Skrikjofossen

Skrikjofossen shares the headwall of the Opo River in Elvadalen near the towns of Ullensvang and Lofthus along Route 13 and the Sørfjord. The falls do not appear to be readily visible from Route 13, but can be easily seen from Lofthus as well as several other locations around the town(s). There are two trails which lead to closer views of the falls; the first begins at Lofthus and climbs to the top of the plateau, offering views of both Skrikjofossen and the uppermost waterfall along the Opo River (we did not attempt this and cannot provide specific directions). The second is more difficult to locate but provides much closer views. Turn off Route 13 at the Church in Ullensvang (this will be about 100m south of the bridge over the Opo River) and head steeply uphill. After about 250 meters, make a sharp left turn (should be the third left, the other two are driveways). Follow this narrow road for about 800 meters to the Dalsbrua (bridge) over the Opo River. The pamphlet we have says parking is found down the hill from this bridge, but we could not find any parking in that area. Instead, turn right immediately after crossing the bridge and drive 150m to a large gravel parking area next to a school (if you are asked not to park there, or signs indicate not to do so, please find somewhere else). From here, walk the gravel road between the school and the river for 1.3km to another bridge over the Opo. Skrikjofossen can be seen above the bridge, but the best views are from the end of the 200m long path signed “Bjødnabykset” on the north side of the river.Skrikjofossen, or just Skrikjo, is a tall two-stepped plunging waterfall found at the head of Elvadalen near the towns of Ullensvang and Lofthus. The falls drop a total of 435 meters (1,425 feet) in two distinct steps with a small series of cascades between the two. The upper step plunge a sheer 130 meters (425 feet), and the lower falls a nearly sheer 265 meters (870 feet), below which the stream continues cascading down an alluvial fan to join the Opo river in the valley below. Due to the small drainage area the flow of the falls is less than significant for the majority of the year, but during the spring and early summer months can be significant. As it is situated adjacent to several waterfalls along the Opo River which are not nearly as prominent, it seems that Skrikjo has frequently been confused for Opofossen in the past. We have commonly seen the height of 660 meters associated with both Skrikjofossen and the neigboring waterfalls along the Opo River which have sometimes been collectively referred to as Opofossen. For such a height to be accurate in the case of Skrikjofossen the talus cascades would have to be included, which does not align with the World Waterfall Database standards and guidelines. Likewise as the waterfalls along the Opo are individually named, attributing that total height to the falls along that watercourse should also be thought of as inaccurate.Skrikjo translates most directly to mean “screamer” in English.