Discover Eidsbygda

Eid Church and several hiking access routes through Eidsbygda offer different starting points for planning your trip. The church building dates from 1797, while some of its furnishings are older. The hiking routes vary in their destinations, turn-offs and access details.

Eid Church: building and older furnishings

Eid Church is a single-nave hall church dating from 1797. It is the oldest church in Rauma still in daily use. The pulpit dates from 1668 and comes from the original stave church on this site. The baptismal font came from Lesja, bears the year 1519 and is believed to be the church’s oldest item of inventory.

The building and its furnishings thus point to different historical periods. The description of the baptismal font is explicitly cautious: it is believed to be the church’s oldest item of inventory. The pulpit, in turn, connects the present church with the former stave church on the same site.

Hiking access and directions

The route to the Hælberget hike goes through Eidsbygda; parking is available at the car park by Eid Church. At the summit of Hælberget, there is a viewpoint with an outdoor grill and a seating area. The drive to the Kvitfjellet hike also goes through Eidsbygda. At the village shop, turn towards Norvika; after about 900 metres, you will reach a car park. The landmarks differ: for Hælberget, it is the car park at the church; for Kvitfjellet, it is the village shop and the turn towards Norvika. Check the route description before setting off.

The access routes to Randsetfjellet and Litleoksen both go through Eidsbygda and continue to Rødven. It is about five kilometres to Rødven for Randsetfjellet, and five kilometres for Litleoksen. These distances refer to the drive, not the length of the hike. The route to Randsetfjellet follows the outer edge of the Romsdalsfjord for a stretch; the trail is considered good and dry throughout. Litleoksen is an easy hike to a viewpoint overlooking the Romsdalsfjord and the mountains of Romsdalen. It can be combined with a circular route via Skåla. The access routes to the hike to Kvarven and to the Skåla and Litleoksen circular route also go first through Eidsbygda and then on to Rødven.

Rødven: stave church and seasonal visits

Near Eidsbygda is Rødven Stave Church, one of Norway’s oldest stave churches. It belongs to the Møre type and has distinctive external supports. Its history dates back to the 13th century; a crucifix from this period is among its oldest items of inventory. In the wider travel destination of Rauma, the church also has a unique surviving south portal, probably dating from the first half of the 12th century.

Rødven Stave Church is listed as open daily in summer from mid-June to mid-August. Cultural history hikes, among other activities, take place during this period. Before visiting, check whether the opening hours and hikes apply to your travel dates.

Rauma as a wider travel destination

In the wider travel destination of Rauma, the Geiranger–Trollstigen National Tourist Route offers a different perspective from the hiking access routes through Eidsbygda. It is 104 kilometres long, starts at Sogge bru in Romsdalen and runs through Rauma. At Trollstigen, walkways and stairs take visitors to several viewpoints, including a platform 200 metres above Trollstigvegen.

Another way to enjoy the view from above is the Romsdalsgondolen: it takes visitors from the fjord to the summit of Nesaksla in seven minutes. The Eggen Restaurant is located there, at 708 metres, and serves dishes made with high-quality ingredients from the surrounding region. These destinations are in the wider Rauma travel area and should be distinguished from the local hiking access routes in Eidsbygda.

Discover more destinations: Innfjorden, Voll, Åndalsnes, Åfarnes, Mittet, Måndalen, Vågstranda, Veblungsnes

Back to the wider travel overview: Rauma.