Høvringen and Rondane

Høvringen was originally one of Norway’s largest farming hamlets with over 30 farms in operation. The first tourists started to visit the farms in the 1880s, and this was the start of the tourist industry that characterises the area today.

Høvringen and Rondane have left their mark on Norwegian cultural history. On his journey through the Gudbrandsdalen Valley, Peter Christen  Asbjørnsen was a guest at Høvringen in 1842. This stay provided the background for the story of Peer Gynt, who met both the boyg and the trolls in Rondane. 20 years later, Asbjørnsen’s fairy-tale ‘Reindeer hunt at Rondane’ formed the basis of Henrik Ibsen’s play ‘Peer Gynt’.

In Sigrid Undset’s famous novel The Wreath, Kristin Lavransdatter gets to go with her father to the mountains. Here, Høvringen is portrayed with a mood of adventure and superstition. Rondane plays a central role in Åsmund Olavson Vinje’s ‘Ferdaminne’. Later, Edvard Grieg composed his poem ‘At Rondane’. Rondane was the subject for famous paintings made by Erik Werenskjold, Hans Gude and not least Harald Sohlberg. ‘Winter Night in Rondane’ has been chosen as Norway’s national painting.

Høvringens farming hamlet

When mountain farming was at its most active in the period around 1900, Høvringen was one of Norway’s largest mountain hamlets with at least 35 farms. Herds of cattle, sheep, goats and horses grazed on summer pastures in the mountains, and the meadows were full of life. Traditional mountain farming doesn’t really exist any more in our mountain areas, but flocks of cattle can still be found here in the summer. Old animal trails can still be seen winding into the mountains. These old animal trails are now used by the people of today.

In the middle of the 1800s, modern tourism started to blossom at Høvringen. Englishmen arrived with their hunting rifles and travelled to the mountains with local guides. We can still see traces of them in several hunting cabins. To this day, the same cabins continue to serve as shelter for hunters during the autumn hunting season. 

Some of the owners of Høvringen’s mountain farms quickly understood that city folk were attracted by experiences of nature and recreation in the mountains. These were the first signs of trade and commerce, and tourism gradually developed from improvised and modest side jobs, to a significant and independent industry.

At Høvringen, we believe in moderation and tranquility, in an atmosphere where old mountain farming traditions have not completely disappeared. Høvringen is a place where qualities such as being close to nature and the elements are paramount. We feel that being in harmony with our fellow human beings and having peace of mind are of utmost importance. This is why Høvringen’s tourist establishments continue to be good and pleasant places to stay.

Rondane National Park

Rondane National Park was established in 1962 and was Norway’s first national park. In total, the park is 572 km², and has the Ronde Massif as its centrepiece – in many people’s eyes, Norway’s finest and most beautiful mountainous area. Rondane National Park is Norway’s second most visited mountainous area, behind the Hardangervidda Mountain Plateau.

Rondane National Park is a distinct, mountainous area. Large parts of the park are over 1445 metres above sea level. The park is home to ten peaks that rise more than 2000 metres above sea level. The highest mountains are called Rondeslottet (2178 masl) and Storronden (2138 masl).

There are countless traces of the last Ice Ages throughout the whole of Rondane. Narrow corries, gorges and large, mountainous terraces are all evidence of the Ice Age. A total of 124 different species of birds and 28 different species of mammals have been observed in Rondane. 20 of these are sedentary species. There are 240 species of plants and over 300 types of moss and lichen. Rondane’s wild reindeer population is the last remnant of the original European wild reindeer population. The reindeer have been in Rondane for thousands of years.

There are many traces of old trapping methods in Rondane. There are several locations where visitors can see old trapping pits that were used to catch wild reindeer. There are also many traces of ancient burial mounds and settlements. The oldest reindeer trapping pits date back to the year zero, and the most recent pits were used right up until the 1800s. Trapping sites can be found close to the trails at Rondvassbu and Smuksjøseter. The migratory habits and grazing areas of the wild reindeer are the same today as they always have been.

Rondane’s preservation orders give visitors a guarantee of how they will experience nature when staying with us. However, this also places demands on how you as our guest have to take this natural wealth into consideration.

Mountain cafés and hiking destinations

There are several cafés in the Høvringen area, in most places where you can buy the norwegian speciality “sour cream waffles” and «Kvikk-Lunsj» and also get a nice cup of hot chocolate or other refreshments. In central Høvringen you will find Høvringen Landhandleri og Kafe, which is both a shop and cafe. They have everything from food supplies to tourequipment and clothes.

Høvringsvatnet Lake and the Peer Gynt Cabin

From Høvringen, there is a small road that winds 5 km into the mountains to Smuksjøseter and Høvringsvatnet Lake. Here, you will find yourself right in the middle of Rondane National Park, and you can enjoy the peace and tranquility of the mountains by taking a short walk along the lake or drinking a cup of coffee in the sun. Maybe you would like to return to Høvringen on foot, or even walk 4 km further in to the Peer Gynt Cabin before driving back to Høvringen.

Putten Seter and utsikten

There is also a small road out of Høvringen that leads 5 km south to Putten Seter. Here you can visit our small mountain church, Rossbu Chapel, or get yourself a great cup of coffee and a sour cream waffle. Feel free to take a short 1 km walk out to Utsikten (The View), where there are outstanding views of the Northern Gudbrandsdalen Valley with a drop of over 600 metres.

Dovre Cabin and Trollskogen

Dovre Cabin is located 5 km north of Høvringen, and you can walk through the Trollskogen forest or over Vardefjell mountain before reaching the café.

Ski rental and ski shop

Rondane Skisenter has its own ski shop where you can rent or buy ski equipment, sleds and mountain clothing. They also offers basic ski training and guided skiing trips.

Visit the ski shop located at the upper end of Høvringen to learn more about rental offers and activities.