Hovden I Setesdal

Get to know Hovden I Setesdal through winter sports, paths through the mountain landscape, and walks with historical connections. When choosing a hotel, it may therefore help to consider which of these themes will shape your stay. The places and activities showcase different sides of the destination: alpine facilities, cross-country skiing, marked hiking trails, and traces of local history.

Ski resort and cross-country skiing in Hovden

Hovden Alpinsenter has 33 slopes across three areas, two chairlifts, five drag lifts, and a conveyor belt. The total slope length is 42.5 km, and the maximum vertical drop is 420 m. The lifts take you to the mountain peaks of Hovdenuten and Storenos; Storenos is over 1,200 m above sea level. Slope length and vertical drop provide two different indications of the size of the ski resort. Since details about the facilities may change following future expansions, it is advisable to check the operator’s information before your trip.

The Tusseland children’s area has two drag lifts and a conveyor belt for people trying skiing for the first time. The Hovden Cross-Country Arena near the town center offers short and long trails, as well as steep and gently rising routes for both classic and freestyle cross-country skiing. The stadium and much of the trail network are illuminated every evening until 11 p.m. The cross-country ski trail network in Hovden and Bykle covers a total of 160 km through forest and mountain terrain and is also suitable for both styles of cross-country skiing.

Trails and landscape

Hovden is surrounded by mountains and varied high-mountain landscapes. Marked hikes offer both short and longer outings, so when planning, you can start by considering how long you would like your outing to be.

One specific route is the approximately 3 km Viking Walk. It starts at the landing stage in the Hegni outdoor area and heads north along the Otra, through the center of Hovden to Hovden Høyfjellsenter. Along the way, the trail offers insights into local history, culture, and wildlife. Visible remains of iron production and charcoal kilns have been preserved along the route. The Viking Walk thus combines a specific route with cultural and historical themes.

Local history and regional themes

One historical landmark in Hovden is the chapel: in 2002, Hovden Chapel was renamed Fjellgardane Church.

The wider destination of Bykle also offers its own nature and culture themes. Bykle Church is a church decorated with rosemaling, dating from around 1620. The publicly accessible Lislestog Museum includes wooden houses and old objects; its opening arrangements are seasonal. At Huldreheimen, a walk between old buildings offers wide-ranging views over the church settlement of Bykle.

The cultural offerings in the wider destination of Bykle also include the Hovden jernvinnemuseum. It presents the history of Viking Age iron production through smoke, light, sound, and smell, and is set up as a self-service museum. The natural environment also has a distinctive highlight: Vidmyr Nature Reserve near Hovden in Bykle, together with the marsh areas in the Hovden Landscape Protection Area, forms one of the largest continuous areas of marshland in the region.

Discover more destinations: Bykle

Go to the main travel overview: Bykle.