The historie
The history of Carl A. Hoel and the Valldal Fjord Lodge property
This building was erected in 1919 by Carl Andreas Ingebrigtsen Hoel (1865-1954). He was born on Hoel farm in Valldal, but trained as a master furniture carpenter in Bargen, Copenhagen and Berlin. In 1899 he established a workshop in Bergen and married Marie Jeppesen from a respectable family in Copenhagen. When the building burned down in 1903, Carl was charged with arson and sentenced to 13 years in prison. He was released after 8 years and managed to resume court proceedings. In 1918, he was acquitted and paid compensation of NOK 107,000.
In 1919 Carl then decided to return to Valldal when he bought a large plot of land in Sylte and built a large two-storey, stately villa which he called New Home. The house was furnished with expensive style furniture and two pianos (Marie was a skilled pianist). The entire basement level was a carpenter's workshop and he produced expensive, handmade style furniture. He gradually also took in some summer guests in the spacious house.
Carl was a bit of an eccentric, with a changing, unstable mood. To some he was kind and friendly, to others suspicious and unjust. He had easily acquired habits and wasn't a popular man on Sylte. In 1929, when he and Marie traveled by ferry to Ålesund, the attic in New Home caught fire. The fire was discovered early and quickly extinguished, but Carl was prosecuted for arson again. He was sentenced in 1931 for 18 months. Marie, tired of both the marriage and all the stressful life under Syltefjellet, traveled back to Copenhagen for good. Carl tried several times to get the case brought up again. This eventually led to a new trial in 1951, which ended up with full acquittal for the second time, and a compensation of NOK 29,000. Carl was then 86 years old.
Carl A. Hoel was interested in local history and for many years he tried unsuccessfully to erect a large monument in Valldal dedicated to Saint. Olaf, who traveled through the valley in 1029. He was also a keen writer, and in 1940 published the booklet ”Gamle minner om svundne tider i Valldal” (Old Memories of Lost Times in Valldal). He left behind boxes of handwritten scripts with local historical content, both non-fiction and high-pitched verses praising his hometown. Unfortunately, all his historical works are more or less worthless. Namely, he mixed important knowledge about 19th century Valldal with gross exaggerations, untruths and borrowings from other parts of the country.
After the war Carl sold New Home to the local organization Helselaget and spent his last years at Hoel farm, when he died in 1954.
When the local healthorganisation bought the house, they changed its status to a boarding house and dormitory for schoolchildren. When the healthorganisation announced a competition to find a new name for the building, it was Nickoline Døving who came up with the Fjellro name.
In 1975 the house was sold again, now to Aud and Umberto Minutella, who operated until 1985.
From 1985, operations were done by, Eli Linge and Michael Boatwright. Eli comes from Valldalen, and is a real Syltetaus, from the street here. Mike, is from England, but has been living in Valldal since 1975. Before they bought Fjellro, they ran one of Møre og Romsdal's first ceramics workshops; Jam pottery, with workshop right down the street.
May 1, 2021 took Nina Bauge and Tom Erling Bahus over Fjellro. They made changes both to the rooms and to other parts of the property and concept. They also chose to change the name to Valldal Fjord Lodge B&B.
Based on an article from ”Storfjordnytt” by Randi Flø (18. mars 2015) and other sources
This building was erected in 1919 by Carl Andreas Ingebrigtsen Hoel (1865-1954). He was born on Hoel farm in Valldal, but trained as a master furniture carpenter in Bargen, Copenhagen and Berlin. In 1899 he established a workshop in Bergen and married Marie Jeppesen from a respectable family in Copenhagen. When the building burned down in 1903, Carl was charged with arson and sentenced to 13 years in prison. He was released after 8 years and managed to resume court proceedings. In 1918, he was acquitted and paid compensation of NOK 107,000.
In 1919 Carl then decided to return to Valldal when he bought a large plot of land in Sylte and built a large two-storey, stately villa which he called New Home. The house was furnished with expensive style furniture and two pianos (Marie was a skilled pianist). The entire basement level was a carpenter's workshop and he produced expensive, handmade style furniture. He gradually also took in some summer guests in the spacious house.
Carl was a bit of an eccentric, with a changing, unstable mood. To some he was kind and friendly, to others suspicious and unjust. He had easily acquired habits and wasn't a popular man on Sylte. In 1929, when he and Marie traveled by ferry to Ålesund, the attic in New Home caught fire. The fire was discovered early and quickly extinguished, but Carl was prosecuted for arson again. He was sentenced in 1931 for 18 months. Marie, tired of both the marriage and all the stressful life under Syltefjellet, traveled back to Copenhagen for good. Carl tried several times to get the case brought up again. This eventually led to a new trial in 1951, which ended up with full acquittal for the second time, and a compensation of NOK 29,000. Carl was then 86 years old.
Carl A. Hoel was interested in local history and for many years he tried unsuccessfully to erect a large monument in Valldal dedicated to Saint. Olaf, who traveled through the valley in 1029. He was also a keen writer, and in 1940 published the booklet ”Gamle minner om svundne tider i Valldal” (Old Memories of Lost Times in Valldal). He left behind boxes of handwritten scripts with local historical content, both non-fiction and high-pitched verses praising his hometown. Unfortunately, all his historical works are more or less worthless. Namely, he mixed important knowledge about 19th century Valldal with gross exaggerations, untruths and borrowings from other parts of the country.
After the war Carl sold New Home to the local organization Helselaget and spent his last years at Hoel farm, when he died in 1954.
When the local healthorganisation bought the house, they changed its status to a boarding house and dormitory for schoolchildren. When the healthorganisation announced a competition to find a new name for the building, it was Nickoline Døving who came up with the Fjellro name.
In 1975 the house was sold again, now to Aud and Umberto Minutella, who operated until 1985.
From 1985, operations were done by, Eli Linge and Michael Boatwright. Eli comes from Valldalen, and is a real Syltetaus, from the street here. Mike, is from England, but has been living in Valldal since 1975. Before they bought Fjellro, they ran one of Møre og Romsdal's first ceramics workshops; Jam pottery, with workshop right down the street.
May 1, 2021 took Nina Bauge and Tom Erling Bahus over Fjellro. They made changes both to the rooms and to other parts of the property and concept. They also chose to change the name to Valldal Fjord Lodge B&B.
Based on an article from ”Storfjordnytt” by Randi Flø (18. mars 2015) and other sources
