Valle: Cultural History and Nature Experiences

The main building of the Setesdalsmuseet is located in Rysstad, in the municipality of Valle. Hylestad Church is also in Rysstad. Both places offer insights into different aspects of Setesdal’s history and culture: the museum is dedicated, among other things, to building conservation, folk costumes and old photographs; the church combines a distinctive octagonal shape with a history reaching back to its predecessor.

Museum, Church and Living History

The museum building in Rysstad has permanent exhibitions throughout the year as well as changing summer exhibitions. For your visit, this means that some of the exhibition program is permanent, while the rest changes with the summer season. The Setesdalsmuseet’s special areas of expertise include building conservation, folk costumes and old photographs, providing a regional historical context for your museum visit.

Hylestad Church was built in 1839 to replace an older church on the other side of the Otra. Its octagonal floor plan is a distinctive architectural feature. A copy of the figurative portal is displayed at the entrance. The year it was built, its shape and its portal also make the church an interesting stop for travelers who are interested in architecture and church history as well as exhibitions.

In the center of Valle are Hasla’s workshop and shop. There, you can explore the entire range and shop directly in the store. This makes it easy to add a browse and shopping stop to visits to cultural and historic sites, without needing to focus on a particular theme.

Farms, Cultural Landscapes and Regional Traditions

Nordigard Rygnestad has roots dating back to the Middle Ages. Medieval art traditionally associated with Vonde-Åsmund is preserved at the Rygnestad Museum. The surrounding cultural landscape is also noteworthy: Rygnestad and its surroundings are among Norway’s 32 specially selected cultural landscapes. Here, history and landscape can be appreciated side by side, and the significance of the site is not limited to a single exhibit.

Tveitetunet is located at Nordigard Tveiten in Valle. A stone that may date from the Middle Ages could indicate that the site was used as a thingstead long ago. This interpretation is explicitly only a possibility. Visitors interested in historic sites will find a different perspective here than at the museum: the focus is on a specific find and the question of what kind of earlier use it might point to.

The music and dance traditions of Setesdal are also part of the region’s cultural heritage. Gangardans, stev and stevjing, as well as jaw harp and Hardanger fiddle, are part of the folk music and folk dance of Setesdal, which were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. The protected cultural element concerns upper Setesdal in the municipalities of Valle, Bygland and Bykle—it is a regional tradition, not one associated with Valle alone.

Waterfall, Hike and Via Ferrata

If you prefer to spend your time outdoors, you can include a variety of routes and activities in your plans. A marked trail leads from Road 9 through the Veiåjuvet canyon to Gloppefoss; the hike takes about two hours. The trail begins approximately nine kilometers north of the center of Valle. There is a parking lot at the gate on Road 9. Gloppefoss is one of the highest waterfalls in Setesdal and carries a lot of water throughout the summer season.

The Via Ferrata route to Straumsfjellet in Valle offers a different way to experience the landscape. It is 1.5 kilometers long and ascends 550 meters. The hike to Gloppefoss and the Via Ferrata therefore differ mainly in their stated duration or length and elevation gain.

Brokke in Summer and Winter

Brokke is a starting point for trips into the Setesdal Vesthei-Ryfylkeheiane Landscape Conservation Area in both summer and winter. Brokke Alpinsenter offers groomed slopes, a snow park and a ski school. This gives you several options when planning your trip: excursions into the conservation area are mentioned for both seasons, while the slopes, snow park and ski school describe the Alpine center’s winter sports offering.

The road between Brokke in Valle and Suleskard in Sirdal is another useful point of reference for the region. It is 42 kilometers long, 22 of which run through the landscape conservation area. Along with the hiking and climbing routes, this gives you a choice of cultural history, regional traditions and nature experiences during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Valle, Rysstad, Vegårshei, Arendal, Bygland, Froland, Evje, Lillesand.

For the overview of the wider region: Aust-Agder.