2023-12-08 10:59:22
Die Region Inlandet
Oppland and Hedmark resisted a merger for a long time – in vain. In 2020, the two Norwegian provinces were united to form the new greater province of Innlandet (which means Inland in German).
Despite the unspectacular name, the area is extremely attractive for tourists. Innlandet boasts Norway’s highest mountain range (Jotunheimen), the largest inland lake (Mjøsa) and the country’s longest valley (Gudbrandstal).
The sparsely populated region is home to eleven of the 40 national parks designated on Norway’s mainland, where outdoor holidaymakers can hike, bike, ski and, thanks to everyone’s right, wild camp – provided the temperatures allow it, as they can open up in the cold season minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Source: Infographic Die Welt/Markus Kison
Despite climate change, Innlandet is 100% guaranteed to have snow, even in the valleys where the largest towns such as Lillehammer, Gjøvik, Hamar and Eidsvoll are located. Outside of this, the province has a rural character, which is also reflected in the numerous open-air museums dedicated to village life; the biggest is this Maihaugen open-air area with over 200 historical buildings.
Optimal conditions in the Trysil ski area
It is only a matter of time before Trysil overtakes its winter sports competitor Lillehammer and gains international recognition. The Trysil ski area in the east of Innlandet can now be reached more quickly via the Scandinavian Mountains Airport, which opened in 2019, than Lillehammer, which is two hours by train from Oslo.
The Winter Olympics were held there in 1994, but what works in Trysil’s favor is the sheer size of the winter sports area (31 lifts and 78 kilometers of slopes for skiing and snowboarding) – as well as a more impressive history. The first ski race was held in Trysil in 1855 and the world’s first ski jumping event in 1862. And Trysilgutten, the first ski club in the world, was founded there in 1861.
A good 70 runs of all levels of difficulty wind around the Trysilfjellet mountain down into the valley
What: Alamy Stock Photo
Then as now, the 1,132 meter high Trysilfjellet offers optimal winter sports conditions, because the mountain, which rises like a solitaire in the solitude of the forest, is accessible from all sides. A good 70 runs of all levels of difficulty wind their way around the mountain into the valley.
Whether hotels and holiday homes, shops, restaurants and bars – in Trysil everything is accessible on boards; The ski area is low-traffic and family-friendly. This is also evident on the lift: children up to six years old ride for free if they wear a protective helmet.
Break for pilgrims at the stave church
Pilgrimages in Norway – this has been possible again in the classic way for 26 years: In 1997, the Gudbrandstalweg, which leads from Oslo through the entire province of Innlandet and finally ends in Trondheim on the Norwegian Sea, was re-signposted and officially opened as a pilgrimage route. The 643 kilometer long route is part of the St. Olav’s Trail Network, which leads pilgrims from various locations in Norway and Sweden along eight paths to Trondheim’s Nidaros Cathedral. Olav II Haraldsson, Norway’s national saint, has been buried there for almost 1,000 years.
The original stave church in Ringebu is one of 28 such wooden churches that still exist in Norway
What: Alamy Stock Photo
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The Gudbrandstalweg can be completed in 32 days; As on the Way of St. James, pilgrims receive stamps along the way in hostels and places of worship, including an original stave church in Ringebu. 28 of over 1,300 of these wooden churches still exist in Norway.
Only UV light stops the trolls
Die The giants are Scandinavia’s largest trolls – the home of the Nordic demons is in the northwest of Innlandet, in the Jotunheimen National Park. With 300 kilometers of marked hiking and skiing trails, it is a dream destination for outdoor tourists. However, you should avoid encountering these trolls, because it can end badly, as the 2022 Netflix film “Troll”, which was filmed in Innlandet, suggests. Only UV light stops the Jøtnene trolls; they turn to stone in the sunlight.
The largest inland lake in Norway
With an area of 365 square kilometers, Mjøsa in the south of Innlandet is Norway’s largest inland lake. With a length of 117 kilometers, a maximum width of 15 kilometers and a depth of up to 468 meters, it is a body of water of superlatives – and a habitat for around 20 species of fish. The Mjøsa trout, which weighs up to 15 kilograms, is very popular with anglers. Burbot, which ice anglers target in winter, can be even heavier.
“Skibladner” on Lake Mjøsa is the oldest paddle steamer still in operation in the world
Source: picture alliance/NTB/Bård Løken
Whether summer or winter – you don’t need a fishing license on Mjøsa. The biggest tourist highlight, however, is on the lake: the steamboat “Skibladner”. Commissioned on August 2, 1856, the paddle steamer is the oldest still in operation in the world.
The quote
“Perhaps Peer Gynt was real”
This is what Henrik Ibsen wrote to his publisher in August 1867. Five years earlier, the then 39-year-old Norwegian playwright had traveled through what is now Innlandet to collect myths and fairy tales. While hiking in the Gudbrands Valley, Ibsen heard the legend of the restless farmer’s son Peer Gynt, which he incorporated into his poem of the same name.
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It is not clear whether Peer Gynt really existed. His real name is said to have been Peder Olsen Hågå, who lived in the village of Sødorp near Vinstra in the 18th century. Hågå’s homestead is now marketed for tourism as the Peer Gynt farm; The Peer Gynt trail starts in Vinstra via Gålå to Gausdal and the Gudbrandstal town of Sør-Fron hosts the Peer Gynt Festival every August with theater performances and mountain concerts.
Bizarre, record-breaking, typical: You can find further parts of our regional studies series here.
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In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is necessary, as the providers of the embedded content require this consent as third party providers [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (revocable at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can revoke your consent at any time using the switch and privacy at the bottom of the page.
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