At the same time, Ål is a good place for active summer days with children. At Topcamp Hallingdal, families can climb, cycle and play, while alpaca trekking at Tveitehaug offers an up-close encounter with animals and farm life
In Ål, you'll find experiences for both children and adults, with everything from activity and play to mountain tranquility, cultural history, mountain farm life, and living traditions. Here are our top 6 activity tips for Ål this summer:
- Bike ride from Bergsjøstølen to Fagerdalen Støl
- Horse riding in beautiful high mountain scenery
- Large activity park with climbing park, playground, bike park and adventure golf
- Torpo Stave Church, one of Norway's oldest medieval buildings
- Hike to Iungdalshytta, a vibrant tourist cabin in Skarvheimen
- Alpaca hike
1. Cycling trip from Bergsjøstølen to Fagerdalen pasture
- One of the finest cycling trips in Norway
- Authentic Norwegian mountain farm culture with homemade traditional food
- 32 km cycling trip (return journey)
One of the finest gravel bike tours in the mountain areas of Norway goes from Bergsjøstølen Fjellstue to Fagerdalen Støl. Here, the gravel road takes you through a magnificent high mountain landscape, with views towards Reineskarvet and Hallingskarvet.
The trip starts at Bergsjøstølen Fjellstue, a traditional mountain lodge with its roots in the mountain farm way of life. Here you can hire both bicycles and e-bikes for the trip to Fagerdalen.
On the way towards Fagerdalen, you cycle past water, moors and mountain pastures, through an open high-mountain landscape that has been used by people and animals for generations.
On arrival at Fagerdalen Støl, you’ll find a vibrant mountain farm community where traditions are still kept alive. Here you’ll find animals grazing, warm hospitality and mountain farm fare prepared using knowledge passed down through the generations. Inside the mountain farm hut, you can enjoy, amongst other things, homemade sour cream porridge made from skimmed milk from the cows, gommokaku and other traditional mountain farm produce from the area.
On this trip, you will experience everything from a traditional mountain lodge to authentic mountain farm life and Norwegian mountain culture. The bike ride is approximately 16 kilometres one way, and is situated around 1100 metres above sea level.
Remember to check the opening hours before your trip.
2. Trail riding in beautiful high-mountain scenery
- Norway's finest horse ride Reineskarvet Tour
- Ride through varied mountain scenery with mountain lakes, pastures and view Hallingskarvet National Park
- 3-day horse ride
At Skarslia, you can experience the mountains from horseback with Hestur.no. Here, the rides depart from Skarslia and head into forest and high mountain terrain with open expanses, mountain tracks, and views towards some of Ål's most characteristic mountain areas.
For those seeking a grander mountain experience, we can recommend joining the Reineskarvet around ride. This is a fantastic three-day horseback journey where you ride around the entire prominent mountain massif. The tour goes from Skarslia to Løvdalen, onwards to Djup, and back to Skarslia, through varied mountain scenery with views of mountains and water, showcasing traces of old mountain pasture culture.
You don't need to set aside three days to experience horse riding in Ål after all. Hestur.no also offers shorter trips, from a couple of hours to day trips, so that both beginners and experienced riders can experience the mountains from horseback.
3. Large activity park with play area, climbing, cycling and mini-golf
- Topcamp in Hallingdal brings together the Høyt & Lavt Climbing Park, a play area, a cycle park, adventure golf, catering and accommodation all in one place
- A 5-star campsite with activities, lovely cabins and camping facilities
For families with children, Topcamp Hallingdal is one of the best places to spend a summer’s day full of activities and fun. Here, you’ll find a range of family-friendly activities all in one place, including the Høyt & Lavt climbing park, a play area, a bike park and adventure golf. Here, children and adults can climb high up in the trees, take a zipline across the river, cycle on the pump track, play or compete to see who can complete the adventure golf course in the fewest strokes. The area also features more nice tours and mountain bike trails.
With catering, accommodation and excellent on-site facilities, families, children and adults can combine play, activity, food breaks and overnight stays without having to move between multiple locations.
Topcamp is one of the few campsites in Norway with 5 stars, something we are very proud of. Here you will find lovely cabins with views over the Hallingdal River and excellent facilities for those who wish for pitches for motorhomes, caravans and tents.
4. Experience Torpo Stave Church, one of Norway's oldest medieval buildings
- Torpo Stave Church is one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved medieval buildings.
- The only stave church in Hallingdal
- Turn your stay into a journey through cultural history by staying at Opheim Pensjonat, which has been in business since 1950
Torpo Stave Church is one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved medieval buildings, and the only stave church remaining in Hallingdal. In the middle of Torpo village in Ål, you can step inside the stave church that has stood in the same spot since the latter part of the 1100s.
With a guide, you’ll get an up-close look at the history, craftsmanship and symbolism of the old stave church. Inside the church, you’ll find timber-frame construction, carved pillars, details that have survived for several hundred years, and one of the great artistic treasures of the Norwegian Middle Ages: the painted canopy featuring motifs from the Christian faith and stories of the saints. The decoration is considered to be among the oldest preserved paintings in Norway.
If you want to make the experience a small cultural-historical journey, you can combine the guided tour with an overnight stay at Opheim Pensjonat nearby. The guesthouse has roots dating back to the 1930s and has been run as a guesthouse since the 1950s.
5. Hike to Iungdalshytta, a working tourist lodge in Skarvheimen
- Iungdalshytta is situated right in the heart of Skarvheimen, between Reineskarvet and Hallingskarvet, two of Norway’s most beautiful mountain ranges
- Here, the mountain farm traditions live on, and the food is an important part of the experience. The food is prepared from scratch using local ingredients and produce grown on the mountain farm
- 4 km walk one way (1 hour)
The trip from Toviken to Iungsdalshytta is one of the finest entrances to the mountains in Ål. On this trip, you will get a real sense of the mountains in a short amount of time, with open landscapes, mighty mountains, calm lakes, and mountain farm traditions.
The hike starts at Toviken and follows the water inland into the mountain landscape towards Iungsdalen. The hike is approximately 4 km one way and takes about an hour, yet it gives the feeling of truly getting into the mountains. When you enter Iungsdalen, you are in the very heart of Skarveheimen. There are no roads leading here, and no private cabins. This gives the valley an untouched character, where you get close to nature, silence, and the seter (mountain pasture) life.
The cabin has roots stretching back to 1917, when the DNT built the first tourist cabin to connect the mountain regions between Jotunheimen and Hardangervidda. Old transit routes between Hallingdal and Western Norway also passed through here, and traces of mountain farms, pastures, and past use of the mountains can be found in the landscape.
At Iungsdalshytta, mountain pasture traditions live on. Right by the cabin is the mountain pasture hut, with cows, goat kids, hens and other animals in the mountain pasture. Here, items such as sour cream, eggs, cheese, cultured milk and yoghurt are produced using raw ingredients from the pasture. As a guest, you can also experience parts of the mountain pasture farming up close, like collecting eggs, feeding goat kids or other activities by arrangement with the hosts.
The food at Iungsdalshytta is an important part of the experience. The food is made from scratch here, with local ingredients and flavours that belong to the mountains and mountain farm life.
6. Alpaca Trekking
- In Votnadalen, you can join a guided tour with alpacas in beautiful mountain scenery.
- Opportunity to pet, cuddle and feed the alpacas
- 60-90 minute trip
Would you like to do something a little different this summer? At Tveitehaug Gård in Votndalen, you can join an alpaca walk. On the trek, you'll walk with an alpaca on a lead through beautiful mountain scenery, where you'll get to know animals that have far more personality and individuality than many might expect.
In the summer, the trip starts at Fekjastølen, around 1000 metres above sea level, in beautiful high mountain terrain. Here you will meet the alpacas in an old alpine pasture landscape where people and animals have used the mountains for generations.
During the excursion, the guide tells you about the alpacas, the personality of the animal you are walking with, their history, and how their wool can be used for yarn and other products. After the excursion, you will have the opportunity to pet, cuddle, and feed the alpacas. It is also possible to buy yarn produced here on the farm.
At Tveitehaug, you can also spend the night in a treetop cabin, which is often visited by both squirrels and birds. Here you get close to nature, and the cabin is perfect for those who want that little something extra from their trip.
Summer in Ål is about getting close to the mountains, the village and the traditions that still live here. Here you'll have time to be outdoors, enjoy the peace and experience a mountain village where traditions are still kept alive. We welcome you to Ål, the truly living mountain village with vast mountain areas, vibrant mountain pasture life, local culture, animals, hospitality and activities that naturally belong here.
In Ål, you'll find experiences for both children and adults, with everything from activity and play to mountain tranquility, cultural history, mountain farm life, and living traditions. Here are our top 6 activity tips for Ål this summer:
- Bike ride from Bergsjøstølen to Fagerdalen Støl
- Horse riding in beautiful high mountain scenery
- Large activity park with climbing park, playground, bike park and adventure golf
- Torpo Stave Church, one of Norway's oldest medieval buildings
- Hike to Iungdalshytta, a vibrant tourist cabin in Skarvheimen
- Alpaca hike
1. Cycling trip from Bergsjøstølen to Fagerdalen pasture
- One of the finest cycling trips in Norway
- Authentic Norwegian mountain farm culture with homemade traditional food
- 32 km cycling trip (return journey)
One of the finest gravel bike tours in the mountain areas of Norway goes from Bergsjøstølen Fjellstue to Fagerdalen Støl. Here, the gravel road takes you through a magnificent high mountain landscape, with views towards Reineskarvet and Hallingskarvet.
The trip starts at Bergsjøstølen Fjellstue, a traditional mountain lodge with its roots in the mountain farm way of life. Here you can hire both bicycles and e-bikes for the trip to Fagerdalen.
On the way towards Fagerdalen, you cycle past water, moors and mountain pastures, through an open high-mountain landscape that has been used by people and animals for generations.
On arrival at Fagerdalen Støl, you’ll find a vibrant mountain farm community where traditions are still kept alive. Here you’ll find animals grazing, warm hospitality and mountain farm fare prepared using knowledge passed down through the generations. Inside the mountain farm hut, you can enjoy, amongst other things, homemade sour cream porridge made from skimmed milk from the cows, gommokaku and other traditional mountain farm produce from the area.
The cycling route is approximately 16 kilometres one way, and is located around 1100 metres above sea level. Remember to check the opening times before your trip.
2. Trail riding in beautiful high-mountain scenery
- Norway's finest horse ride Reineskarvet Tour
- Ride through varied mountain scenery with mountain lakes, pastures and view Hallingskarvet National Park
- 3-day horse ride
At Skarslia, you can experience the mountains from horseback with Hestur.no. Here, the rides depart from Skarslia and head into forest and high mountain terrain with open expanses, mountain tracks, and views towards some of Ål's most characteristic mountain areas.
For those seeking a grander mountain experience, we can recommend joining the Reineskarvet around ride. This is a fantastic three-day horseback journey where you ride around the entire prominent mountain massif. The tour goes from Skarslia to Løvdalen, onwards to Djup, and back to Skarslia, through varied mountain scenery with views of mountains and water, showcasing traces of old mountain pasture culture.
You don't need to set aside three days to experience horse riding in Ål after all. Hestur.no also offers shorter trips, from a couple of hours to day trips, so that both beginners and experienced riders can experience the mountains from horseback.
3. Large activity park with play area, climbing, cycling and mini-golf
- Topcamp in Hallingdal brings together the Høyt & Lavt Climbing Park, a play area, a cycle park, adventure golf, catering and accommodation all in one place
- A 5-star campsite with activities, lovely cabins and camping facilities
For families with children, Topcamp Hallingdal is one of the best places to spend a summer’s day full of activities and fun. Here, you’ll find a range of family-friendly activities all in one place, including the Høyt & Lavt climbing park, a play area, a bike park and adventure golf. Here, children and adults can climb high up in the trees, take a zipline across the river, cycle on the pump track, play or compete to see who can complete the adventure golf course in the fewest strokes. The area also features more nice tours and mountain bike trails.
With catering, accommodation and excellent on-site facilities, families, children and adults can combine play, activity, food breaks and overnight stays without having to move between multiple locations.
Topcamp is one of the few campsites in Norway with 5 stars, something we are very proud of. Here you will find lovely cabins with views over the Hallingdal River and excellent facilities for those who wish for pitches for motorhomes, caravans and tents.
4. Experience Torpo Stave Church, one of Norway's oldest medieval buildings
- Torpo Stave Church is one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved medieval buildings.
- The only stave church in Hallingdal
- Turn your stay into a journey through cultural history by staying at Opheim Pensjonat, which has been in business since 1950
Torpo Stave Church is one of Norway's oldest and best-preserved medieval buildings, and the only stave church remaining in Hallingdal. In the middle of Torpo village in Ål, you can step inside the stave church that has stood in the same spot since the latter part of the 1100s.
With a guide, you’ll get an up-close look at the history, craftsmanship and symbolism of the old stave church. Inside the church, you’ll find timber-frame construction, carved pillars, details that have survived for several hundred years, and one of the great artistic treasures of the Norwegian Middle Ages: the painted canopy featuring motifs from the Christian faith and stories of the saints. The decoration is considered to be among the oldest preserved paintings in Norway.
If you want to make the experience a small cultural-historical journey, you can combine the guided tour with an overnight stay at Opheim Pensjonat nearby. The guesthouse has roots dating back to the 1930s and has been run as a guesthouse since the 1950s.
5. Hike to Iungdalshytta, a working tourist lodge in Skarvheimen
- Iungdalshytta is situated right in the heart of Skarvheimen, between Reineskarvet and Hallingskarvet, two of Norway’s most beautiful mountain ranges
- Here, the mountain farm traditions live on, and the food is an important part of the experience. The food is prepared from scratch using local ingredients and produce grown on the mountain farm
- 4 km walk one way (1 hour)
The trip from Toviken to Iungsdalshytta is one of the finest entrances to the mountains in Ål. On this trip, you will get a real sense of the mountains in a short amount of time, with open landscapes, mighty mountains, calm lakes, and mountain farm traditions.
The hike starts at Toviken and follows the water inland into the mountain landscape towards Iungsdalen. The hike is approximately 4 km one way and takes about an hour, yet it gives the feeling of truly getting into the mountains. When you enter Iungsdalen, you are in the very heart of Skarveheimen. There are no roads leading here, and no private cabins. This gives the valley an untouched character, where you get close to nature, silence, and the seter (mountain pasture) life.
The cabin has roots stretching back to 1917, when the DNT built the first tourist cabin to connect the mountain regions between Jotunheimen and Hardangervidda. Old transit routes between Hallingdal and Western Norway also passed through here, and traces of mountain farms, pastures, and past use of the mountains can be found in the landscape.
At Iungsdalshytta, the mountain pasture traditions live on. Right next to the cabin is the mountain pasture, with cows, goat kids, hens, and other animals in the pasture. Here they produce things like sour cream, eggs, cheese, cultured buttermilk, and yoghurt using ingredients from the pasture. As a guest, you can also experience parts of the mountain pasture operations up close, such as collecting eggs, feeding goat kids, or other activities by arrangement with the hosts.
The food at Iungsdalshytta is an important part of the experience. The food is made from scratch here, with local ingredients and flavours that belong to the mountains and mountain farm life.
6. Alpaca Trekking
- In Votnadalen, you can join a guided tour with alpacas in beautiful mountain scenery.
- Opportunity to pet, cuddle and feed the alpacas
- 60-90 minute trip
Would you like to do something a little different this summer? At Tveitehaug Gård in Votndalen, you can join an alpaca walk. On the trek, you'll walk with an alpaca on a lead through beautiful mountain scenery, where you'll get to know animals that have far more personality and individuality than many might expect.
In the summer, the trip starts at Fekjastølen, around 1000 metres above sea level, in beautiful high mountain terrain. Here you will meet the alpacas in an old alpine pasture landscape where people and animals have used the mountains for generations.
Along the way, the guide talks about the alpacas, the personality of the animal you are walking with, their history and how the wool can be used for yarn and other products. After the tour, you will have the opportunity to pet, cuddle and feed the alpacas. It is also possible to buy yarn produced here on the farm.
At Tveitehaug, you can also spend the night in a treetop cabin, which is often visited by both squirrels and birds. Here you get close to nature, and the cabin is perfect for those who want that little something extra from their trip.
Summer in Ål is about getting close to the mountains, the village and the traditions that still live here. Here you'll have time to be outdoors, enjoy the peace and experience a mountain village where traditions are still kept alive. We welcome you to Ål, the truly living mountain village with vast mountain areas, vibrant mountain pasture life, local culture, animals, hospitality and activities that naturally belong here.