Check the current visitor arrangements before your visit.

Visitor information and seasonal connection

Øvre Årdal has a staffed tourist information office with free Wi-Fi, information materials and local knowledge. Visitor services are seasonal. The Tindevegsbussen connects Øvre Årdal and Turtagrø in summer. If you plan to use this connection, check the current timetables and operating dates before travelling.

The wider Årdal destination

Årdal lies at the innermost end of the Sognefjord and forms the western gateway to Jotunheimen. Jotunheimen National Park extends across Årdal, covers a total of 1,151 km² and was established in 1980. The Utladalen Landscape Protection Area lies in the municipalities of Årdal and Luster. These geographical connections provide a broader context for travel planning, but describe the wider Årdal destination.

Destinations in the wider Årdal area include Vettisfossen, which has a free fall of 275 metres. It is considered Northern Europe’s highest protected waterfall. The route to the viewpoint starts at the car park in Hjelle: Folkevegen, also known as Vettisvegen, runs for just under five kilometres through inner Utladalen to the farms at Vetti. From Vetti Gard, the path climbs for about an hour to the viewpoint. The route’s just-under-five-kilometre stretch and the subsequent climb are two separate sections.

The Viking farmstead at Ytre Moa is also part of the cultural offering in the wider Årdal destination. It is considered Norway’s most comprehensive known farmstead from the Viking Age, 800–1050. Dagsturhytta Moakamben sits at an elevation of about 245 metres above Ytre Moa and is an accessible place for hikers to eat, warm up and read. Bøttejuvet offers views across Årdal, the fjord and the surrounding mountains.

Make your choices based on what you actually want to do; for the seasonal bus connection and a visit to the exhibition centre, it is worth checking the relevant information in advance.

Discover more destinations: Årdal, Årdalstangen, Seim.

Return to the wider travel overview: Årdal.