Reistad: Farm History and Ski Trail

Reistad can be explored through two distinct themes: its historical development and the illuminated ski trail, which is also designed for pedestrians. To help you find your way around the area, the trail’s starting point is clearly identified: it is at the recycling station above the roundabout. The area’s history, meanwhile, dates back to the Viking Age and can be explored through farms, buildings, and a former brickworks from different periods. In Reistad, a specific route and a long local history thus go hand in hand.

Farms and History in Reistad

Reistad was cleared for cultivation during the Viking Age. Small grave finds from the same period were discovered at Reistad farm. Both aspects provide an early context for the area’s history: the development of the land and archaeological traces at a farm. In Old Norse times, Reistad farm was divided into Store Reistad and Lille Reistad. The historical names Store Reistad and Lille Reistad thus reflect a traditional division of the farm.

The buildings also provide a way to place the area’s history in time, although the dates refer to different things. The main building at Store Reistad was built in 1877; the old main building at Lille Reistad was restored in 1915. Store Reistad also has an outbuilding that is about 200 years old. The year of construction, the restoration, and the approximate age are three different time references and should not be confused.

The history of Store Reistad also includes a former brickworks. It operated from 1782 and had closed by 1875. Together with the information about the farms and buildings, this industrial aspect offers another perspective on Reistad’s development. Those interested in local history will find more than a single date here: the documented themes span from the Viking Age to industry and building history.

The Illuminated Ski Trail and Finding Your Way

The illuminated ski trail between Lierbyen and Reistad is also designed for pedestrians. In Reistad, it starts at the recycling station above the roundabout. This identifies both the connection between the two named places and a specific landmark on the Reistad side. The information about who can use the trail and where it starts answers two different questions: anyone looking to understand the route knows that it is also designed for pedestrians; anyone looking for the trailhead can use the recycling station above the roundabout as a reference point. Check the local signs before your visit, as facilities in the area may change.

Landscape and Routes in the Wider Destination of Lier

The wider destination of Lier offers other landscape and route options. Finnemarka is one of the three large forest areas in Lier and part of the municipality’s extensive network of trails. The Linnesstranda nature reserve offers a different type of landscape: it is a brackish-water delta at the mouth of the Lierelva. The river runs through the Lierdalen valley before flowing into the Drammensfjord at Linnesstranda. The forest area, river course, and delta represent different aspects of Lier; they are regional landmarks, not features of Reistad.

Routes in the wider Lier area also differ in type. Lierbanen is an approximately 21-kilometre cycling route from Lierbyen to Svangstrand. It starts at the old railway station in Lier or at Andershaugen in Lierbyen; information boards along the route tell the story of the railway line. Paradisbakkene, in turn, is protected as a road monument and is now a footpath between Tranby and Lierbyen. When exploring Lier, you can compare a cycling route with a route specifically used as a footpath, while the illuminated ski trail retains its own connection to Reistad.

Discover more destinations: Lier, Sylling.

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