Lesja
Municipality · Innlandet
About Lesja
Lesjaskogsvatnet, a lake draining both north to the Rauma and south to the Lågen, plus Bjorli and Lesja's richly carved 1749 church.
What to do and where to stay in Lesja
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1LesjaskogsvatnetNature
A 10 km lake at 611 m that drains both ways, west to the Rauma and east to the Lågen; it was made in the 1660s by damming two lakes for the ironworks.
Along E136 between Lesjaverk and Lesjaskog · 15–60 min · All year (frozen in winter)
2Lesja ChurchHistory & culture
A cruciform timber church from 1749 with a pulpit and altarpiece carved in acanthus style by Jakob Klukstad and painted galleries by Ragnvald Einbu.
Kyrkjevegen, Lesja village · 30–45 min · Summer guided tours daily at 13:00 (visitnorway)
3Lesja BygdamuseumHistory & culture
An open-air farm museum next to Lesja church where volunteers bake and show crafts in summer, with a weekend café.
Kyrkjevegen 91, Lesja village · 1 h · Mid-June to mid-August, 10–16
4Lesjaverk ironworks remainsHistory & culture
Ruins of the smelting furnace and the protected owner's house from 1734–36 at the ironworks that ran from 1659 to 1812, with a culture path to the lake.
Lesjaverk, east end of Lesjaskogsvatnet · 30–60 min · Summer–autumn
5TussheimbueHike
A marked trail from Lesja village climbs 450 m above the treeline to a day cabin with views over Lesja's farmland and into Reinheimen, with wooden sculptures on the way.
Starts at the railway underpass, Lesja centre · 3 h (6.6 km return) · Summer–autumn
6AurtandefeltetHistory & culture
A short trail through burial mounds, house remains and old fields near Lesja village where Viking-age swords, arrowheads and loom weights were found.
Near Lesja village · 30–45 min (1.5 km) · Snow-free season
7Rånåkollen and RånåbueHike
Bjorli's signature hike: a short, steep marked path (450 m up) to a day cabin with views over the valley and the high mountains.
Rånå, near Bjorli · 2–3 h (4.5 km return) · Summer–autumn
8GrønfossenNature
The Grøna river drops in a waterfall in Grøndalen on its way to the Rauma; an easy 4 km return walk with a picnic spot, best in spring and early summer.
Grøndalen, near Bjorli · 1–1.5 h (4 km return) · Late spring–summer
9Gruvlie mining trailHike
An 8 km marked trail climbing about 400 m from the valley floor into the mountains past old mine traces and remains from the Lesjaverk ironworks.
Lesjaverk area · 3–4 h (8 km return, about 400 m up) · Summer–autumn
10RaudbergetHike
A 5.5 km return climb of 400 m, steep through birch wood, to odd rock formations at the top with views over Bjorli.
Near Bjorli · 2.5 h (5.5 km return, 400 m up) · Summer–autumn