Skei

Skei is a village in Sogn og Fjordane. It is situated in beautiful surroundings at the Jølstervatnet lake. Surrounded by steep mountains, and the Jostedalsbreen glacier nearby. Skei is the centre of Jølster district and this article covers both.

Understand
Skei village sits in the middle of Sogn og Fjordane county, at the junction of road 5 and road E39 - the two key roads in the region. Jølster lake and its eastern branch, Kjøsnesfjorden, likewise occupies the centre of this rugged and romantic landscape. Jølster lake and Kjøsnesfjorden are looks like and were created like the fjords, except that the ocean does not reach this far. In fact, the lake is more than 200 meters above sea level. The lake's deepest point is some 230 meters. Jølster lake is one of many fjord-like lakes (also known as freshwater fjords) in Sogn og Fjordane county. The Jølster area covers the western corner of Jostedalsbreen glacier and glacial melt water flows through the many rivers of Jølster. The main river is Jølstra that reaches the ocean at Førde. Kjøsnesfjorden is steeper and wilder than the more mellow main lake. Just north of Skei rivers flow north through Breim lake towards Nordfjord.

Virtually all road transport in the area runs through Skei because Jostedalsbreen is a major barrier to the east and the north-south road transport is difficult along the extremely fragmented coast to the west. Skei sits at the upper end of the lake and is the main settlement. Vassenden village sits at the lower end of the lake - "Vassenden" literally means "End of Lake".

By plane
Førde airport, is situated 60 km to the west.

By bus
There are express buses three times a day to Oslo, three times a day to Bergen and two times a day to Ålesund. Local buses to Førde twelve times a day.

By car
Skei is situated at the E39 highway. You can reach Skei along this from Bergen or Ålesund. Or Route 5 from Sogndal.

Get around
The village is rather small so it is possible to walk. But to reach the surrounding attractions a car is necessary.

Taxi:

Go next

 * Fjærland to visit the glaciermuseum.
 * Olden, Loen and Stryn
 * Førde
 * Balestrand via Gaularfjell mountain pass (road 13)