Heidal: River Landscapes, Historic Farms and Culture

Heidal brings together a distinctive river landscape with historic farms and houses. The Sjoa flows through the area, where steep gorges sit alongside built-up areas on flatter stretches. Together with activities on the water, on cross-country ski trails and on horseback, this gives you different options to weigh up for your trip—from river adventures to architectural history.

The Sjoa and outdoor activities

A day trip with Sjoa Rafting AS covers about 11 kilometres on the river and ends at the camp in Nedre Heidal. The route length and endpoint provide specific reference points if you are considering a river activity as part of your trip. Tour details may change, so check them before you travel.

There are also different waters to choose from for fishing: you can fish with a fly or rod in mountain lakes, streams and rivers. Those interested in cross-country skiing will find kilometres of groomed trails, including touring trails and lit trails in the forest and above the tree line. Grooming is seasonal.

In summer, Øien Øvre offers horse-riding activities at Høgsetra in Heidal. Options range from half-day and full-day rides to overnight trips. If this is a priority for your trip, check which options are available before you travel.

The Sjoa River Festival is a volunteer-run kayaking event in Heidalen. It has been running since 1997 and is centred around the Strie-Strømmer kayak shop on the Sjoa. If the festival is relevant to your trip, check the event dates in advance.

For groups, Heidal Ysteri offers tours about the history of Heidal cheese. The approximately one-hour tour combines a product tasting with an insight into the cheese dairy. This offers a different experience from the activities on the river: the focus here is on the history and production of cheese, not a trip on the water.

Historic houses and building traditions

Heidal has the highest density of listed houses and farmsteads in Norway, many of which are still inhabited. 60 per cent of the houses date from before 1900. The old wooden houses date back to the 18th century, and some even to the 16th century. These facts shed light on different aspects of the area’s architectural history: its listed buildings, the age of the houses and its long tradition of wooden construction.

Near Heidal is Bjølstadkapellet, a medieval log church with Urnes-style portal boards. The chapel dates from around 1531 and represents a transitional form between stave and log construction. It is on the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage’s list of automatically protected churches. It originally stood on the Bjølstad farm, a few kilometres west of Heidal Church; it was reconsecrated on 26 July 1964.

Travel planning and the region

The activities described also differ by season and duration: cross-country ski trails are groomed seasonally, while horse-riding activities take place in summer. For the trails, the type of route and its location matter; for the horse-riding trips, you can choose between half-day, full-day and overnight options. This makes it easier to match your travel interests with the specific formats described.

The road through Heidal is described as the shortest route via Valdresflya for continuing towards Jotunheimen, Valdres or Hallingdal. In the wider destination of Sel, part of Rondane National Park lies within Sel Municipality. The mountain areas of the wider destination of Sel have an extensive network of hiking trails and cross-country ski trails.

Discover more destinations: Sel, Otta, Høvringen, Mysusæter.

Back to the wider travel overview: Sel.