Bøverbru between history and trails

Bøverbru brings together local architectural history, traces of a former railway, and trails for outdoor activities. This offers a range of different interests: you can explore school and church history or choose trails based on how you plan to use them. For planning, it is helpful that hiking, cycling, and skiing each have their own specific, named starting points.

School history and church architecture

Rud skole og klokkergård in Bøverbru was the first permanent school in Vestre Toten and operated from 1844 to 1962. The oldest building on the site is a stabbur, a traditional Norwegian storehouse, dating from the 18th or early 19th century. Its date places it before the school began operating.

Ås kirke in Bøverbru is a cruciform church built in 1921 in the Romanesque style, using grey stone and wood. Its altarpiece dates from 1676, and its pulpit from 1683. Both furnishings therefore predate the church building. If you are interested in architectural history, this comparison highlights the clear difference in age between the building and its furnishings.

Trails for hiking and skiing

Ski trails lead from the sports ground in Bøverbru to Reinsvoll, up to the ridge, and towards Sillongen and Raufoss. These named destinations give you specific directions for planning ski activities and distinguish them from the hiking and cycling trails described below.

A public hiking trail runs along the fence at Rud skole og klokkergård. In addition, Ihle Turlag has marked and cleared numerous hiking trails from Ihle to Reinsvoll and Bøverbru. The distinction is useful for orientation: the public trail is described by its location along the fence, while the trails from Ihle connect two named destinations.

The Steffensrudrunden starts at Vestre Totenveg in Bøverbru; parking is available near the starting point. Check the parking arrangements before your trip, as this information may change. The loop passes Steffensrudtjernet and leads to a bathing spot with a jetty. Ungdomskilden is a natural spring in a patch of woodland at the far end of the lake, near the junction where the loop heads south. The lake, bathing spot, and spring provide distinct landmarks along the route.

The Skreiabanen: from railway line to trail

The Skreiabanen branch railway opened in 1902. Passenger services ended in 1963, freight services in 1987, and the line was officially closed in 1988. These separate dates show that passenger and freight services ended at different times, and that formal closure came later.

Today, a surfaced gravel path runs along the former railway line from Bøverbru to Skreia and is used for cycling and walking. This distinguishes its former function as a railway line from its current use as a trail. Those interested in the history of technology and transport can connect the dates of the Skreiabanen with the route of the former line; for route planning, its current character as a gravel path and its intended uses are what matter.

Discover more destinations: Eina, Raufoss.

For an overview of the wider area: Vestre Toten.