Stranda – school and trade

Industry has a strong base within trades such as furniture and food production, with big companies such as Stabburat and Slettvoll Furniture. (Photo: Halvard Hatlen/Creative Commons)

The town of Stranda is the gate to the Geirangerfjord world heritage area and is a centre for Stranda municipality.

In bygone days, Stranda was the trading centre for people at the end of the Storfjord. Many youngsters from the neighbouring municipalities still choose to come to Stranda to attend upper secondary school. Stranda upper secondary school is one of 7,000 world heritage schools, and offers general studies, sports and several occupational studies. Stranda is also home to the privately-owned Christian boarding school, Vestborg upper secondary school.

The mountain Strandafjellet is a popular recreational area with a ski resort and holiday cabins to the east of the Sunnmøre Alps. Six ski lifts and 12 slopes as well as an off-piste ski area should cover most people’s needs.

From the top of the ski slope, there is a wide, unobstructed view over the fjords and mountains. During the annual Alpine race, 200 participants zip down the 6,200 metre slope from the peak to the fjord.

Agriculture has been losing ground to industry at Stranda in the past few years.

Overvoll golf course is a small course with six holes, situated by the roadside between Hellesylt and Stranda.

Industry has a strong base within trades such as furniture and food production, Stranda being home to large companies such as Stabburet (food products) and Slettvoll Møbler (furniture makers). The well-known furniture factory Ekornes also produced goods at Stranda, but this factory closed down in 2009.

Agriculture has historically been important, but in recent times many farms have closed down. Only 35 per cent of the farms that were working in 1980 are still in operation. But there are also large goat farms that have increased their production.

Stranda has an arts centre for the municipalities at the end of Storfjorden. The inter-municipal company Åknes/Tafjord Beredskap (emergency preparedness) monitor the risk of rockfalls both from Åkerneset in the Sunnylvsfjord and Heggura in the Tafjord. The local newspaper Sunnmøringen’s office is in Stranda and has two editions per week.

The Stranda municipality includes the villages of Geiranger (250 inhabitants), Hellesylt (680 inhabitants), Liabygda (260 inhabitants) and the municipal centre Stranda (3,500 inhabitants).