The 10 Best Things to Do in Gol, Norway

Gol Stave Church, which is in the mediaval park Gordarike, is a true copy of the Gol stave church built in the 1200s. The copy was built in the 1980s and consecrated by the bishop of Tunsberg in 1994. In the summer evening on Wednesdays there is a devotional and sometimes musical performance. The church is often used for weddings. The woodwork inside the church is still bright, and it is easy to spot all the beautiful carvings and details. Visit the church and be humbled by the mood you will be greeted by. Inside you can listen to the beautiful Gregorian choir music (cd). In the Viking Hall next to the exhibition you can study the stave church architecture. Same opening hours / entrance ticket as to the Gordarike Family Park. Gol stave church (Gol stavkirke) is a stave church originally from Gol, Hallingdal, Norway. It is now located in the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History at Bygdoy in Oslo, Norway. When the city built a new church around 1880, it was decided to demolish the old stave church. It was saved from destruction by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments, which bought the materials in order to re-erect the church elsewhere. It was acquired by King Oscar II, who financed its relocation and restoration as the central building of his private open-air museum near Oslo. The restoration, overseen by architect Waldemar Hansteen, was completed in 1885. In 1907 this early open air museum, the world's first, was merged with the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, which now manages the stave church, still nominally the property of the reigning monarch. The church is dendrochronologically dated to 1212. In the 1980s, the modern replica was erected in Gol.

Follow the main road from Oset Hoyfjellshotell along lake Tisleifjorden. Pass Golsfjellet Hotell and make a right after a few hundred metres uphill climb, follow the signs to Loggestolen. From Loggestolen to Noreli the route follows a somewhat rough trail. the quality of this trail makes the route not suitable for small children, whether on bikes or on trailers. This trail will be improved and moved during July/August 2007. From Norely, follow the road to Lykkja, on via Flyvatn and Langestolen to Buastolen. Turn right and cross the Tislei dam on your way back to Oset Hoyfjellshotell. The route has many beautiful scenic points and great opportunities for swimming and picnicing. There is a shop at Langestolen.

The centre has a family friendly ski tow with a separate sledding slope, park with jumps and rails, a warming room, ski rental and immediate access to the cross-country tracks. Minifacta: • Lower station 940 moh • Top station 1149 moh • 3 lift • 8 slopes. Longest slope 1950 meter. Click here for map • Ski area for children with own slop • jump and 5 rails • Warming room • Ski rental shops Openingtimes: • Open from January-April 11-15. • The lift is open Saturday and Sunday from 10-16 in the period Jan to April. Open daily during winter sport holiday (week 7,8,9) 10.30-16.30 and Eastern 10-16. For other days please contact the hotel. Bjodnaliheisen • Daily week 7:12-16. • Week 8+9 10-16.30 Cross country slopes: From Ski centre you can access the track network on Golsfjellet. Road describtion: Follow Rv 51 from Gol centre towards Golsfjellet/Fagernes. Take off to the left at Hallingen and follow signs to Storefjell.

Entering Gildehallen, the guild hall, at Oset is like going hundreds of years back in time! Gildehallen has a spectacular collection of around 3000 different farm antiquities. Furniture, pots, beer bowls, tools pretty much anything you can think of in old artifacts and knicknacks. Gildehallen is at Oset Hoyfjellshotell. The collection is private, but tours are given by appointment with the hotel. Tours wednesdays at 17.00 and sundays at 11.00 between 25. June and 20. August. Tours sundays at 11.00 during the rest of the year. Directions: • Follow Rv. 51 direction Golsfjellet/Fagernes • Go left at sign marked Golsfjellet • Follow signs to Oset Hoyfjellshotell Contact information: Oset Hoyfjellshotell Golsfjellet Tel 3207 9500

This is the family's own favourite trip. Here you can enjoy a break by the water, go swimming, rent a kanoo or visit the Lauvsjo farm. This trip is suitable for everyone that can handle their own bike. You can park your car by the Lake Lauvsjoen (there is parking along the Golsfjellveien). The easiest way to Lauvsjoen is to follow the sign to Golsfjellet Vest from the town center. From the parking you go a couple of meters in the direction of the city center (to the right), then you follow the carriage-path towards the lakes of Vesletjernet/Lauvsjoen. After about one kilometer you get to the lakes where there is a smaller road going to the swimming and the rest stop. The road will continue to the only hill, about 300 meters long. Halfway up the hill you can go fishing or rent a kanoo at the mountainfarm Lauvsjostolen. This mountainfarm is also open for visits every Wednesday and Thursday from July 1st until August 13th. Continue on the road back to the Golsfjellsvegen and the parking. Difficulty: Easy Ability for biketrolley: No Lowest/highest point: 905/948 m. Total rise: 85 m. Have a nice trip!

A varied walk with stunning views including Tisleifjord, mountain plateau, Hallingskarvet and Jotunheimen. Go past the mysterious lake Pengetjern (Monetary) and Appelsin treet (orange tree). Directions to the starting point: From Gol take the road 51 direction Fagernes. After 13 km turn off the main road to the left and follow road signs to Oset Hoyfjellshotell. Remember to include tolls NOK 30. Follow the road 7 km, orterstolen is situated on the right along this road. orterstolen Hytter have detached cottages and a number of cabins. All rented with sheets and everything you need for self catering. Sleeps 6 to 8 people and there are 2 bathrooms in each cabin. Oset Hoyfjellshotell, 2 km further from the road, gives you a warm reception, bed and good food. There is room in several price ranges. All trails are marked with distance marks with GPS coordinates for each intersection. The numbers in the cross walk description refers to the sign in the landscape and free sketch map of the area. orterstolen - Bualie - orterhovda - Appelsintreet - orterstolen A trip to suit everyone. The tour goes on mountain roads and mountain terrain, 905-1117 m and is 10 km long. The trip will take approx. 3 hours. Park at orterstolen. The tour begins by walking 400 meters along the road signs from 201 to 203. Here you go through the cabin area Bualie / Gol Alpinsenter where the trail begins at the sign 221 and this is followed on to orterhovda 1117 m.a.s.l. Add rest break to the top of orterhovda, so you can enjoy both the food and the view. Total length of 2.3 km. The mysterious ortervannet (lake) located on your left side. The story goes on a dairymaid that soaked a pot full of money into the small lake. That is why you hear the sound of money when you walk along the edge of the lake. Follow the path to the sign 234 Appelsintreet (Orange Tree). Especially in winter people throwing up in the orange tree. Bicycle path/trail from there follow signs 234-233 for 1.5 km through Stolsdokki to distinguish 231. Now you can enjoy views of Tisleifjord and Stolsvidda on the way down the mountain road in 1.6 km. Follow the road from Oset the last 400 meter back to orterstolen.

Gol Bygdetun - Skaga sits up high in the valley side with a beautiful view of Gol The museum has a hallingstue, stabbur, barn, sauna, summer farm, mill, and an old small school. The oldest houses are from the late 1600s, most from the early 1800s. Inside you'll find all the equipment used daily to care for both people and lifestock.

Start the bike trip at Gol railroad station and follow the signs towards Nesbyen. The first part of the trip runs along easy gravel roads towards Svenkerud. Follow the bicycle signs over the bridge and on to Gamleveien to Nesbyen. Keep going in this direction for about 3 km. Then follow the signs marked Nesbyen rundt over Tyribakken bridge. From Tyribakken bridge the trip goes up towards Garnos. Half way up the hills you can make a right and visit Garnos meteorite crater. The inclines continue all the way up Garnos and on into Fladalen. From Fladalen the route continues into Ridalen. The scenery in these Valleys is almost fairy-tale like, with narrow roads, marshes, small rivers and eventually a fantastic view towards Skarveheimen. From Ridalen you go downhill towards Gol. The last 8 kilometres run along the railway track in relatively flat terrain. The route is long, vith some steep inclines, so it requires some fitness and is not suitable for small children.

In the activity park Gordarike you are right in the middle of the Hallingdal history with tracks from the Viking Age and the Medieval Ages. Through the re-creation of the attractions you meet a great activity park. Find peace of mind inside the Gol Stave Church. The Exhibitions tell about the architecture of the stave churches and the history of the Norse gods. Visit the grave of King Hadding, the Viking village, Santa's house, and the Hahaug trolls cave. You can climb to the top of the tower Yggdrasil or whiz down the zipline, shoot with bows and arrows and learn sword fighting in the Amphitheater. The Yggdrasil symbolizes the tree of life in Norse mythology, from the top of the tree you have a magnificent view over the valley. NEWS summer 2011: River with Viking boats for children, small swimming area and Flintstones-electric vehicles.

Hallingrittet is a 45 km long bike ride at Golsfjellet in Hallingdal. This trip description is a bit shorter, because some parts of the ride goes both ways on the same road. This description starts at Gurisetkrysset (crossroad) in the direction of Guriset Hoyfjellshotell through Stosdokki. Follow the old Guriset road, which is a medium challenging carriage road, pass Flataskortjedne and Auenhaugen to Lauvsetkrysset (crossroad). Then pass the Lauvsjostolen (mountain farm) and follow the old Hjartingstolvegen (carriage road) along Lauvsjostolen to the main road, and continue to Lauvset. From Lauvset to Storefjell via Lostegard, Vermeli, Skutuset and Rekkjeset. Between Vermeli and Skutuset there is about 1 km with path/tractor road, but the rest of the road is good gravel road. Follow the marked path and road to Kamben and then continue back to Golsfjell road, pass orterstolen and back to Gurisetkrysset (crossroad). Difficulty: Medium Possibility for bike trolley: No Service: Storefjell, Kamben, orterstolen, Oset Lowest/highest point: 850/1049 m. Total climbing: 615 m Have a nice trip!