Rendalen: Gorges, Mountain Landscapes and Culture

Discover Rendalen through its diverse destinations: the Jutulhogget gorge, the Sølen massif, striking rock formations and sites of cultural history. When planning your visit, it helps to distinguish between landscape experiences and cultural history: hikes take you through rocky gorge terrain or focus on Sølen, while pilgrimage artifacts, a historic fishing village and Rendalstunet offer further points of interest.

Gorge, massif and striking rocks

Jutulhogget has walls up to 240 metres high and is between 150 and 500 metres wide. Hiking in the gorge takes you through rocky, boulder-strewn terrain; the landscape is described as impressive and mysterious. The best way to reach Jutulhogget is via Jutulhoggveien from Barkald. Here, the focus is on the shape of the gorge and the route through its rugged terrain.

At Sølen, the summit and massif are the defining features: the highest point, Midtre Sølen, is 1,755 metres above sea level. Sølen and its surroundings have been protected as the Sølen Landscape Protection Area since 2011. Grøndalen and Mefurua are designated starting points for hikes to Sølen. Mefurua is also a starting point for climbing Rendalssølen, at 1,755 metres, and for a hike around the massif. This offers different options, including a summit destination and routes around the mountain, without specifying a hiking time or level of difficulty.

Mefurua is Rendalen’s only state-secured recreation area; several buildings there provide overnight accommodation. Another particularly striking rock formation is Store sten, also called Otersteinen. The boulder is about 16 metres high and is considered Norway’s third-largest freestanding boulder. You will find it at a rest area on the eastern shore of Storsjøen, right beside Sjøliveien, county road 237.

Cultural history and pilgrimage routes

Rendalstunet comprises the Old Berger School, “Gammelskola,” the Bull Museum, also known as Prestegårdstunet, and Bergslia. At Sølensjøen, Fiskevollen is considered Norway’s largest and oldest inland fishing village. Together with Åkresteinen, which bears carved traces left by pilgrims, these sites add connections to fishing, local history and pilgrimage traditions to the mountain and gorge landscape. Åkresteinen is considered one of the few enduring artifacts left by pilgrims in Norway.

The Pilegrimsleden pilgrimage route is also part of this story: it runs into the southeastern corner of Rendalen and continues to Åkrestrømmen. If you plan to hike the route, check the trail conditions and signage beforehand. An annual opportunity to learn about the pilgrimage tradition is the pilgrimage to a service at Rosemaries kilde during the Åkrestrømmen Grendefestival. The village festival, also known as Rendalsdagene, takes place every year in mid-July, in calendar week 28. For a specific year of travel, check the current programme and date.

Another place connected with local history is Åkrådalen. The summer farm is at the foot of the Sølen massif and near Fiskevollen at Sølensjøen. The old stable, dating from 1922, has been converted into a function room for up to 70 people. In this way, Rendalen’s destinations in the open landscape complement places where pilgrimage, fishing and building history can be experienced firsthand.

Discover more destinations: Åkrestrømmen, Hanestad and Sjølisand.

Return to the main travel overview: Rendalen.