Baggehola

Useful Information

Location:	Stryn On Panorama Road (Rv 613) Nordfjord Nordsida.
Open:	No restrictions. [2009]
Fee:	free. [2009]
Classification:	Neotectonic cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=2 m.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Stryn Tourist Information, Stryn Næringshage - Tinggata 3, 6783 Stryn. Tel: +47-57-874054. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Baggehola (Bagges Cave) is a small hole in the granite rocks above Nordfjord. It is easily found when driving along the Panorama Road (Rv 613) on the Nordsida (northern side).

The Baggehola was named after an old legend about Helje Bagge. Actually the legend is very concise and does not give an exact location. This place was connected with the legend in the middle of the 20th century. Steps and paths were made to allow easy access to the cave.

In the Middle Ages, in the early 16th century, there lived a man named Helje Bagge. He was at the court at Heggdal in Innvik, and killed the bailiff between the heavy table and the wall. So Helje Bagge had to flee as a murderer.

He hid far away in a cave in the Ulvedalsfjellet mountain. For three years he lived here from the forest. His wife, who was loyal to him, rowed over the fjord and left food and other goods at a secret place. When she was gone and no pursuer appeared, he came to get the food.

One day he was offered a chance for pardon. There was a convicted criminal who was in hiding at Selje Monastery. If he killed the man he would be a free man. Helje went to Selje Monastery together with his son, killed the man and was awarded with amnesty.

Old legend.

We found the story rather strange and incomplete, so we have a few guesses what happened. Probably he was accused, for something he was not able or willing to pay. It seems he was quick tempered, and he got very angry during the debate, so he threw the table over towards the judge or bailiff. So what he commited was actually homicide in the heat of the moment. On the other hand ther was a murderer, a killer, who hid from justice in a monastery. In the middle ages, the churches were holy ground, and it was not possible to prosecute someone on holy ground. So actually the jurisdiction was using him to cheat with the curch in this matter.