This is an old answer to a school assignment. Incorrect and outdated information may occur.
Hjelteryggen, located in Lille-Sotra, is part of Rennedal, which was previously a farm. When Rennedal was first used, it was considered a deserted place, and not a place that was a short trip from the city. Over the course of 400-500 years, Rennedal has lost its reputation as a deserted place without people. Now Hjelteryggen is densely populated.
On the trail of Rennedal
A sharpened step axe has been found on Hjelteryggen that must be from before the 33rd century BC. From what I have found out, there have not been many traces found before the end of the 16th century AD. Until about 1500 BC, agriculture had not played an important role in families. Agriculture in Rennedal did not start until the 16th century AD. Since the end of the 16th century AD, there has been settlement in Rennedal. But it was not until the end of the 20th century that the large-scale migration to Hjelteryggen began. Rennedal was first used as a farm, probably already in the High Middle Ages. In the land register from about 1585, Rennedal is added in the margin. When this was written is uncertain, but it is reasonable to interpret it as Rennedal being a deserted place when the book was first written. The first time a user was mentioned was in 1623. How many people lived on the farm then is also uncertain, but it is reasonable to assume that there were about 4-5 people living on the farm. In 1657, 2 oxen, 5 cows and 4 sheep were registered on the farm.
Rennedal was a cathedral chapter farm. This cathedral chapter farm was the last farm to be established on Sotra. The farm was small, but before 1661 it became a clerical estate. Many farms in Norway were divided into farms. Rennedal only had one farm, due to its size. Some farms were also divided into yards. Then it was common for the yards to be given additional names such as midt-, øvre-, nede-, nordre- and søre-. Again Rennedal was an exception due to its size. This farm was not divided.
Sotra was attacked by epidemics in the 17th century. Famine was also a major problem on Sotra. This caused the death toll to rise. With the help of fishing, most people living along the coast managed to survive the famine, but the epidemics were worse. Since there was little to fight against the epidemics at that time, many of those living on the islands around Sotra and Bergen died. High infant mortality was a third problem, which was also on Rennedal. Rennedal had come out of these difficulties relatively easily, since the farm did not have the same number of inhabitants as the other farms.
Development of Hjelteryggen
Development of Hjelteryggen, as we know it today, began in the 1970s. The landowner who owned Rennedal before 1970 was Harald E. Fjell. Fjell Sparebank, contractor Alfred Andersen, Knarrevikanlegget (now Norwegian Talk) and Knarrevik / Sotra construction company bought up almost all of Rennedal, and a small part of the neighboring farm Våge. The area that had been bought up took its name from Hjeltefjorden, and from that time was called Hjelteryggen in popular parlance. -rygg or -ryggen means something like a ridge, large rock or knoll. Hjeltefjorden was used during the Hjaltland expeditions. Therefore, it is likely that Hjelte- comes from Hjalt, i.e. a man from Hjaltland, Shetland. It was then natural to call Rennedal Hjelteryggen.
After the acquisition, a layout plan for Hjelteryggen was made. This plan was approved in 1970. The zoning plans for Hjelteryggen 1 were implemented in 1974. At that time, some roads, sewer pipes, and other municipal services were built. On May 18, 1975, the first five houses on Hjelteryggen were surveyed. Hjelteryggen grew, and by 1982 almost all the plots on today's southern Hjelteryggen had been acquired. The zoning plans for Hjelteryggen 2 were approved in 1982. This was stage two of the municipal development of Hjelteryggen. At that time, large parts of today's North Hjelteryggen were built. After the municipal development of Hjelteryggen 2 was completed, Hjelteryggen 1 and Hjelteryggen 2 make up the current size of Hjelteryggen's area.
Those responsible for developing Hjelteryggen committed to also building the tunnel. Due to lack of funds, the tunnel project had to be postponed. In the mid-1980s, the Hjelteryggstunnelen was built. Until the tunnel was completed, residents and construction traffic had to use the old road that ran via Knarrevik. This road is narrow and winding, and is still in use by those who live in Knarrevik.
Besides the activity center, the tunnel, the school and the shop are the latest joint developments that have been made in connection with Hjelteryggen. Plans have also been made for Hjelteryggen 3, which would connect Hjelteryggen and Våge. This zoning plan has not yet been approved.
The highest point on Hjelteryggen is Høgafjell. Høgafjellsveien is the only road that goes up to the top. From here you have a great view of Sandviken. From here you also have a good view of Askøybroen and Sotrabroen. There are also good views of Askøy, Våge / Anglevik, Straume, Liafjellet, inland towards Godvik and Flesland. In other words, you can see a lot from here.
To most people, Høgafjell is better known as the Water Tower. At the top of Høgafjell is the pump that supplies the residents of Hjelteryggen with water. This building is called the Water Tower. That is why Høgafjell is also called the Water Tower. The water supplied from the Water Tower is pumped from a supply at Store-Sotra. At the Water Tower, the water is also purified before the water is delivered. The water is carried from the Water Tower to the households through pipelines.
One could say that the Sotra Bridge helped create Hjelteryggen. After the bridge opened in 1971, many people wanted to move to Hjelteryggen. The housing estate is well located for those who work in the city. At the same time, it is an idyllic place. But there are also other sides to the matter.
Housing prices have increased in the housing estate. And the Knarrevik intersection is one of them. It is dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. Drivers coming from Hjelteryggen or Knarrevik have problems crossing the road. The migration to Hjelteryggen and other places west of the Sotra Bridge has led to heavy traffic on the Sotra Bridge. Now the bridge has almost reached its capacity. There are plans for a new bridge or a tunnel that will connect Sotra to the mainland. But these plans have not yet been physically implemented.
Naming
We have seen that Hjelteryggen is composed of the words Hjalt (person from Hjaltland) and rygg (hill). Most of the street names on Hjelteryggen date back to when Rennedal was a farm. An area with a lot of pors hydrangea was named after pors, such as Porsvegen. Storhaugen is an example of a road being named after what the area was previously called.
The name Høgafjellsvegen also shows that the name comes from what the area was like. Høgafjell comes from “høyt” (high) and “fjell” (mountain). In Lambhusbakken there was most likely a barn for both lambs and sheep when Rennedal was a farm. There are also some ponds on Hjelteryggen. These have been named after episodes or what the pond looks like. Langavatnet is, as the name suggests, long and narrow.
Weather, nature and bedrock
The weather, climate and bedrock on Hjelteryggen are not that different from the rest of Sotra. Since the areas are so small and so close together, it is natural that Hjelteryggen in these areas is very similar to many other places on the west coast of Norway.
Since Hjelteryggen is located on the coast, Hjelteryggen therefore has a coastal climate. The winds that come inland along the west coast of Norway bring clouds from the west. Warm air and warm sea are carried up to Western Norway by wind and sea currents. Because of this, the westerners generally get more rain and more even temperatures than elsewhere in Norway. The Gulf Stream also ensures that we get a mild climate.
The rainfall on Hjelteryggen, and the rest of Sotra, is between 3,000 and 4,000 mm. per year. And every year there is rainfall for about 200 days. The temperature is 1-2 degrees Celsius in January and February. In June it is about 14 degrees Celsius on average.
On Hjelteryggen there are mainly two types of rocks. They are gneiss and amphibolite. Both rocks are metamorphic rocks. Both rocks are over large parts of Sotra.
Gneiss is made up of light minerals such as quartz and feldspar. In some cases, it is with granite. Sedimentary rocks and volcanic rocks can also be transformed into gneiss. Since gneiss is built up in several ways, we get different forms of the rock. Island gneiss and banded gneiss are two examples. The municipal rock in Fjell, which is amphibolite, is a dark rock. It is probably transformed from basalt. This rock is the most widespread rock in Hjeltyrynggen besides gneiss.
Heather is the plant that lives most on Hjelteryggen. We can also find moss on rocks, and (un)grass / straw. The only wildlife we can find on Hjelteryggen, besides heather, earthworms and insects, are birds.
During the development of today's Hjelteryggen, old tree roots were found. The roots were found in air-poor bogs, and therefore did not rot. The reason why only these old roots were found, and not the whole tree, could have many reasons. It is said that there was a forest on Hjelteryggen, and that it has been cut down. There may have been a lack of wood, or a high demand for material that caused the cutting down. In recent times, sheep have been walking on Hjelteryggen and grazing on tree buds, so that the trees could not grow back.
Today, you can see trees on Hjelteryggen that have neither been planted nor eaten by sheep. Most of the wild trees on Hjelteryggen are along the seashore.
Today's birdlife on Hjelteryggen is rich. It may be difficult to notice it. Because Hjelteryggen is a housing estate, it is mostly small birds that you see. Small birds such as tits and wagtails did not catch up much before the housing estate was formed. Better access to food prompted small birds to visit Hjelteryggen. Once in a while in the summer you can see seagulls all over the housing estate. Black-throated divers have also been found in the area around Hjelteryggen. You can see that the development of Hjelteryggen has led to the black-throated divers moving from the seaside and further into Lille-Sotra. Whether the black-throated divers still live in the area is uncertain. But some of them were observed not too long ago.
The migration
One could say that the Sotra Bridge helped create Hjelteryggen. After the bridge opened in 1971, many people wanted to move to Hjelteryggen. The housing estate is well located for those who work in the city. At the same time, it is an idyllic place. But there are also other sides to the matter.
Housing prices have increased in the housing estate. And the Knarrevik intersection is one of them. It is dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. Drivers coming from Hjelteryggen or Knarrevik have problems crossing the road. The migration to Hjelteryggen and other places west of the Sotra Bridge has led to heavy traffic on the Sotra Bridge. Now the bridge has almost reached its capacity. There are plans for a new bridge or a tunnel that will connect Sotra to the mainland. But these plans have not yet been physically implemented.
The pictures
Image no. 1, page 1; “Rennedal - from wasteland to housing estate”, taken westward from Drothningsvik
Image no. 2, page 3; “The development of Hjelteryggen”, the shop is the building with the black roof, the school is the building with the red roof.
Image no. 3, page 4; “Water Tower”, from the parking lot in front of the Water Tower. Høgafjellsveien comes in from the left.
Image no. 4, page 4; “Naming”, towards the end of Høgafjellsveien. The water tower is up on the left, outside the image.
Image no. 5, page 5; “Weather, nature and bedrock”, what the weather was like when the image was taken. The image was taken right outside the construction site itself.
Image no. 6, page 5; “Rocks”, taken on the west side of Høgafjell.
Image no. 7, page 6; “Nature and wildlife”, the image was taken in the direction of Våge, an early spring day.
Image no. 8, page 6; “The migration”, taken southwest from Drothningsvik.