Sunndal Attractions

Sunndalsøra (pop. 5,000) lies at the head of the Sunndalsfjord, which is enclosed by snow-covered hills. The town has a large power station (290MW) and an aluminum plant. Visitors can visit the fishery research station to discover more about aquaculture. At Sunndalsøra a road branches off and follows the southwest side of the fjord to Eidsvåg (40km/25mi) and Molde (95km/60mi.)

39km/25mi south of Sunndalsøra (2km/1.25mi along the Molde road, then turn left) is the Aursjø (mountain hut at 860m/2,920ft), with one of the largest dams in Norway, from which water is channelled under pressure to the Sunndalsøra power station.

Past Romfo the river Driva is crossed on the Elverhøy bridge. On the far side of the bridge are the Sunndal Bygdemuseum and an Iron Age cemetery area.

Farther down the valley of the Driva is the old manor house of Gravaune, with an interesting collection of everyday objects and old weapons. The road then continues past the Ålbu power station to Lønset (alt. 521m/1,710ft). From here a road goes up the Storlidal, passing the Storfall, to the Storli hut (652m/2,140ft), another good base for climbs in the Trollheim range.

After crossing the county boundary the Sundaal road winds its way down (fine views) to Gjøra. A side road on the left traverses the Jenstadjuv, a gorge with a waterfall, into the Gruvedal (good walking country). The main road continues down the Sunndal following the river, now called the Sunndalselv.

Oppdal (alt. 545m/1,790ft, pop. 3,500) lies in a wider part of Sunndal valley at an important junction where Road 16 branches off E 6 (Dombås-Trondheim) and leads west. Here the Ålma, coming from the east, flows into the Driva. Oppdal is a considerable tourist resort and winter sports center, with a chair-lift and several ski-tows, as well as more than 75km/45mi of cross-country ski trails. There is an interesting district museum, with old houses, store-houses (stabbur) and other exhibits.

Road 70 runs west down the valley of the Driva, passing a Viking cemetery area, and comes in 2.5km/1.5mi to Oppdal church, at the foot of Ørsnipen (1,378m/4,520ft). This 17th century wooden church, with a conspicuous steeple, has 17th and 18th century furnishings (pulpit, altar).

Romfo (alt. 138m/453ft) has a church of 1824; to the west of the village is the Driva power station (140MW). The village of Fale is a good salmon fishing center. Beyond this is Grøa (alt. 100m/330ft); ahead, to the right, can be seen Hovsnebba (1,609m/5,280ft).

At Vognill a road branches off and runs northwest (22km/14mi) to the Gjevilvass hut (700m/2,300ft). From here it is an eight-nine hours walk northwest to the Trollheim hut (531m/1,740ft), from which several peaks in the Trollheim range can be climbed, including Trollhetta (1,614m/5,295ft; there and back seven-eight hours, with guide) and Snota, the highest peak in the area (1,668m/5,473ft; there and back eight-nine hours, with guide).