Froland
Municipality · Agder
About Froland
Froland Verk's 1700s ironworks manor, where mathematician Niels Henrik Abel died, and his grave at the 1718 Froland church.
What to do and where to stay in Froland
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Frolands VerkHistory & culture
An ironworks run from the 1760s to 1867, whose protected main house and 1790s garden now belong to the municipality; mathematician Niels Henrik Abel died here in 1829.
Froland Verk, on Fv 42 about 5 km west of Blakstad/Osedalen · 30–45 min · outside all year; inside only at events
2Froland kirke and Niels Henrik Abel's graveHistory & culture
A wooden long church from 1718, restored to its first look in 1959, with the grave and memorial of mathematician Niels Henrik Abel in the churchyard.
Froland village, about 3 km north of Osedalen · 20–30 min · churchyard all year; inside at services
3Skyttemyr gruveHistory & culture
A mine opened in the late 1860s and closed in 1882 at 167 m deep, beside Bøylestadveien (Fv 151), with secured entrances easy to see from the road.
Beside Bøylestadveien (Fv 151), Froland · 20–30 min · all year (outside)
4Bøylestad gruver and Espeland bryggeHistory & culture
Remains of the Bøylestad mines (1864–85, up to about 100 workers), with a stone ore quay at Espeland from about 1878 and traces of the 1879–85 ore railway.
Bøylestad and Espeland, Froland · 1 h · snow-free months
5Den gamle byveienHike
About 4 km of the old cart road from Libru to Nybu, used less after the Blakstad bridge came in 1873 and now a marked walking trail.
Libru to Nybu, near Blakstad · 1–1.5 h one way (4 km) · April–November
6Hauglandsfossen steinskjermLocal oddity
A stone log-driving screen built in 1878–80 in the Tovdal river system; the largest section is about 100 m long, with big parking at Potetbua.
Hauglandsfossen, Tovdalsvassdraget; parking at Potetbua · 30 min · summer and low water
7Haugsjå dam and the log flume to BøylefossSight
A state-listed 1913 concrete dam faced with stone, 18 m high and 160 m long, with the 2 km timber flume of 1912 running down to Bøylefoss.
Haugsjå, Nidelva watercourse · 30 min · all year
8Evenstad kraftverkHistory & culture
The first power station on the Arendal watercourse, from 1904, standing beside Eivindstadveien in an area popular for cycling.
Eivindstadveien, Froland · 15 min · all year (outside)
9Krossbu day cabin on KrossåsenHike
A free, open day-trip cabin with a wood stove and a small library on top of Krossåsen, looking over the Nidelva towards Blakstad, reached from Froland station.
Krossåsen, near Osedalen; path from Froland stasjon · 1–2 h · all year
10Osevollen bathing place and smelter ruinsSwim
The kommune's main bathing place in Osedalen, step-free with toilets and benches, beside ruins of the 1870–85 copper smelter seen from the path.
Osevollen, Osedalen · 1 h · June–August for swimming; ruins all year