Emma

Hey! My name is Emma. I'm from Australia but have lived in Bergen, Norway, for the last eight years. I work as a local guide and tour leader for all over Northern Europe. The Hidden North is an online travel guide I have made to help you plan your own visit here.

  • Stave Churches, Vang

    Recreating the Past at Øye Stave Church

    Recreating the Past at Øye Stave Church

    Øye Stave Church has the appearance of an old church. I could almost envision Vikings stepping out of the front door after their service. Øye Stave Church is one of the oldest churches in the country. We do know that stave churches did borrow architectural inspiration from old Viking structures, so it’s plausible. Located just outside the town of Vang and close to the E16 between Bergen and Oslo, Øye Stave Church is a worthy roadside stop for stretching your legs. Its history differs from the other stave churches, and it is a beautiful place to visit. Here’s some info about Øye Stave Church.

    In this article...

    The E16 Highway

    Øye Stave Church is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Vang Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The Church on the Swamp

    Øye Stave Church is one of the smallest and oldest stave churches in Norway. It is likely from some time during the second half of the 12th century. The church is first mentioned in written documents in 1347. It stood by the old traffic road over Filefjell, which was the first road between Bergen and Oslo.

    When the church was originally built, it stood by the lake and the river. This caused issues; the river flooded in the spring. Legend says that the reason the church had to eventually be moved was that it was so swampy that coffins floated up in the spring when there was flooding.

    In 1665, the church was described as being in a poor state of repair and either rotting away or the wind was ripping it apart. It was in bad shape. So, they had to move it.

    Goodbye, Øye Stave Church

    In 1747, Øye Stave Church was torn down. A new church was built further up the hill and closer to the town. Eventually, everyone forgot about Øye Stave Church. After all, Vang Stave Church was sold off to Prussia in 1842. Very few cared about stave churches during this time.

    Rebuilding the stave church (source)

    A Stave Church is Born

    When the new Øye Church was under renovations in 1935, the floor was being replaced. They discovered there were 156 pieces of the old stave church under the floor of the new church. Why they were there is unknown, but architects knew there was enough of the old stave church for it to be rebuilt. So, they did.

    The plot where the Øye Stave Church stands is not the original plot, but it is just as scenic. A reconstruction plan was finalised in 1950, and it took 15 years to rebuild the stave church. They, of course, took inspiration from other stave churches in the Valdres Valley. The pieces used in the stave church were a mix of the original 156 and replicas of pieces. Many parts of the original stave church were taken away to museums in Fagernes and Oslo for preservation. They even used some pieces left over from the restoration of Heddal Stave Church. The new Øye Stave Church was inaugurated in 1965.

    Inside the church (source)

    Architecture & Interior

    The stave church is a simple stave layout with a rectangular shape. There are two carved portals on the stave church, a classic feature, but these are replicas. The originals are in a museum.

    Inside the church, some historic artefacts are kept in the otherwise simple interior. The interior is bare woodwork and very little painting, unlike other stave churches. The floorboards are original, but most of the building material are copies. In the choir is a crucifix from the Middle Ages. The font used for baptising is from the Middle Ages and is carved from one tree. It came from St. Thomas’ Church at Filefjell when that church was torn down in 1808. More about that church on my page about Vang. Lastly, one of the pews may be from the Middle Ages.

    The Church Today & Øye Church

    Today Øye Stave Church is used for weddings and Midsummer mass only. All services take place in the new Øye Church from 1747. Looking at it, you can see the design is inspired by the stave church.

    Information board outside the church (my photo)

    Information board outside the church (my photo)

    Visiting the church

    At the time of writing, Øye Stave Church is not open to the public. Instead, the website says to contact their office. You can find the up-to-date information here.

    Other stave churches in Valdres Valley do open to museums. You can see them both on my page about the E16 and my page about Valdres.

    The church is still worth visiting to see the outside. There is a parking area right in front of the church, and out the front is a sign in English and Norwegian.

    Not a bad place to park 🙂 My photo

    Øye Stave Church is marked on Google Maps and it’s a short drive off the E16. Brown signs lead you to the church.

    There are no facilities here, but you are close to Vang, which has many more options.

    The E16 Highway

    Øye Stave Church is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Vang Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Vang

    The Fascinating History of Vang & the Vang Stone

    The Fascinating History of Vang & the Vang Stone

    If you’re driving on the E16 from Oslo to Bergen, before you cross the mountains, you’ll drive through Vang. At first, it seems like it’s a convenient roadside stop, with cafes, shops and a petrol station. But there’s so much history here! As you approach the town, you’ll start seeing signs to “Vangsteinen” – the Vang Stone – a roadside attraction with a fascinating backstory. Park across the street from it, walk over the road and marvel at this ancient rune-stone.

    This is exactly what we did on our road-trip through Norway in September 2020. I had heard about the stone before and had wanted to see it, and finally, I got my chance. It doesn’t disappoint, as doesn’t Vang. When I went online to learn a little about Vang, it surprised me just how much there is to see here. So, in this article, I’ve provided an overview of what you can see in Vang that’s historical. If you need somewhere to stretch your legs on the long drive, this is the place.

    In this article...

    The E16 Highway

    The Vang Stone is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Vang Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    A Small Town with a Big Story

    The word ‘vang’ comes from an old farm that stood here; this farm is also where the first church stood. Vang, like the rest of the Valdres Valley, was populated by migrants from Western Norway. People have lived in this valley (Vangr means meadow or field) for thousands of years. This is likely due to its proximity between east and west Norway. Vang is by a lake just before the mountain pass to Western Norway and thus made for a good rest stop.

    When Norway was being Christianised, it was Olav the Holy who travelled and converted the villages. For example, in other towns in Valdres, he took the villagers boats and said he wouldn’t give them back until they became Christians. In other towns, he told the villagers: “You’ll become Christian, or I’ll kill you.” Nice guy! Today Olav the Holy is the Saint of Norway, so this method worked for him.

    Vang became the site of a legal court (ting in Norwegian), and the ancient stave church was next to the site. The site was famously used by King Haakon VI in 1368 when he was settling a boundary dispute.

    Vang became part of the ancient royal road between Bergen and Oslo. In the 16th century, it was the postal road, and from the 18th century, it was Kongevegen. Kongevegen was the first road for horse and cart between East and West, and I’ve covered it on my page for the E16. Today, the highway follows the same path as Kongevegen. Still, the town and nearby area became a place where travellers would seek refuge at some point on their journey. Vang also had many churches that proved useful to travellers, which we’ll get to soon.

    Vang Stone (My Photo)

    The Vang Stone

    Okay, so let’s get to the most famous monument in Vang: the Vang Stone. It’s a runestone from sometime around the year 1000. The consensus is that it was erected to signify early Christianity in the region. The Vang Stave Church (I’ll get to it below) stood next to the Vang stone, which further indicates religious importance. On top of the stone is a lion. Some think it represents Norway’s coat of arms, while others think it represents one of the creatures in the pagan religion.

    On the side of the stone it says: “Gåses søner reiste denne steinen etter Gunnar, brorsonen sin”, or “Gåse’s sons erected this stone after Gunnar, his nephew”.

    Fun fact: In Norway, students learn to read runes.

    Vang Stone (My photo)

    Who was Gåse? No one knows. Some think it may be the church or king’s representative, or maybe Gunnar’s death is significant in Norway’s religious history? Maybe Olav got to him? There is a farm further down the E16 called Steinsvoll; it used to be called Gåsedelen. Some think the name came from there, and that the farm may have been a church estate.

    The story of Christianity in Valdres is well-known for being violent and dramatic and is in Snorre’s sagas. Yet, Snorre doesn’t mention any names or places. The Vang stone is the most important object that tells us something about Christianity in Valdres. Sadly, research is lacking in the subject. In 2019, the Valdres newspaper commented on this, pushing for a renewed interest in understanding the stone.

    A Healing Church in the Mountains

    There are many churches in Valdres. Close to Nystua, one of the old Kongevegen lodges is St. Thomas på Filefjell. The name comes from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Beckett, who was killed in 1170 and declared a saint.

    St. Thomas På Filefjell (Source)

    This church was a stave church, and the travellers between east and west would stop there. Once a year, on the 2nd of July, the priest would preach there. People came from all over to attend this service. After all, it was believed they could get cures for their ailments as the splinters from the church timber had miraculous powers. Eventually, a market took place near the church. At this market horses were traded, races took place, there was a lot of drinking and a lot of fighting. The market gained such a bad reputation that the church was torn down in 1808. A new church now stands on the site – it’s from 1971 – but it is nowhere near as charismatic as a stave church.

    Vang Stave Church // Drawing of the stave church from 1841 by F.W. Schiertz // (Source)

    Where is Vang Stave Church?

    As mentioned above, a stave church stood next to the Vang Stone. The church may be from around the same time as Høre and Lomen (1170-1190), but others think it is from around 1300. The site was religiously important, as indicated by the stone. The stave church may have been rebuilt after the Black Death.

    We know very little about the stave church while it was in use, but we know about the drama it caused in the 19th century. The locals didn’t want it anymore. It was small and falling apart, and they wanted a much larger and grander church. The painter Johan Christian Dahl, considered one of the most important national romantic painters of Norway, loved the stave church and did everything in his power to save it.

    First, he tried to get it preserved as a cultural monument in Christiania (Oslo) or Bergen, but they didn’t want it. At this time, around 1840, stave churches were not cool or important. Dahl had a friend, Crown Prince (later King) Frederick William IV of Prussia, and he knew he’d want the church. So, after the exchange of several letters, Dahl convinced Frederick to buy the stave church.

    The church today (Source)

    They dismantled Vang Stave Church around 1842 and transferred to Silesia, now Karpacz in the Karkonosze mountains of Poland. It’s still standing, though heavily renovated to look more like a stave church. If you ever find yourself in Poland you can visit it.

    The church looked like the other stave churches in Valdres. But, the Høre and Lomen stave churches had a raised roof above the central part of the nave, while the stave churches in Vang and Øye had ordinary saddle roofs.

    Vang Church

    Behind the Vang Stone is the Vang Church. It is from 1840 and stood immediately next to the unloved stave church. After the stave church was torn down, the Vang Stone was moved from its original place to stand in front of the Vang Church, where you can see it today.

    Practical Information

    Vang is on the European Highway 16 between Bergen and Oslo, just before/after the mountains depending on the direction you’re going. It’s at the top of the Valdres Valley, a beautiful region known for its stave churches and old farms.

    Where to go

    To the north of Vang is the Jotunheimen National Park, a famous park for hiking or skiing. To the west of Vang is the Filefjellet mountains, which you cross between east and west Norway. Filefjellet isn’t as dramatic as Jotunheimen, but it’s more accessible year-round. The highway through it means there are many places to stop to eat or spend the night.

    Road conditions

    The European Highway 16 is open year-round unless there’s a massive storm or blizzard.

    Where to stay

    There are some campgrounds in Vang, and in the mountains, you’ll find hotels or AirBNB cabins. I recommend spending the night in Fagernes. They have a huge hotel and fantastic open-air museum you need to visit.

    Facilities

    There is a huge petrol station, Yx, with bathroom facilities and hot and cold food options. You’ll find a grocery store (Coop Prix) in town.

    If you want to park your car and walk around, there’s a large parking lot across the highway from the Vang Stone.

    Tell me what you think!

    As you can see, Vang is more than a town to fill up the petrol before crossing the mountains. It has a story, a unique history, and some great monuments to see. Take the time to explore this cute little town before continuing your journey.

    If you have done this drive or have any questions for me, let me know in the comments.

    The E16 Highway

    The Vang Stone is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Vang Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Stave Churches, Valdres

    Lomen Stave Church

    Lomen Stave Church

    If you are driving on the E16 between Bergen and Oslo, Lomen Stave Church is by the highway. Located in the historic Valdres Valley, this church has stood here since the 12th century. In the summer months, it is open to the public, where you can go inside and marvel up-close at the medieval detailing. It’s not as famous or as ‘stave-y’ as some other churches, I know, but it’s located in a gorgeous place and bears many similarities to churches like Borgund. Here’s some info about Lomen Stave Church.

    In this article...

    The E16 Highway

    Lomen Stave Church is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Fagernes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The Building

    Lomen Stave Church

    Lomen Stave Church is from around the year 1192. It has many similarities to nearby Høre Stave Church. They were likely built around the same time. The church is a pillar stave church, meaning the main room has four supporting stave beams. The style and decoration of the church is part of the “Valdres-Sogn” stave churches. This groups many of the churches from Valdres Valley and around the Sognefjord that have the same features. Considering the old King’s Road used to run through the valley to Sogn, they likely shared design tips.

    Like all stave churches, Lomen Stave Chuch has fallen victim to modernisation and renovation. The choir is from a major renovation in the 1750s. During this time, the walls were also expanded to make the main room larger.

    During the last refurbishment, archaeological excavations uncovered 71 artefacts, including jewellery and coins. The oldest coin found here is from King Sverre’s time, 1177-1202.

    Details around the portal (source)

    Today the church, neighbouring bell tower and cemetery are under protection. Many original features of the church remain, despite major renovations. The most illustrative are the portals, which have decorations of dragons, vines, and animal heads. Some of the portals have moved around the church, but they do date back to medieval times. These kinds of decorations are common on Valdres-Sogn stave churches. The roof and wall timbers are also original.

    Interior

    Little remains of the original church on the inside. This is because the pieces are now either in a museum in Oslo or the Folkemuseum in Fagernes. There is a medieval chest leaning towards the wall in the choir. A rune inscription on the chest is still visible. There is also a Madonna head inside; it is a plaster copy of the original from the 1200s. The original is in the Valdres Folkemuseum.

    The interior is painted green from the major renovation in the 1800s. Today, the interior reflects the period between 1750-1850.

    Around the Church

    Lomen Stave Church is located on the western part of the valley. Close by is the old traffic road through the village. No one has been buried in the church for over 100 years; the graves here are very old.

    Visiting Lomen Stave Church

    Today the church is used for weddings and church services during the summer.

    It is open as a museum from late-June to mid-August on weekends. Admission costs 60 NOK for adults. Up-to-date info can be found here.

    There are no shops nearby. With parking, You park further down the hill and have to walk up-hill on a path to get to the church. The photos above were taken from near the parking lot, so you can see how far away the church is.

    The nearest place to stay is Fagernes.

    The E16 Highway

    Lomen Stave Church is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Fagernes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Fagernes, Valdres

    Fagernes: The Perfect Stop on Your Road-trip

    Fagernes: The Perfect Stop on Your Road-trip

    If you’re driving away from Oslo towards Bergen or the mountains, you may end up passing through Fagernes (Far-ger-nez). At first, it looks like a standard town with a shopping mall, a huge hotel, and tiny main street. However, Fagernes is worth stopping in. It’s the main town in the traditional district of Valdres and is proud of its rich cultural traditions. There’s an excellent museum, walking paths, and festivals here to take advantage of.

    In September 2020, when I was on my 10-day road-trip around Norway, we stopped in Fagernes for the night. We were between seeing the Numedal Valley and the Valdresflye Scenic Road. We absolutely loved Fagernes and had a lot of fun wandering through the town. Here’s a collection of things I learned about Fagernes during my visit, as well as what you should do in the town and where you can go from there.

    In this article...

    The E16 Highway

    Fagernes is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Fagernes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The Pretty Headland

    Fagernes is not an ancient town, though it is likely farming has been taking place here for thousands of years. Most of the town was underwater until the 18th century. The farms were high on the hillside and the lake Fagernes sits on was much deeper than it is today. When the lake began to retreat, a town emerged. The name means ‘pretty headland’ (Fager = pretty and nes = headland) and it certainly is.

    If you drive on Kongevegen (E16) you’ll see signs just like this at roadside stops

    A Perfect Spot on the King's Road

    The Valdres Valley is part of the King’s Road (Kongevegen), the old road between Bergen and Oslo. The road was built through the valley in the late 1700s and was the most important road in the country. It was also the first road where people could drive a horse and cart between the east and the west. It replaced the old track from the Middle Ages and postal road from the 17th century.

    Because of this position, Fagernes emerged as a trading town around 1857. Otto Stuve (1822-1871) is considered to be the founder of Fagernes, and one of the first names for the town was Stuvenes. He came to the area in 1857 when there was not much here and bought a plot of land. With this land, he built a lavish country store and hotel building. Eventually, others came to the area to establish a small trading business. The downtown area still has many of the old businesses. There are English-language signs on each building explaining its history. Sure, the English version is just a short overview of what the Norwegian part of the text says, but it’s still something.

    Examples of the signs you’ll see on buildings (My Photo)

     

    Tourism is an important industry

    Again, thanks to the King’s Road, Fagernes grew almost immediately as a tourist town. We also have Otto Stuve to thank for this; he did build the first hotel, after all. After his sudden death, his brothers inherited the property and quickly sold it off. The hotel then changed hands many times.

    It was the Fosheim family who gave the hotel some much-needed love. Ole Fosheim bought the property around 1882 and sold it to his son, Lage, who was 23 years old. With his wife Guri, they operated the hotel for 56 years until retiring in 1938. During that time the hotel was expanded and gained notoriety for its facilities and its great location.

    Sadly, the hotel burned down in 1946 and everything in the oldest part was destroyed. Fagernes Hotel did not operate for another 20 years. In 2000, it became the Quality Hotel & Resort Fagernes, and now it is known as Scandic Valdres. It is where we stayed on our trip and I highly recommend it. More on that further down.

    Outside the Valdres Folkemuseum (My Photo)

    Valdres Folk Museum

    The must-see of Fagernes is its open-air museum. I know, travelling around Norway shows that almost every town has an open-air museum. Trust me, the Valdres Folkemuseum is one of the best. Founded in 1901, the museum contains 95 houses and constructions with around 20,000 items. It is currently the fourth-largest Norwegian outdoor museum.

    If you visit in summer, you’ll be treated with folk music festivals, theatre performances and more.

    Some of the buildings inside the museum are very old. For example, Hovistabburet is from the 13th century and has an unusual room called the virgin room. Handeloftet is the main farmhouse from the period 1530-1640. The buildings are beautiful and from the Valdres valley, so they are worth checking out.

    A Town Rich in Traditions, and Rakfisk

    As you can see from the Folkmuseum, Fagernes is proud of its cultural traditions. They have a unique bunad design, dialect, and are well-known for their folk music. Every year the Jørn Hilme Festival takes place. It’s Norway’s oldest folk music festival and is named after the most famous fiddler from Valdres.

    Another important tradition here is the production of rakfisk, a fermented and salted fish. The fish used is typically trout or char, which you can fish in the lakes. It is fermented over two or three months, or even up to a year. It’s eaten without cooking and has a salty flavour and strong smell. You’ll see signs on the road with farmers selling rakfisk, or you can attend the Rakfisk Festival in Fagernes. Each year, they crown a rakfisk champion. The festival usually takes place in November. Click here to view their website.

    Fagernes is proud that there are many summer farms in the surrounding area, and you can visit many of them yourself. There, the farmers give an overview of the old Norwegian farming traditions. This is a great opportunity to see the real Norway. Click here for more info.

    Fagernes (My Photo)

    Close to Norway's Natural Beauty

    The biggest reason people come to Fagernes is because of its proximity to some of Norway’s most beautiful places. Fagernes has good connections to the Valdresflye Scenic Road, the Jotunheimen National Park, the West Norwegian fjords and the Gudbrandsdalen Valley. The nearby resort Beitostølen is famous in Norway for its great skiing facilities, and is very popular in the winter. In the summer, people come here to hike the king’s road.

    Vesleøya

    There are places to walk in Fagernes itself. The town sits on the lake Strandefjorden. There’s a walking path that goes along it from Scandic Valdres to the Folkemuseum and beyond.

    In Eastern Norway, you’ll see a lot of lakes called ‘fjords’. In Norwegian, fjord can mean many different types of bodies of waters, and they don’t necessarily have to be connected to the sea.

    From this walking path, you can take a bridge over to an island called Vesleøya, which is absolutely beautiful.

    The most popular hike in Fagernes is to Kvitberg, a historic farmstead high on the hill that was inhabited until 1936. The remains are still there today. It’s a hard but short hike, and the signs start from the tourist information office. Click here for more info.

    Where to stay

    As mentioned above, Scandic Valdres is by far the largest hotel in the area. While it is a little dated, we found the hotel to be clean, cosy, and the staff to be incredibly friendly and helpful. There’s a lovely restaurant inside (where you can try rakfisk) as well as a bar. Almost every room has a lovely view. There’s a huge parking area outside, and you’re a stone’s throw from walking paths and the Folkemuseum. Also, in 2019 the hotel won the prize for having the best breakfast in Norway. I can attest to this; the breakfast is great.

    There is a camping ground located in Fagernes right next to the Folkemuseum. If you don’t have a caravan, they have very cute cabins with private bathrooms from 795 NOK for a night.

    Many people from Oslo own cabins in Valdres. If you want to experience Norwegian cabin life I recommend getting on AirBnB and finding a Norwegian cabin.

    Where to go from here

    As mentioned above, Fagernes is in a good spot with road connections to many wonderful places. Fagernes is on the E16 (European Highway 16) which follows the King’s Road from Oslo to Bergen. If you keep following the E16 you’ll reach Vang before crossing the mountains to Borgund, where you can see the famous stave church. From there, it’s easy to get to Flåm and Bergen.

    If you follow the E16 towards Oslo and then turn-off and follow the Fv33, you reach Lake Mjøsa, the largest in Norway and home to popular towns like Hamar and Lillehammer. From there, it’s a short drive to the Gudbrandsdalen valley.

    If you follow the Fv51 south, you reach Gol and eventually Geilo, Norway’s oldest ski town. There you can cross the Hardangervidda Plateau to Eidfjord and the Hardangerfjord, the second-longest fjord in Norway.

    Lastly, and what we did, is follow the Fv51 north. You’ll reach Beitostølen, the popular ski resort, and then be at the Valdresflye Scenic Road, one of Norway’s national tourist roads. On the other end of this road is the E15, which links you to Geiranger and the famous Geirangerfjord. Or you can continue on the E6 to the E136 and onto Åndalsnes (a very famous road with Trollstigen) or towards Trondheim.

    After we did Valdresflye, we crossed over to Gudbrandsdalen before making our way to Røros. Just note that the Fv51 closes in winter.

    As you can see, there are so many options from Fagernes. It’s a great stopover town when leaving Oslo and heading into the countryside. Spend the afternoon and night in Fagernes, and on the next day continue onto somewhere wonderful in Norway 🙂

    You can see my videos of the drive from Fagernes to Vang (the King’s Road) and then from Beitostølen to Gudbrandsdalen on my YouTube channel. Hopefully, I’ll be able to record more videos of the area, just got to convince the husband we need to do another road-trip!

    The E16 Highway

    Fagernes is a stop on the E16 highway. You can find my guide to the E16 by clicking the link below. 

    The E16 Highway
    Fagernes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Geilo, Hallingdal, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Seeing Double at Torpo Stave Church

    Seeing Double at Torpo Stave Church

    If you’re driving on the E7 between east and west Norway, Torpo Stave Church is one of the best roadside stops on the eastern side. The town of Torpo itself is a little sleepy and lacking in things to do, but the stave church is a true highlight. After all, it is one of the oldest stave churches in the country. It is the only preserved stave church in the traditional district of Hallingdal. It’s unique as the new church stands immediately next to it. It creates this intriguing juxtaposition between old and new church architecture in Norway.

    I have been to Torpo Stave Church a few times; I always make an effort to have my groups see it when we are driving on the E7. However, in September 2020 on my road-trip, I decided to make a quick stop there to take some photos. The church wasn’t open due to it being off-season. Still, I got some great photos of the outside and did a little research on the church.

    Here’s what you need to know about Torpo Stave Church for your visit.

    In this article...

    The Rv7 Highway

    You can reach Torpo Stave Church by taking the Rv7. You can find my guide to theRv7 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv7 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    One of the oldest stave churches in Norway

    Torpo Stave Church
    Visiting Torpo Stave Church

    An early photo of the two churches together // Thomhav, C. Christensen (1857-1937) // Riksantikvaren

    There is a little back and forth about when Torpo Stave Church was built. Some say it was constructed around 1160, others say it may be closer to the end of the 12th century. In any case, it’s certain that Torpo Stave Church was the first church in Hallingdal and is the only preserved church. It’s also believed there was an older church on this site before the stave church, furthering the importance of Torpo Stave Church.

    According to a rune inscription, a man named Torolf built the church. A person with the same name is listed as the builder for Ål Stave Church. Ål is the next town over if you’re driving towards Oslo. Its stave church was torn down. The plank with the rune inscription is in the Historical Museum in Oslo, but you will see other inscriptions on the church. If you take a guided tour, the staff will highlight it. At the time, Hallingdal (the valley) belonged to the diocese of Stavanger. There is a rumour that one of the bishops of Stavanger is buried under the church, but it is just a rumour.

    There is another stave church surviving from Hallingdal, Gol Stave Church (Gol is a major town on the E7). However, Gol Stave Church now stands at the open-air museum (Folke Museum) in Oslo. There used to be many more churches in the valley, but they were all demolished at one point or another.

    Torpo Stave Church
    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    Changes from the Reformation onwards

    After the Reformation, when Norway went from being Catholic to Lutheran, all stave churches underwent huge changes. Common for all churches is the addition of pulpits and pews. Windows were added later on. All the windows on Torpo Stave Church are from the 17th century. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the church was richly decorated. When the Preservation Society bought the church, they removed these decorations.

    From 1725 onwards, Torpo Stave Church had private ownership.

    Details of the tarring on the church exterior

    Preservation for Ancient Norwegian Monuments takes over

    In 1851, Norway introduced a new law that affected stave churches. The law required that all churches have enough seating for 30% of the village’s population. Towns tore down their stave churches, as they didn’t meet the requirement. After all, we only have 28 of the original 1,000 remaining. In 1875, Ål Municipality took over Torpo Stave Church with plans of renovating it to accommodate the new law. When the Preservation for Norwegian Ancient Monuments heard of this, they knew it would damage the church’s original appearance. So, they set out to buy it. They tore down the choir while financial negotiations were underway. In 1880, the Preservation purchased the church. They took out all the post-Reformation decorations and kept everything in the remaining church original.

    Gorgeous detail around the portal

    Similarities to other stave churches

    Today, only the nave (central part) of the church is remaining. In the nave, you’ll see the original 14 pillars holding up the saddle roof. Inside, it looks very similar to the torn-down stave church as well as the stave churches in Sogn, particularly Borgund and Kaupanger. It’s believed that Torpo improved the construction method of Urnes Stave Church and took elements from Borgund Stave Church.

    Photo credit: Nina Aldin Thune / kunsthistorie.com

    Richly painted decorations

    The choir, which was demolished shortly before the Preservation bought it, had rich paintings. Luckily at the time, the paintings were in the nave, saving them. The vault had richly decorated paintings depicting Christ, the Apostles, and the legend of St. Margaret, who the church is dedicated to. This vault is the most famous part of Torpo Stave Church. It is some of the oldest decorative paintwork in Norway.

    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    The exterior

    If you don’t want to pay for entrance to the church, or perhaps you arrive off-season as I did, you are still in for a treat. Dragons, vines and animal heads decorate the portals. A bell tower stood next to the stave church; this is common of many stave churches – bells were too heavy for the supporting beams. However, it is gone due to the new church. The small wooden building across from the church was a room for the church people; it was the only place with heating. Still today, Torpo Stave Church is without electricity and heating.

    The new church

    Torpo built a new church in 1880. It is in a Neo-Gothic style and seats 200. In the 1970s, parts of the stave church’s choir were found under the new church. The new church is still in use and is not part of the admission to Torpo Stave Church.

    Information sign out the front

    Visiting Torpo Stave Church

    Location & Parking

    The stave church is located in the village of Torpo, which is off the E7 between Bergen and Oslo. At this point, you’re roughly halfway between Geilo and Gol, which will be on all the yellow roadsigns indicating how far away the next town is. You get a glimpse of the stave church from the highway, but it’s best to turn off and visit it properly. There are brown tourist signs on the highway pointing in the right direction, so it’s hard to miss it.

    Considering the popularity of this church, there’s very little parking. There is a small parking lot across the street, but I am unsure how busy it will get in the summer months. Please note that there is a private home next to the parking lot; don’t park in their space! They have signs up saying “privat” or “private”.

    Opening Hours & Admission Fees

    Typically, the church is open every day from the beginning of June to the end of August from 10am to 6pm. There’s a sign out the front indicating its opening hours, and you can find up-to-date information here.

    There is an admission fee of 70 NOK to enter the church (up-to-date info can be found here).

    Bathroom facilities are at the church, but there is no food/drinks place. You can get food and drinks from the Joker supermarket down the road.

    Travel Suggestions

    If you are thinking of staying in the area, I’d recommend staying in Geilo. Gol is a little industrial, whereas in Geilo you’ll get all the charm of Norway’s oldest ski town. Torpo Stave Church is a 30-minute drive east of Geilo and a 15-minute drive west of Gol. However, the detour is quick enough that you can still drive all the way to Bergen or Oslo.

    When we did this drive, we had left the Numedal Valley, had lunch in Geilo (so many good options) and were then making our way to Fagernes, where we spent the night. The following day, we went on the Valdres National Tourist Road – there are more stave churches in the area!

    Visitor info for Geilo can be found at the bottom of my Numedal Valley page (click here).

    Tell me what you think!

    Have you visited Torpo Stave Church or do you have any questions for me? Let me know in the comments 🙂

    The Rv7 Highway

    You can reach Torpo Stave Church by taking the Rv7. You can find my guide to theRv7 by clicking the link below. 

    The Rv7 Highway
    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Kongsberg, National Highways, Numedal Valley, Road-trips, Stave Churches

    Drive it Yourself: The Numedal Valley

    Drive it Yourself: The Numedal Valley

    The Numedal Valley is perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in Norway. Located between Kongsberg and Geilo, the valley contains the largest number of medieval wooden buildings in Norway; an impressive 40 ancient farm buildings and 4 stave churches. On this drive, we’ll see a lot of it!

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    Download a copy of this road-trip to print and have it ready to go! All of my road-trip guides also come with interactive Google Maps, making it easier to navigate your way around. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Numedal Valley

    Kongsberg

    Kongsberg is a fascinating town to explore, and if you have a full day I recommend making the most of everything on offer. 

    Historically, Kongsberg is an important place. It was founded by the Danish/Norwegian King Christian IV as a mining community in 1624 after the discovery of silver. One year later, the Kongsberg Silver Mines were established.

    With the rise of silver mining, Kongsberg became the largest industrial centre in Norway until the 19th century. The silver mining contributed to 10% of Denmark-Norway’s GDP, which was mostly spent on Denmark’s endless wars with Sweden.

    Christian IV hired Germans from silver mines in Germany to help with the establishment and education of silver mining in Norway. Most of the workers throughout the mines history were Germany, though Norwegians gradually took over. 

    The mines also contained high-purity gold and a large amount of copper, cobalt, lead-zinc and flourite. 

    The Kongsberg Mines were energy intensive and difficult to work in. Eventually gunpowder was used in the mines. This also helped establish Kongsberg’s defence industry. Today, Kongsberg is known as the home of Norway’s major defence contractor, Kongsberg Gruppen. Two of its well-known products are Kongsberg Cold and the Krag-Jørgensen rifle.

    Kongsberg is also the site of the Royal Norwegian Mint, which mints Norwegian coins and produces circulating and collectors’  coins for other countries.

    In Kongsberg you’ll find many museums. You can also visit the Kongsberg Mines, where some buildings are still standing. The mountain has many hiking trails for all levels, and many choose to hike to Kronene i Håvet, a collection of royal monograms in the side of the mountain (click here for info). 

    Due to the huge Danish and German influence, the architecture in Kongsberg is unique compared to other pats of the country. It has also largely escaped fired. 

    Kongsberg Travel Guide

    Flesberg Municipality

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Stave Church

    The Flesberg Stave Church is the first of the four churches we’ll see today. It is first mentioned in history in 1359, but is probably from the latter half of the 1100s or the first half of the 1200s.

    It doesn’t look like much of a stave church, doesn’t it? It’s changed a lot over the years. The first-ever painting of a stave church is of Flesberg stave church, and it’s from 1701. We can see just how much it’s changed.

    In the 1730s, the church underwent its first restoration. It was expanded and some of the old parts were removed; as you can see, the new parts weren’t in a stave style. In 1792, the church got a new roof and the stave church choir was torn down.

    Today, the only original part of the stave church is on the western side, where you can see stave decorations around the portal. There are so few parts of the old church left.

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Rollag Municipality

    Rollag Open Air Museum

    Museum

    The Rollag farmstead is now an open-air museum. The farm consists of fourteen buildings around a courtyard. The museum shows what farms looked like in this valley, and the architecture is authentic. The buildings come from other farms in Rollag. There are over 1,000 objects that show everyday life in the village.

    You’ll see signs to the museum about 30 seconds before reaching Rollag Stave Church. 

    The museum is open in the summer months.

    You can view their website here. 

    Rollag Stave Church

    Stave Church

    The Rollag Stave Church was built in the 12th century as a single nave church, the simplest type of stave church. In the 17th century, it was rebuilt as a cruciform church.

    While there isn’t much of the original church left, Rollag Stave Church is still regarded as one of the most beautiful rural churches in Norway.

    Around the church you’ll find ancient stone walls. Some have rings for horses. In the cemetery is an ancient stone cross. It’s believed this site was an ancient gathering place for Christians before they got a church.

    Rollag Stave Church

    Gamle Mogen Landhandel

    Vintage Shop

    This is an old country store turned museum. It was established in 1840 when a man from Telemark got a permit to sell liquor and make a store here. Inside you’ll find a good representation of an old country supermarket and general store. It’s not marked on Google Maps, so keep an eye out! There’s also a place called “Gamle Logen” in Oslo that Google Maps thinks you are talking about.

    Veggli

    Town

    The next town we pass through is called Veggli.

    The population here is 348 people. Veggli Church is located here. The church is from 1859 and is a typical rural church from this period.

    In Veggli you can drive a trolley on the disused Numedalsbanen. The trip starts in Veggli and ends at Rødberg. The trolley was used to inspect the railway line and was an important means of transportation for operators on the line.

    Behind the church in Veggli is an old cemetery. This is where a stave church used to be located. When the population grew substantially in the 17th century, the town needed a new church. At first, they rebuilt Veggli Stave Church just like they did with Rollag. However, when the new church was built in 1859, they demolished the old church. Only the apse wall survives, and it’s at the historical museum in Oslo. Some of the doors and details of the stave church were sold to farmers, who still have them on their properties.

    Mellom Kravik

    Historic Building

    This is considered to be one of the oldest private residences in Norway. The rooms on the ground floor are supply rooms, while the first floor has bedrooms. The loft has two rooms and each room has an entrance from the outside. It was likely constructed in the 14th century.

    The building is on a private residence and opens for the annual Medieval Week festival in the Numedal Valley.

    Next to it is an even older loft called Søre Kravik. Its architecture is descended from the Viking’s royal halls. This building is from the year 1300. The building functioned as a feast hall; the guests would sleep on the second floor and the main festivities took place on the first floor.

    Nore og Uvdal Municipality

    Nore Stave Church

    Stave Church

    The Nore Stave Church is the third church we pass. Its age is unknown, but judging the wood the church may be from 1167. The portal is the same as the one at Flesberg, which is from 1163-1189. 

    The floor-plan of this church is unique; no other church has this in Norway. Maybe other stave churches had this floor plan; there used to be 1,000 and now there’s only 28. There is also a central mast in the middle of the church, another unique element. 

    The inside of the church is absolutely beautiful and comes from all time periods, though most of it is from 1650-1750. 

    The church is open during the summer months. 

    Nore Stave Church

    Sevle Loft & Sevletunet

    Historic Buildings

    This is the newest of the lofts in Numedal. It’s from 1632 but the shape is typical medieval. What makes this one interesting is that it’s a bnb! The owners of the bnb are descendants of the original owners. One of the buildings is the old post office and the interior contains some original pieces. You can also stay in an old barn!

    Rødberg

    Town

    Rødberg is the largest town in Numedal with a population of 498. There are two powerplants here that utilise the waterflow from the dam (to the right). Rødberg was the terminal station of the Numedal railway line.

    Uvdal Stave Church

    Stave Church

    Compared to the other churches, Uvdal is located high on the hill-side and is surrounded by old farm buildings. The church was in use until the 19th century, when a new church was built further down the valley. The new church looks just like a stave church.

    It’s believed Uvdal stave church is from 1169. It has a central mast like Nore, used to hold up the bell. When excavations were done here, 200 coins were found from the 13th century and earlier. 

    Like the other churches on our drive, Uvdal has been extensively restored over the years. The inner core is the original stave church. 

    Uvdal Stave Church

    Uvdal Open-Air Museum

    Museum

    The museum is a historic farmstead located in the former village. You can see the vicarage storehouses, school house, and farm buildings. The open-air museum is open in the summer months, when they have local artisans with stalls.

    Uvdal Church

    Church

    This is not a stave church! Uvdal Church was built in 1893 to replace the Uvdal Stave Church as the main church. It’s built in the dragestil style, which takes inspiration from medieval and stave architecture in Noway. This church seats 350 people. You’ll notice this church has huge glass windows; that’s completely unseen in stave churches.

    Hole Municipality

    Dagali

    Village

    Dagali is a small mountain village close to Geilo. It is one of the highest settlements with permanent agricultural operations.

    Dagali has an airport that is today only used for recreation. There’s also the Dagali Opplevelser, which offers outdoor activities like wafter rafting and snowmobiling. In Dagali you’ll find an open-air museum with farm buildings from around the area.

    The climate here is subarctic, meaning there are very cold and very snowy winters and somewhat cool summers. Dagali airport has some of the coldest temperatures in southern Norway.

    Geilo

    We’ve made it to Geilo! With a population of 2,400, Geilo is primarily a ski resort town and one of the most famous ski areas in Scandinavia. It’s a great but expensive place to spend some time; after all, Geilo is known for having some of the most luxurious and expensive holiday cabins in Norway.

    The town is located roughly halfway between Bergen and Oslo on the national road 7 (E7), making it very accessible. Additionally, there’s the Bergensbanen, or the railway line linking Bergen and Oslo. Geilo was developed only when the railway was constructed, and it quickly gained a good reputation for winter sports.

    Geilo is the first skiing resort in the country and is still one of the largest. 

    The ski season lasts from late October to late April. There are 39 slopes covering 33km. There’s also an extensive cross country system in Geilo with 220km of tracks.In summer, there are plenty of sports activities.

    In the summer months, many Norwegians come here to go hiking or mountain biking. The Rallarvegen route from Finse to Flåm is extremely popular. That road is an old construction road that was used when the railway line was being constructed. 

    The town centre has a number of shops, including many outdoor and sports shops. There are two small shopping malls with free parking, and inside you’ll find supermarkets, cafes, bakeries, electronic stores and clothing stores.

    There are understandably many hotels in Geilo, and some of them are quite expensive. Some of them reflect the cabin lifestyle so may be basic, while others are more luxurious. They will have higher prices during the Norwegian summer holidays (late June to late August) and over the winter season. If you can, I recommend renting a cabin on AirBnB. When the owner isn’t using it they sometimes put it up for rent. It gives you a great opportunity to see what Norwegian cabins are like, and you really don’t need to stay in Geilo centre.  

    Geilo Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Valdresflye Tourist Road

    Cross the mountains on one of Norway’s most scenic tourist roads. 

    Valdresflye Tourist Road

    Previous Drive

    Telemark

    Take the scenic drive through Telemark from Dalen to Kongsberg.

    Telemark Scenic Drive

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Dalen, Kongsberg, Notodden, Rjukan, Road-trips, Scenic Drives, Seljord, Telemark

    Drive it Yourself: Scenic Telemark Drive on the Fv37 & Fv38

    Drive it Yourself: Scenic Telemark Drive on the Fv37 & Fv38

    Telemark is a region in southern Norway famous for its natural beauty and industrial heritage. On this drive, we’ll pass the birthplace of skiing, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and go to one of Norway’s highest peaks! To finish it all off, we visit Norway’s largest stave church. Join me for a beautiful drive through Telemark.

    In this article...

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The Drive: Telemark

    Kongsberg

    Kongsberg is a historic mining town located in the southern part of Norway. It was also one of the wealthiest and important towns in Norway until the mid-19th century, making it an interesting place to visit. Kongsberg was established as an industrial town based on silver mines in 1623. It was initiated by King Christian IV, who brought Germans from the silver mines in Saxony to show the Norwegians how to mine. Kongsberg was Norway’s largest mining community and is the country’s oldest industrial town. It was Norway’s second-largest town in the mid-19th century, after Bergen.

    Kongsberg Travel Guide

    Løka Gamle Bridge

    Historic Bridge

    The Løka old bridge is a girder bridge from 1924 designed to cross the Jondalselva. It is built in concrete, which works the same way as steel in truss bridges. The railing supports the bridge, which is also called the whale bridge. There are only three bridges of this type in Norway. It replaced an older stone vault bridge, which is also preserved nearby. The bridge is on the westbound side of the highway.

    Notodden Municipality

    Notodden municipality is named after the historic town of the same name. The municipality borders the Telemark Canal and the eastern course of the Heddalsvatnet lake. Much of the municipality wasn’t inhabited until the beginning of the 20th century, when Notodden was established as a centre of industry.

    Notodden town is an interesting historic town, but it is not on the Fv37. To get there, shortly after entering the municipality there is a turn off onto a road that’ll lead to Notodden (20km / 12 miles away). Notodden is on the E134 highway.

    Gransherad

    Village

    Gransherad is a small settlement with around 750 people living there. The composer Klaus Egge was born in Gransherad. Gransherad Church is from 1849. Before this church, there was a stave church from the 14th century here.

    From Gransherad, you can follow the Fv361 to the E134, where you can head to Notodden.

    Tinnoset

    Village

    Tinnoset is a small settlement at the point where the Tinnsjå lake and Tinnelva River meet. Historically there was a hydropower plant here. This is where the ferries from Mæl (on the northern end of the lake) would offload their goods onto the train at Tinnoset railway station so they could be transported to Notodden. The railway station is still standing and is now a heritage-listed building. The address is: Tinnoset 31, 3691 Gransherad

    After Tinnoset you will be driving along the Tinnsjå Lake. The Tinnsjå Lake is Norway’s third-deepest lake, with an average depth of 190 metres.

    Gravtjørn Rest Area S/F Hydro Sabotage Site

    Historic Site

    The S/F Hydro was a Norwegian steam-powered railway ferry that delivered raw materials and fertiliser from the factory at Rjukan to the port in Skien. The ship was sunk by members of the Norwegian resistance in 1944, as the Nazi’s were using it to transport heavy water out of Norway. This happened in the lake parallel to where the parking place is, and there is an information sign at the parking place.

    Tinn Municipality

    Tinn municipality is mostly a mountainous municipality with parts of the Hardangervidda plateau included as well as Gaustatoppen, a famous mountain peak. The coat-of-arms represents five droplets of water. The design was chosen to represent the five rivers in the municipality and the importance of hydropower for the development of the town.

    Mæl Station

    Historic Site

    Mæl station was the ferry station on the historic Rjukanbanen railway that used to operate here. The station shut in 1991.

    The Rjukanbanen is the railway line running between Mæl and Rjukan. It was opened in 1909 and closed in 1991. The line was a private railway owned and operated by the Norsk Hydro company. There was a need to transport raw and materials in and out to the coast. The Rjukanbanen was the innermost link in an original four-part transport chain from the factory in Rjukan to the port in Skien. The railway will forever be linked to the introduction of modern industry in Norway, but also Norwegian war history. The battle for heavy water during World War II ended when the Norwegian saboteurs sank the steam ferry DF Hydro at a depth of 430 metres on Tinnsjøen on 20 February 1944.

    Mæl is still a port of call for the Tinnsjø ferries MF “Storegut” and “DF Ammonia”, two ferries which in the summer months are open for charter trips and tours. There is a place to park here as well as information signs about the history of the area.

    A short detour off the highway is a war memorial. Address Rollagvegen 44, 3658 Miland, Norway

    Miland

    Settlement

    Miland is a small village with a population of 291. The area is considered to have some of the nicest plots with views towards the mountain Gaustatoppen. Mæl church is located here and is a wooden church from 1839. It was built to replace an old stave church.

    Baustasteinen på Miland is a memorial stone is from 1914 and is in memory of those who fought for Norway at the initiative of the youth association. It has a quote from Per Sivle: “And if there were those who wanted to ravage the country, there were also those who wanted to defend it”.

    Rjukan

    Rjukan is a fascinating town. Here you will find the Vemork Museum, which is about Rjukan’s development as an industrial city and the role of the hydropower plant during World War II. After all, Vemork was the site of Norway’s most famous sabotage operation. 

    Rjukan Travel Guide

    Gaustabanen

    Funicular

    Gaustabanen is a treat. You ride an underground funicular that was built for NATO during the Cold War (the purpose remains a mystery) and come out the other end on Gaustatoppen, a nearly 2000m-high mountain that (on a clear day) has a view over 1/6 of Norway!

    This is not to be missed (unless the weather is bad). But you will need at least 2 hours – preferably 3-4 – to do this ride. 

    Gaustabanen

    Vemork Museum

    Museum

    The museum at Vemork is famous for its presentation of Rjukan’s war history. During World War II, Vemork was the site of the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, where Norwegian saboteurs prevented the Germans from producing nuclear weapons from heavy water, which was produced here. The exhibits in the museum present the four heavy water sabotages and the allied efforts to develop a nuclear bomb.

    During the war, the Nazis took over Norsk Hydro. German scientists discovered that uranium is useful for energy and weapons. Also, heavy water acts as a moderator in a reactor and contributes to the refining of uranium, suitable for atomic bombs. If you aren’t a science person, all that matters is that the Nazis were developing heavy water at Vemork in Norway for their atomic bomb.

    Norwegian resistance members discovered this, and immediately set about sabotaging their operations. They launched several attacks on the facility. The most famous is the sabotage operation in winter 1943. While they were able to damage the facility, production soon continued. However, the Norwegians were able to destroy the boats leaving Rjukan via Mæl and thus halt the Nazi plans to export the heavy water back to Germany.

    The museum is open throughout the year. You can find up-to-date information on their website:

    https://www.nia.no/en/vemork/

    Hardangervidda Nature Centre

    Museum

    The road follows the southernmost side of the Hardangervidda National Park, which is a popular place for hiking. In fact, there’s even a hiking trail where you can follow the route the resistance members took when they damaged the Vemork facility. The Hardangervidda National Park Centre contains maps and useful information if you want to set off on a hike. There’s also a cafe and small museum here.

    Visit their website here: http://www.hardangerviddanasjonalparksenter.no

    Vinje Municipality

    Vinje municipality is a remote municipality with about 1.2 inhabitants per square kilometre. The municipality is located at the northern end of Telemark and extends into the Hardangervidda National Park.

    Rauland Church

    Historic Site

    Rauland Church is a historic church site. In pre-Christian times, the site where the church is today was probably a pagan worshipping site. After the Christianisation of Norway, the site was replaced with a stave church. The stave church stood until 1801, when it was demolished to make way for the present church. Several famous people from Telemark are buried at the church, including Myllarguten (see below).

    Several elements of the old stave church are in the building, such as two cast iron crucifixes from the 12th century, the church bell, collection box, baptismal dish and several candlesticks.

    To get there, follows signs from Krossen. The church is 5.5km from the town on the Fv362 towards Haukeli.

    Åmot

    Village

    Åmot is a small town with a population of 673. The word “Åmot” refers to two rivers meeting and is a common placename in Norway. Åmot is roughly halfway on the E134, so it is a popular stop with truck drivers and therefore also an important traffic hub.

    Nesland Church

    Historic Site

    Nesland Church is a small wooden church from 1847 built in the Empire style. The old Nesland church was a stave church and it’s not sure when the church was built. In the Middle Ages, Nesland Church must’ve been a vigil church, where the congregation gathered every Midsummer night to keep vigil. In the 19th century, the church had become too small for the congregation, so a new church was built. This is common for almost all churches in Norway; in the 19th century a law was passed that a church must fit at least 30% of the congregation. Because of that, most stave churches were too small and therefore torn down.

    Tokke Municipality

    The municipality is located at the end of the Telemark Canal and the administrative centre is the end point for the scenic canal cruise.

    Tokke has long traditions of exporting brynestone all the way back to the Viking Age. The stone is a sharpening stone. The stones from Tokke have been discovered in archaeological digs in many places in Northern Europe, including Iceland, Poland and England. Today the main industries are agriculture and forestry.

    There used to be bears in the area, which is why the coat-of-arms is of a bear. Bears also feature in many local legends and stories from Tokke.

    Dalen

    Dalen is a short detour off the Fv38 but well worth visiting. Dalen is a small town located on the westernmost endpoint of the Telemark Canal. The Telemark Canal goes all the way to Skien on the coast of Norway – originally the canal was used for industry, but today it is more popular with tourists. When the canal was completed, it was referred to as the ‘eighth wonder’. Ferries were able to link Telemark with Oslo through the canal and then Oslofjord.

    Dalen Hotel is a famous historic hotel; it is one of the best preserved hotels from the 1800s. The hotel was built with the opening of the Telemark Canal in 1892. When it opened, it became popular with European royals.During the occupation, it was a resort for German officers. Most of the interior was stripped and sold for parts. The building fell into disrepair.

    After the war, the building was bought by singer and evangelist Aage Samuelsen. The hotel got a lot of attention and was restored in the 1980s. The hotel reopened in 1992. In 2000, the hotel won the Europa Nostra award for outstanding conservation. The architecture is a mix of Swiss chalet with national romanticism and Dragestil, a type of Norwegian architecture inspired by Viking and medieval art.

    Dalen Travel Guide

    Eidsborg Stave Church

    Historic Site/Museum

    Eidsborg Stave Church is one of the 28 remaining stave churches in Norway. Built some time between 1250 and 1300, the church stands out for being one of the smallest stave churches. Additionally, it is an important pilgrimage church that gave way to its own cult in the old times! Eidsborg Stave Church is located on the hill above the village of Dalen, and today is part of the Vest Telemark Museum. A visit to the church also includes a look at the historic farm buildings from the region.

    To get here, continue through Dalen and up the switchback road. Eidsborg Stave Church is 6km out of Dalen and has the address Museumsvegen 9, 3891 Høydalsmo

    Skafså Church

    Historic Site

    Skafså Church is from 1839 and is known for its interior. The church used to have a crucifix, but the crucifix is now in a museum to preserve it. The crucifix shows the crucified Jesus with a king’s crown, i.e. not the usual crown of thorns. In the 1950s the church was restored. At the front of the choir are bridal chairs modelled after an old Renaissance chair from the former stave church, which was probably demolished in 1826 because it had fallen into disrepair.

    Åmsdals Verk

    Village

    Åmdals Verk is a small village that grew up around the mining activities of Åmdals Verk Gruver, or the mines. The history of copper mines in Åmdal goes back to 1540, when King Christian III of Denmark/Norway sent German miners to Telemark to start mining. The first quarrywas called Moisesberg. The ore tunnels were founded in 1689. The copper mines have a complicated history with operations, shutdowns, and problematic owner.s The miners were the heart in an urbanised mountain village where the minter’s everyday life dependned on good ore deposits and political conditions outside Europe.

    The museum building is located in a reconstruction of the old sjeide house.

    The museum is called Åmdals Verk Gruver and has the address Åmdalsvegen 42A, 3882 Åmdals Verk and is located a few minutes out of town off the Fv38. Check the website for up-to-date opening hours: http://www.vtm.no

    Kvitseid Municipality

    Kviteseid is a municipality in the upper part of Telemark. The municipality has existed since the Middle Ages and was an important administrative centre in Telemark. Kviteseid was originally an agricultural community without any real urban development. The most important industries here are still agriculture and forestry, though tourism is on the rise.

    Kviteseid is known for its distinctive cultural traditions, including folk music, arts and crafts, food and architecture. The dialect in Kviteseid is one of the Norwegian dialects that has preserved the most features from Norse and is close to the most conservative form of nynorsk.

    Vrådal Church

    Historic Site

    Vrådal Church is a long church from 1886 that has space for 250 places. The pulpit, altar, baptismal font, brass candlesticks, altar foot and other furniture from the old church are in the current church. The previous church was from 1686 and was demolished when the new church was completed. There was likely a stave church here before then what would’ve been similar to Eidsborg Stave Church. The church from 1686 was likely the first octagonal church in Norway.

    The church is located on the westbound side of the highway with the address Vråliosvegen 461, 3853 Vrådal

    Drangedal Municipality

    Drangedal municipality is largely a forest municipality with the industry centered around land and forestry. The municipality is seeing a declining population. Despite that, Drangedal is a known area for skiing and is home to the largest ski resort in Telemark called Gautefall. Drangedal has a large number of cabins because of the ski opportunities and proximity to larger cities. Drangedal was also one of the first municipalities to get full broadband coverage.

    Prestestranda

    Village

    Prestestranda is the administrative centre and has a population of 1,300 people. The site was developed after the railway station was laid there when the Sørlandsbanen from Bø to Kragerø opened in 1927.

    The Drangedal Bygdetun is an open-air museum with 19 historic buildings, most of which were gifts from the villagers. Drangedal Church is from 1773.

    Kragerø Municipality

    Kragerø municipality is a coastal community named after the town of the same name. In total, there are 495 island, islets and reefs and 4,000 holiday homes here, making Kragerø a popular summer destination for Norwegians. In fact, Kragerø was even referred to as “the peal among coastal towns” by Edvard Munch. More will be covered in the section about Kragerø town.

    Kragerø

    Kragerø is a well-known holiday destination for Norwegians. Located at the end of a peninsula between the Kilsfjorden and Hellefjorden, the town grew as an important harbour from the 16th century onwards. Timber was shipped from the forests Telemark out of Kragerø and onwards to Europe. The town’s business was characterised by timber exports, shipping and shipbuilding from then until the First World War, and at one point Kragerø was one of Norway’s largest shipping towns.

    KRAGERØ Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Numedal Valley

    The Numedal Valley will take you from Kongsberg up to the mountains of Western Norway. 

    Numedal Valley

    Previous Drive

    Egersund to Dalen

    This drive goes from the southern cost up to the mountains. 

    Egersund - Dalen

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View at the Store
  • Dalen, Egersund, Jæren, Road-trips, Scenic Drives, Southern Norway

    Drive it Yourself: Egersund to Dalen

    Drive it Yourself: Egersund to Dalen

    Looking for an alternative road to the mountains, bypassing the tourists, highways and seeing the secret beauty of Norway? This drive is perfect. I know, the Egersund to Dalen drive is not the most commonly suggested route in Norway, but it is worth the consideration. Both towns are very cute and scenic with plenty to do, and they are separated by a beautiful valley and mountain range that you’ll pass.
    On this page, you’ll find practical info outlining what you’ll see between the two towns, plus where you can stay and what you can do. Be sure to watch my own drive, where I’ve put together a timelapse with information. 
    If you have done this drive, or have any questions for me, let me know in the comments. 

    In this article...

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Egersund to Dalen

    Egersund

    Egersund is a charming small town on the south coast of Norway. It has lots of wonderful shops and cafes, making it a perfect place to stop on your road-trip. 

    Egersund Travel Guide

    Trollpiken

    Rock Formation

    Trollpikken is a unique and strange rock formation in Norway. In the last few years, it has gained popularity due to its, well, shape. ‘Pikk’ is a relatively new word in Norway that translates to ‘dick’, and as you can see in the image, the name describes what locals have come to recognise the formation as.
    Trollpikken made the news in 2017, when it was vandalised and severed off using power tools. The locals were saddened by this and a crowdfunding campaign raised an incredible 226,000 NOK and within two weeks the rock was reattached (watch the video on the left!). One person was arrested for vandalism.
    Since this incident, there was more effort made in promoting Trollpikken. It’s got its own website now (click here), which goes over the history, folklore, and practical info of the site. There are road signs leading to the large carpark, and the walk to the monument is well marked with modern signs. The name is also recent; it’s only from 2017.
    For those interested in geology, the rock is anorthosite. This is a very rare type of rock that’s found on the south-western coast of Norway and the moon. Yes, the moon! When astronauts were training for going to the moon, they came here to practice collecting rock samples. Trollpikken is 12m (39ft) high.
    It is relatively easy to hike to Trollpikken, and the info can be found here: https://ut.no/turforslag/1113153/trollpikken

    Helleland

    Village

    Helleland is a small village just outside Egersund. The language used here is nynorsk rather than the commonly used bokmål. The Sørlandet train connection between Oslo and Stavanger runs through (and stops at) Helleland.
    Helleland Church is from 1832. It is built in wood and has seats for 500. The architect was Hans Linstow, who also designed the Royal Palace and Karl Johans gate in Oslo.
    In Helleland, there are memorials dedicated to the British aircraft which crashed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany in connection with the Operation Freshman sabotage attempt, part of an action that was aimed at the Vemork hydroelectric plant, site of heavy water production. Furthermore, there is a cave in the forest which was used as a hiding place during World War II. People who had kept illegal radio equipment hid in this cave, and the Germans never discovered them.
    You’ll find a grocery store in Helleland (Coop). 

     

    Terland Klopp

    Bridge

    Terland Klopp was built around 1800 as a stone slab bridge. With 21 runs and 60 metres, it is considered the largest in the Nordic region of this type. The bridge crosses the river Gyaåna, which we are following on this road. The valley we are in is called the Gyadalen Valley.
    Terland Klopp has not been in use since 1977; today it is a listed monument. It is considered the best-preserved bridge of this kind. 

    Agder County

    We now cross over into Agder kommune. Originally, Agder was a medieval petty kingdom that governed itself until Norway was unified into one Kingdom. The name Agder was not used between 1662 and 1919; it was reinstated after the counties Aust-Agder (East Adger) and Vest-Adger (West Adger) were established. Since 2020, those two counties were merged into one: Adger. 

    Sirdal Municipality

    Tonstad

    Village

    Welcome to Tonstad! The name means “Tone’s Farm” and is a typical small town name; towns were often built around farmsteads where the church was located. The church here is Tonstad Church and it’s from 1852. It seats 300.
    The town has a large hydroelectric power station and a large ski centre. In fact, Tonstad has one of Norway’s most modern biathlon facilities, and it is known for producing many highly regarded biathletes. The local high school uses the facility for training.
    Tonstad is located on the northern end of the Sirdal Lake. In July, the boat ‘Snorre’ does tours of the lake every Wednesday. A guide on board tells you the stories and local legends, as well as some tales of Vikings from the Norse Sagas. 
     At Tonstad you’ll find road signs leading to Kjerag, a famous natural monument and hiking trail.

    Dorgefossen

    Waterfall

    Dorgefossen is a regulated waterfall, though it is more like a gorge. Due to the water regulations, the waterfall is much smaller than it used to be.
    An old legend from Sirdal tells that death row inmates got one last chance to save their lives by jumping over Dorgefoss. If they managed to do so, they would be free. If they did not succeed, the fall of the waterfall and the rapids fulfilled the death sentence.
    It is possible to swim in the river, but without warning water can be released from the pond, making the water colder than normal.
    By the road, there is a picnic area with restrooms and information boards. The road we drive over goes over the waterfall via the Dorge Bridge. The bridge is from 1919.

    Sinnes

    Village

    Sinnes is a small village located in the upper part of the Sirdal valley. There are two ski centres here: Ålsheia and Tjørhomfjellet. Together, they make the largest alpine facility in southwestern Norway.
    Several alpine and cross-country competitions are held in the area. The largest one is Sesilåmi, which is a 52km long ski run.
    Sinnes is a popular cabin area for people from Stavanger, Sandnes and Jaeren.

    Setesdalsheiene

    Mountains

    The mountains to the north are called Setesdalsheiene. Just north of them is the Hardangervidda plateau, while the Ryfylke mountains lie to the west. The highest point is 1,300m (4,300ft). Wild reindeer herds live here.

    Håhellervatn

    Lake

    The lake on our right is Håhellervatn. The total walking distance around the lake is 6km (4 mi).  
    On the east side is a cave called Håhelleren. It has a lot of stories associated with it. After the Napoleonic Wars, two families moved to the area. They first settled in a fisherman’s hut, and then built a home. Their main job was to keep the road clear and shelter road users in bad weather. They were unable to grow grain on the site, but they did try to grow potatoes, though without luck. After living here for 26 years, they realised it was not such a great place to live and they moved to Sirdal. After their house was torn down, road users used the cave for shelter if need be. Today there is a tourist cabin on the sight, and up to 16 adults can take accommodation in the cave.

    Valle Municipality

    Valle
    town

    Valle is the first major town we’ll pass after crossing the mountains, making it a good place to stop.  We have now entered the traditional district of Setesdal; it’s a valley (dal) that up until recently was very isolated. The name Valle comes from the farm where the church was built. There used to be a stave church on the site called Hylestad stave church; sadly it was torn down in the 19th century to make way for a new church. Fortunately, the portal carvings were saved and are on display at the Historic Museum in Oslo. They illustrate the legend of Sigurd Favnesbane (Sigurd the Dragon Slayer), who is described in the Prose Edda and Beowulf saga. An important historic site is Rygnestadtunet, an old farm. It was built by Vonde-Åsmund (Asmund the Evil) in the mid-1500s and has been well-preserved. Today it is an open air museum, where the interiors reflect the period around 1919. Around the farm, grave findings indicate that the site was settled as early as 900AD.  As mentioned above, Valle was incredibly isolated. To get out via the north, travellers had to follow the river and take a path on a torturous steep cliff face. This was the only way out until the 1870s. Today, the European Highway 9 (E9) crosses through the valley and under the torturous mountain thanks to a nice tunnel.  Valle is known for its ancient silver smitheries. Today, the local high school specialises in silversmith and goldsmith training. Students from all over Norway and abroad come here to train to become jewellers.

    Sylvartun Museum

    Museum

    Sylvartun was the central silversmith and folk music arena in Setesdal valley. Exhibitions in the museum focus on musical instruments and the visualisation of music and dance traditions in the valley.
    Visitor information can be found here. 

    Store Bjørnevatn

    Lake

    We pass a large lake called Store Bjørnevatn. It’s about 15km (9 mi) north of Valle. The elevation is 801m (2,628 ft) above sea level. 

    Skafså

    Town

    Skafså is a small town known for its mountain farm Grimdalen. Today it’s a museum with farm buildings from the time of barter economy in the 17th century.
    Famous sculptor Anne Grimdalen is from here, and there’s a gallery with 300 of her sculptures here.
    Skafså Church is from 1839. There used to be a medieval crucifix standing outside the church; this is now at the Vest-Telemark Museum.

    Dalen

    This drive ends in Dalen, a small town located on the westernmost endpoint of the Telemark Canal. The Telemark Canal goes all the way to Skien on the coast of Norway – originally the canal was used for industry, but today it is more popular with tourists.
    When the canal was completed, it was referred to as the ‘eighth wonder’. Ferries were able to link Telemark with Oslo through the canal and then Oslofjord.
    Dalen Hotel is a famous historic hotel; it is one of the best preserved hotels from the 1800s. The hotel was built with the opening of the Telemark Canal in 1892. When it opened, it became popular with European royals.
    During the occupation, it was a resort for German officers. Most of the interior was stripped and sold for parts. The building fell into disrepair.
    After the war, the building was bought by singer and evangelist Aage Samuelsen. The hotel got a lot of attention and was restored in the 1980s. The hotel reopened in 1992. In 2000, the hotel won the Europa Nostra award for outstanding conservation.
    The architecture is a mix of Swiss chalet with national romanticism and Dragestil, a type of Norwegian architecture inspired by Viking and medieval art.
    A night at the hotel starts at 3,000 NOK, with rooms going up to 8,300 NOK.

    Dalen Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Telemark

    Take the scenic drive through Telemark from Dalen to Kongsberg.

    Telemark Scenic Drive

    Previous Drive

    Jaeren Tourist Road

    Travel down the southern coast on this scenic, beachy road. 

    Jaeren Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Jæren, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Southern Norway

    Jæren Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Jæren Tourist Road

    Jæren is a traditional district in Rogaland county, south of Stavanger. The landscape characterises the area; Jæren is the largest flat lowland area in Norway. Unlike most of Norway, the coast here is flat with no islands and very sandy beaches. The word ‘Jæren’ (almost pronounced like Yeah-en if you make ‘Yeah’ very nasally) is from the Old Norse Jaðarr, which means ‘edge’ or ‘brim’. It’s a common word found in Norway; around 30 farms have this name. It refers to the coastline. Until the 20th century, Jæren was spelled ‘Jaederen’, which is Danish. You can still see this word in some places.

    This drive is part of our ultimate Norwegian road-trip. Click the button below to view the whole drive. 

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    The Drive: Jæren Tourist Road

    Sola Strand Hotel

    Hotel

    Sola Strand Hotel is located just outside Stavanger city centre, close to the airport and Sola Beach. Alternatively, you could start at Sola Ruin Church or Domsteinane, mentioned below. If you are staying in Stavanger, I recommend stopping by ‘Swords in the Rock’ before you leave. The video above begins at Sola Strand Hotel and stops at Domsteinane first. 

    The Sola Strand Hotel is a great hotel to stay at – it’s right on the beach, has all the facilities of a resort, and is the starting point of this drive!

    Domsteinane

    Historic Site

    Domsteinane is a unique place in Norway. It’s often nicknamed ‘Norway’s Stonehenge’ because of the unknown status of why the rocks are laid out this way.

    Read my separate guide to Domsteinane below. 

    Domsteinane

    Detour: Ølberg Camp

    WWII Site

    Ølberg Camp (Ølberg Leir) is a disused military camp primarily for the storage of ammunition. The camp was established by occupying German forces in 1940 in connection with their military activity at Sola. Sola Airport was a civilian airport, but under German occupation it had important military use. For security reasons, they placed the aircraft ammunition at a separate camp away from the airport. This is the Ølberg Camp.  The camp consists of ammunition houses, bomb shelters, and storage sheds. The ammunition houses are simple timber buildings. The bomb shelters are between these structures. Nearly half the buildings are still standing. Moreover, the original road structure is also im place.  After the war ended in 1945, the Norwegian Armed Forces took over the camp. They further used and developed the camp until 2003, when it closed. In 2007, it was sold to the Sola Municipality. The National Heritage Board is preserving 23 buildings and the surrounding pine forest, the only forested area in Jaeren.

    Note – it is not visible from the road. 

    You can view images by clicking here and here. 

    Vigdel Fortress

    WWII Site

    Vigdel Fort is a coastal fort that was actively in use until 2007. The fort is leftover from the German occupation. It was one of the Germans’ methods of protecting Sola Airport from attacks from the sea.  There was one such attack that influenced their decision to fortify the coast. On the 17th of April 1940, the British attempted to fire at Sola Airport from the sea. After several hours of intense gunfire, the British cruiser HMS Suffolk and several cruisers were forced to retreat. The German bombers had been no match for them. The British had conducted the attack in an attempt to recapture Trondheim from the Germans and stall the Germans’ advancement in Norway. After the battle, the English scrapped plans for a similar attack on Trondheim.  Vigdel Fort was built to prevent an attack like this from happening again. Most important to them was their air force, and it was one of the key strategies for the occupation. The fort was to protect the airforce at Sola Airport. However, the English never returned to attack Sola Airport by ship. Moreover, the fort was never really used. It was too far from the airport to be of any use during air raids. After the war, the Norwegian Army used Vigdel Fort as a training facility. Since it has fallen out of use, the site has been transformed into a popular hiking area.

    Images can be seen here.

    Hellestø Beach

    Beach

    Hellestø Beach is a beautiful place to go for a walk. It’s a sandy beach surrounded by rocky hills. The parking place is free, and it’s a short walk to get to the beach. There are no facilities here.

    TS Museum

    Museum

    The TS Museum in Stenebyen (Tjelta) has a unique collection of old tractors, cars, mortorbikes and trucks. In total, there are over 180 vehicles. All of them are still operating. 

    Visitor information can be found at their website (click here). 

    Bore Church

    Historic Church

    The earliest mention of Bore Church is in 1322, but the church was not new at that time. It’s likely that Bore Church was built as a stave church around the end of the 12th century. Only the baptismal font is preserved from the original church. The stave church was torn down in 1640 to make way for a more modern church. In 1895, the church and cemetery was rebuilt 1.5km (0.9 miles) to the northeast. After this church was finished, the old church was torn down.

    Bore Beach

    Beach

    Bore Beach is located just north of Orre Beach, the longest beach in Norway. Bore is a great beach for swimmers and surfers; when we visited, we got to see a surf school heading out!

    In the carpark you’ll find toilets and showers.

    Orre Beach

    Beach

    At 5km (3 miles), Orre Beach is the longest beach in Norway. With its white sand and good swimming or surfing conditions, it will make you think you are in a warm country. However, once you get in the water, you’ll be reminded that you are actually in Norway.

    Orre Beach is often mentioned among the best beaches in the world when it comes to its efforts to maintain a clean and preserved environment.

    Close to the beach is the Friluftshuset. This building has an information centre about outdoor life and nature conservation. There is also a cultural centre with concerts and art exhibitions. A cafe serves food and drink, and there are restrooms here. It’s open daily in summer and on weekends the rest of the year, between 11am and 4pm. 

    Orre Old Church

    Historic Church

    Orre Old Church is the oldest building in the area. You can read my guide to Orre Old Church below. 

    Orre Old Church

    Hå Gamle Prestgård

    Historic Site

    We didn’t stop here on our drive because the facility was closed, but you certainly can visit on your own drive. 

    Hå Gamle Prestgård is a contemporary art gallery and local cultural history museum located inside an old vicarage. Rotating exhibitions highlight Norwegian and international contemporary artists. There is a permanent archaeological exhibition with ancient objects from the area.

    The vicarage is from 1637 or earlier, and the oldest building is from 1787. The facility has undergone many renovations and has been listed for protection since 1920.

    There are two outbuildings with showrooms. In the main house is the café. If you walk around the site, you’ll see remains of settlements from the Stone Age (8200 years old) and old burial grounds from the migration period.

    Obrestad Lighthouse

    Lighthouse

    Orre Old Church is the oldest building in the area. You can read my guide to Orre Old Church below. 

    Obrestad Lighthouse

    Varhaug Old Cemetery

    Historic Site

    Varhaug Old Cemetery is an ancient site located on the old Kongevegen road. 

    Varhaug Old Cemetery

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse. 

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Hå Municipality

    Hitler's Teeth in Brusand

    WWII site

    Brusand is a small village with a population of 430. It is known for its beach, which has sandy dunes. Also, the largest carrot packing plant is located here!

    Brusand is also known for its Hitler Teeth, which are a series of concrete blocks set up alongside the highway. These are anti-tank obstacles set up by Germans in World War II.

    They were placed here by prisoners of war and forced labour workers. The Germans were worried an Allied invasion would come by sea, so they had these concrete blocks built to delay tanks advancing towards settlements. However, no Allied invasion ever came. 

    The prisoners sabotaged the teeth by mixing in more sand than concrete, making them weaker. They used to be on the whole coast, but this is one of the few spots that still has them.

    Magma Geopark

    Natural Attraction

    Shortly before Egersund is the Magma Geopark, an area with such a unique geology that it has been recognised by UNESCO. Here is also the world’s only sandy beach consisting of moon stone.

    The rock here is the same as the one found on the moon: Anorthosite. Astronauts have even visited the area to prepare for taking rock samples on the moon.

    Egersund

    Egersund is a charming small town on the south coast of Norway. It has lots of wonderful shops and cafes, making it a perfect place to stop on your road-trip. 

    Egersund Travel Guide

    Continue the drive

    Egersund to Dalen

    Cross the mountains over to Dalen in Telemark. 

    Egersund to Dalen

    Previous Drive

    Ryfylke Tourist Road

    Take the drive from Odda to Stavanger via the traditional region of Ryfylke. 

    Ryfylke Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “Ultimate Norway”. You can read about the whole drive below. 

    View Our 'Ultimate Norway' Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Jæren

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse

    Kvassheim Lighthouse is one of the highlights of the Jæren Scenic Road in Southern Norway. Situated between a rocky coast and ancient pastures, the view is next to nothing. If you find yourself driving on this national tourist road, be sure to stop here!

    In this article, I look into the history and importance of Kvassheim Lighthouse, plus the practical info for visiting yourself.

    In this article...

    The Fv44 Highway

    You can reach Kvassheim Lighthouse by taking the Fv44. You can find my guide to the Fv44 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv44 Highway
    Egersund Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Why build a lighthouse here?

    Up until the completion of the Jærbanen, the whole coast consisted of scattered farmland instead of settlements. Moreover, it was a very low populated area in Norway. Yet, the coast saw an increase in traffic in the 19th century. And the Jæren coast is notorious for shipwrecks, especially on this stretch.

    Between 1843 and 1851, there were 19 shipwrecks on the coast. Jæren had a reputation for being a ship cemetery. In fact, it is said that if you want to pull apart your ship, simply leave it on the beach over the winter. When you return in spring, the waves would’ve reduced the ship to scrap.

    Click here to see an image of a crew being rescued off a ship on the Kvassheim shoreline in 1896. And if you click here, you can see another ship stuck on the coast.

    In 1862, the Society for Shipwreck Rescue began as a response to the high number of shipwrecks along the coast. Jæren was important to them, and lighthouses began to pop up along the coast – including Obrestad. However, these lighthouses didn’t work as well as needed. Then, in 1896, three ships sank off the coast of Kvassheim in less than a day. They’d found a good lighthouse spot.

    Building Kvassheim Lighthouse

    They needed a lighthouse and fog signal at Kvassheim. So, they built a lighthouse and foghorn in 1906. The fog-signal was fired every 10 minutes when there was fog, and a guy on a nearby farm was in charge of managing it. It wasn’t an immediate success; the lighthouse was weak and the fog signal didn’t work. A second lighthouse and manned fog signal were completed in 1912. However, the fog signal became electronically operated in 1916.

    The layout of the complex today is from 1912. It is for a family, meaning that the family would live on site. In 1916, the staff increased with a new lighthouse keeper, who got his own home. The home is still on the site today.

    WWII Use

    The Jæren coast was important to the occupying German forces during the war. They thought an Allied invasion by sea was imminent and worked on securing their ‘Atlantic Wall’. The Allied invasion never happened, and today there are traces of German occupation along the coast.

    Kvassheim Lighthouse was not lit during the war. Moreover, for long periods Germans lived on the property. Bunkers were built along the shore, and minefields were laid at the beaches. Near Brusand, the next town south of Kvassheim, ‘Hitler’s Teeth’, or concrete tank barriers, still stand.

    Automating the Lighthouse

    After the war, the lighthouse use declined. In 1956, the fog signal was replaced with a typhoon fog signal system. Since 1984, the fog signal is automatic.

    Click here to see an image of the lighthouse from before 1956.

    In 1990, a new automated lighthouse replaced the building. It is about 70m (320ft) west of the old building.

    Present day use & visiting

    Kvassheim Lighthouse underwent a major renovation in 2003. Today the Jæren Recreational Council manage the property. They use it as a museum and cafe. The cafe is in the machine house.

    The lighthouse keepers home is now the museum. On the lower floor is an exhibition about rescue operations on the Jæren coast. The second floor has an exhibition about the wetlands. In total there are 23 protected wetlands nearby. In the garden is a free exhibition about the sinking of a Russian navy vessel – there’s a memorial in the nearby Varhaug Cemetery.

    Lastly, it’s possible to rent the lighthouse overnight to sleep. The assistant’s home and outbuilding are rehabilitated into cozy, unique accommodation! Information about renting is only available in Norwegian, and it can be found here.

    The museum is open in the summer months, and the cafe is open more regularly. Click here for info on visiting the centre (in Norwegian).

    It is, of course, possible to visit the lighthouse all year round from the outside. There is a large parking facility and walking trails in the surrounding area.

    The Fv44 Highway

    You can reach Kvassheim Lighthouse by taking the Fv44. You can find my guide to the Fv44 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv44 Highway
    Egersund Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide