Gausdal: Nature, Culture and Trails

Gausdal brings together nature, outdoor activities and cultural history. When comparing hotels in Gausdal, a good first step is to decide what you want to focus on during your trip: will it be mainly trails and landscapes, or would you rather explore churches, historic homes and regional history?

Langsua and Helvete: Landscapes and Geology

Langsua National Park lies partly in Gausdal and offers many opportunities year-round for excursions on foot, by bike and on skis. In Holsbru, you can start at the information point and head straight along the Dokkelva or through the forest. Access may vary by season.

Helvete Nature Park is home to giant potholes dating back 10,000 years, considered the largest in Northern Europe. They are part of the Helvete Nature Reserve, established in 2013 and covering a total area of 1,134 dekar. The geological formations and protected status give the area a different focus from the trails in Langsua National Park.

Helvete also offers archery, with a shooting range, a hunting trail, twelve animal figures and the necessary equipment. The activity must be arranged in advance.

Churches, Artists’ Homes and Regional History

Follebu Church is a rectangular, whitewashed stone church, probably built in the 13th century. Aulestad is one of Norway’s best-preserved artists’ homes. It was the historic home of the writer and Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and his wife, Karoline.

In the wider Gausdal destination, Aulestad offers guided tours, exhibitions, authentic interiors and a garden that provide insights into the life and work of the Bjørnson family. Children can enjoy activities in the barn and discover secrets in the garden. The family programme may vary by season.

Kittilbu Utmarksmuseum is an accredited visitor centre for Langsua National Park. It presents the history of human use of Gausdal Vestfjell since the Stone Age. In the wider Gausdal destination, the museum also offers several tours and courses about flora and fauna. At its own mountain farm dating from the mid-19th century, visitors can learn about mountain-farm culture; individual course dates may vary.

More to Explore in the Wider Gausdal Destination

The Gausdal section of Langsua National Park includes birch forests, old coniferous forests, rolling plateaus and diverse wetlands. Østre Gausdal Church offers a different architectural perspective: the medieval stone church has a rectangular floor plan, and its choir is as wide and high as the nave.

Helvete Nature Park in the wider Gausdal destination also has a family park, an archery trail, a café and a souvenir shop; seasonal opening hours may vary. From the car park, it is a walk of a few hundred metres to the start of the descent to the Jettegryter.

Activities and Routes Around Skeikampen

Topptrimmen is an annual initiative in Gausdal that aims to get as many people as possible out into the natural and cultural landscape. Skeikampen has kilometres of well-marked trails for summit hikes, forest walks and circular routes in the surrounding area. In the wider Gausdal destination, the area around Skeikampen also has cycling routes, mountain hikes, and places for swimming and fishing.

Skeikampen has 200 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails. As the length of the trails may change, check the current kilometre figure before your trip. Skeikampen is also home to the highest 18-hole golf course in the Nordic region; check the current course status before visiting.

Peer Gynt Vegen is a 60-kilometre mountain road through the Norwegian mountain landscape; Skeikampen lies at its southern end. Gausdal therefore offers different ways to plan a trip: ski trails and hiking routes for outdoor activities, a mountain road for a tour through the landscape, and historic sites for a focus on cultural history.

If you’re looking for hotels in Gausdal, you can use these themes as a starting point for planning your trip. Langsua and Skeikampen are especially suited to outdoor activities, while Aulestad, Kittilbu and the churches offer opportunities to explore culture and history. This lets you align your search with your planned travel days before comparing specific hotel offers.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Svatsum, Follebu, Espedalen, Østre Gausdal, Vestre Gausdal, Svingvoll.

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