It starts long before you see the farm. The road winds its way up from the valley, past forest and water and open plains. You feel yourself breathing more deeply. The mountain air clears your mind, your shoulders drop.
When you arrive at Fagerdalen Støl, the gate is open and the silence is broken only by the sound of a cow mooing, a small pig grunting for cuddles and a coffee pot clinking against an enamel cup. Here, in the middle of Skarvheimen, the farm is still alive as it has been for generations. The cows are milked morning and evening, and the nutritious milk is used to make butter, cheese, rum and graut, just as it was done in the old days.
From Cow to You
Inside the old barn, which is now a cosy and personal farmhouse restaurant, the table is set with freshly baked kvikaku, homemade rum and jam. You'll hear about how the rum thickens in the cellar and how the butter is churned by hand. There are no shortcuts here, just knowledge, time and love of the craft.
When the rummegraut arrives on the table, warm and velvety with golden butter on top, you realise why people return year after year. This is food that carries memories - not just of the flavour, but of the stories, the people and the mountain.
In addition to the café, Fagerdalen also sells its own handmade mountain products. Here you can take the flavour of the mountains home with you, whether it's fresh rum, mountain butter, pult cheese, wooden cheese, kvikaku, fresh cheese or surystil. Everything is made on the farm, by hand, and with ingredients from our own cows.
Animals, nature and tranquillity
The cows graze freely around the farm, and in a small enclosure there are five sociable pigs ready for petting and treats. It's hard to describe how calm and present you feel here. Time stops and you forget about your screens. Here you can enjoy the delicious mountain air, home-cooked food and some of the most beautiful nature Norway has to offer.
Recommended route
One of the best ways to get here is actually by bike. Rolling into Fagerdalen, with the mountains as your backdrop and the farm as your destination, is an experience in itself. From the Bergsjøstølen Mountain Lodge, Skarslia Apartments or Rødungstøl Mountain Hotel there is a gravel road into the mountain with views all the way. The tour is suitable for most people, and bikes can be hired at both Skarslia and Bergsjøstølen Mountain Lodge.
A place to share
Whether you come alone, with your family, or as part of a group, there's a place for you in Fagerdalen. The restaurant can cater for teams, lunches and small celebrations, often with stories about life at the farm, past and present. But you don't need a big occasion card to make the trip. Curiosity and a desire for an experience that is more than just food and views is enough.
Practical info
Opening hours
1 July to 24 August
12.00 - 16.30 Mon - Sun
25 August - 14 September
12:00 - 16:30 Sat - Sun
Address
Fagerdalsvegen 17, 3560 Ål
- Look for signs from the Bergsjø area.
Group bookings and questions
+ 47 911 09 779
NB! Card terminal, but unstable network. Happy to accept cash. Takes not Vipps.