Viksdalen: Hiking Trails, Lake and Cultural Heritage

Viksdalen combines hiking trails, lakeside scenery and places of historical and cultural interest. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay here, you can start by considering which of these interests you would like to focus on: a longer hike, time by the lake or a visit to a historic building. The routes and viewpoints offer different ways to plan your day—from a marked trail up a mountain to paths around the Hestad rest area.

Choose hikes by route type

Fossestien runs from Gaularfjellet via Eldal, Likholefossen, Longstølen and Torsnesstølen to Viksdalen. The route is 21 kilometres long and has an elevation gain of 500 metres. Its surface consists of gravel and compacted earth; along the way, there are several wooden bridges and boardwalks. At Likholefossen, a steel bridge crosses the waterfall and continues to Fossestien. The length, elevation gain and trail conditions provide practical guidance for planning this hike.

Another hike goes from a starting point near Flatheim to Storefjellet. It is 7 kilometres long, marked with red signs by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT), and reaches almost 1,182 metres above sea level. The hike to Knausen starts right at Flatheim and is considered a half-day trip. This gives you two different ways to factor hikes into your stay: a stated route length and summit elevation, or an indication of how long the hike takes.

Lakeside, views and access to Haugaro cabin

There is a bathing beach by the lake near the centre of Viksdalen. On the north shore of Lake Viksdalsvatnet, the Hestad rest area is located in a protected landscape area. Two trails there have seating and information features along the way. From the trail and the Haugaro day-trip cabin, you can enjoy views of the centre and Lake Viksdalsvatnet.

A family-friendly hike leads to Haugaro cabin; the trail is also suitable for strollers. The cabin is universally accessible via a gravel path. If you would like to drive to the cabin, contact the landowner beforehand. For your planning, it is therefore important to distinguish between access on foot and travelling there by car.

Chapel, farm hotel and history

Hestad Chapel lies on a promontory between Hestadfjorden and Lake Viksdalsvatnet. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages. Its location and history make it a cultural point of interest in its own right, alongside hikes and outings to the water.

Flatheim is a small farm hotel in Viksdalen on the Gaularfjellet National Tourist Route. One of Flatheim’s buildings is protected as cultural heritage and contains a 16th-century living room.

Watercourse, fishing and summer festival

The protected Gaular watercourse flows past Flatheim. There are opportunities for hiking along rivers and waterfalls; swimming and fishing are also possible by the water. Fishing is available in the watercourse from the high mountains to the 14-kilometre-long Lake Viksdalsvatnet. Trout is the only fish species found there. The Viksdalen Vilt- og fiskelag (Viksdalen Wildlife and Fishing Association) sells fishing licences along the watercourse on behalf of the landowners.

Every summer, a three-day large-trout fishing festival is held on Lake Viksdalsvatnet, Lake Haukedalsvatnet and Hestadfjorden. If the festival is important to your travel plans, check the specific event dates in advance. Its annual schedule and the bodies of water named here help distinguish this event from the landscape and hiking activities described as available year-round.

Discover more destinations: Skilbrei, Sande in Sunnfjord, Bygstad

Go to the main travel overview: Gaular.