Sør-Aurdal
Municipality · Innlandet
About Sør-Aurdal
Two stave churches, Hedalen from the late 1100s and Reinli, plus the Bagn open-air folk museum in the Begna valley.
What to do and where to stay in Sør-Aurdal
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Hedalen Stave ChurchHistory & culture
Timber felled in 1161–63; inside is a gilded copper reliquary of about 1250 with a Thomas Becket scene, the only one still kept in a Norwegian church, and a medieval bear skin.
Hedalen, by Fv 243, side valley south of Begnadalen · 30–60 min · summer for the interior; outside all year
2Reinli Stave ChurchHistory & culture
Built from timber felled in 1323–26 on a hillside west of Bagn, it is the only surviving stave church with nave and chancel the same width, a true long church.
Reinli, hillside about 3 km west of Bagn · 30–45 min · summer (used only in summer)
3Bagnsbergatn National War MemorialHistory & culture
A farm high above the gorges where German troops held civilians hostage in April 1940 until Norwegian soldiers forced them to surrender; bullet holes remain in walls and furniture.
Hillside north of Bagn, walk from the old E16 · 2 h (about 4 km return, 240 m climb) · June–October
4Fønhusstigen and the Kverrvilljuvet gorgeHike
A blue-marked path up the Hølera river gorge made famous by Mikkjel Fønhus's novel, with a swimming spot at Svaet, a gorge viewpoint and the Trollstugu cave.
Begnadalen, start at Hølera community centre towards Sæterbygda, about 10 km south of Bagn · 3 h (5 km return, 300 m climb) · June–September
5Bautahaugen SamlingerHistory & culture
Founded in 1902, this small open-air museum in central Hedalen gathers 15 old buildings, some from Vassfaret hunting and fishing life, and about 2,500 objects.
Central Hedalen · 45–60 min · summer
6Hedalen Nature and Culture TrailHike
A 5.5 km one-way path with only about 60 m of climbing, partly on the valley's first road from about 1840, with boards along the way between the stave church and Bautahaugen.
Hedalen, between Hedalen stave church and Bautahaugen · 1–1.5 h one way · May–October
7Bagn BygdesamlingHistory & culture
An open-air museum begun in 1920 at Dolven with a regimental arsenal, a water-powered sawmill, a watermill, a smithy and a sauna once used to dry grain.
Dolven, about 5 km south of Bagn on the E16 · 1 h · summer
8Vassfaret: Aurdalsfjorden and NevlingenNature
Vassfaret, the wilderness that inspired Mikkjel Fønhus, has a chain of lakes from Nevlingen, with a tent site, down to Aurdalsfjorden, the municipality's largest.
Vassfaret, south of Hedalen towards Flå · half day to several days · June–September
9Piltingsrud GardLocal oddity
A forestry farm run by the same family since the 1790s, with a dragon head over the barn door, rooms full of old objects, a farm shop and summer banquets in the yard.
Begnadalen · 1 h · summer
10The Rugg trail in VassfaretHike
A signed path from Storbekk climbs to a plate where the bear Rugg, which killed a shepherd boy, was shot in May 1908, with boards quoting Mikkjel Fønhus.
Storbekk, Vassfaret, west of Hedalen · 2–3 h · June–October