At the head of Loenvatnet Lake in the municipality of Stryn, you will find Loen village, bathed in sunlight. Few tourists go on a city break to Loen but many come for tranquillity, nature and peace of mind. The village is sandwiched between rolling hills, steep mountains and the water.
In Norwegian history, Loen is known for the two major landslides on the Ramnefjellet Mountain in the early 1900s. This has greatly affected the surroundings and those who live here are determined not to move away. As a consequence the atmosphere in Loen is both proud and hospitable – the natives are very proud of their village. There is nothing like standing in the centre of Loen, watching the mountains, where the remains of the landslide are still clearly visible as bright areas on the mountainside.
The many charming valleys in the area are perfect for nature lovers and offer the ideal surroundings for hiking, fishing and contemplation. Lodalen is the verdant extension of Europe's largest glacier, Jostedalsbreen. Many types of guided tours to the glacier plateau run from Loen and the views and experience of walking on the glacier are spectacular.
The most common routes up to Jostedalsbreen from Loen go via Bødalsbreen or Kjenndalsbreen, where you can drive a car nearly to the mouth of the glacier. On the glacier you should be accompanied by a guide and skis can be used all year round.
Although Jostedalsbreen is one of the major tourist attractions in the area, there are also other ways in which to enjoy the mountains, one of the most exciting being Via Ferrata Loen, which is a fun, challenging and not least, steep, way of reaching the Hoven peak which towers above the village at a height of 3200 feet.
Depending on your fitness level, the journey will take between 5 and 12 hours and is guaranteed to give you butterflies more than once. And the view is nothing less than breathtaking.
