While visiting Rondane I left the national park and went to the valley of Grimsdalen, a protected area located between two national parks, the before mentioned Rondane, and Dovre National Park. I had heard it was one of Norways most beautiful valleys with an old culture for summer mountain farms, and I was not disappointed. There were old cottages, and suddenly I saw a lot of them, high up on the hills. That was Tollevshaugen, were 11 farmers from Dovre still have they old summer barns and cottages.
There are so little fertile soil for crops in Norway that for centuries the farmers had to take their cattle to the mountains to graze during summer, because they needed everything growing close to the farm to feed their animals during winter. This tradition lasted until they got fertilizers and modern farming. So by around 1950 all of them were shut down, and a lot of them decayed and vanished. But some places they were able to keep these small, old houses, and even the old traditions have survived some places. That is keeping animals for grazing in the mountains during summer, and producing cheese and sour milk products the old way.
Bergseng Seter is one of the 11 summer mountain farms at Tollevshaugen. The farmers of Bergseng live here all summer, and they rent five of the small houses for hikers or other visitors. They are all very old, the oldest from 1793, and small. But cozy, and the view towards the mountains of Rondane and the valley is overwhelming. Next time I hope to stay the night up there. Here is a link to more photos.
So pastoral; the milk cans were great! Z
I remember the milk cans from when I was a child. These days they are mainly used for decoration.
The mountains take my breath away and the country is beautiful! Beautiful:)
Thanks, Cowgirsl. But not as vast as your open plains.
Such gorgeous photos, such a beautiful country!
Thanks a lot, Shutterbug.
Great shots of a beautiful countryside.
Glad you liked it, Oneowner.
There’s a lot to be said for the old ways and values, but I suspect that not many of us would be willing to give up the comforts we enjoy.
That is so very true, Gunta. But some, myself included, really enjoy to be close to unspoilt nature sometimes, even if it means living a very simple way with very little influence from the modern world.
Oh I agree about enjoying unspoilt nature, but I think having no other choice might be a harder life than most of us are willing to endure. But it’s nice to dream about or visit. I love that you share your times with us through your beautiful photos.
Stay the night? Oh, man. Would that be an excellent adventure! These are fantastic!
And I would not sleep too much but would stay awake to see the mountains in the dim and maybe dramatic light from the moon, as a lady there told me about. She enjoyd the view all summer.
Really enjoy the shots they are great and an interesting text…
Thanks, Drakenoir. I can’t stop thinking about a lady with a glas of wine sitting waiting while you cook, as you wrote about. It made a vivid impression, but don’t think it fits in this place..
Why not, I think such a wonderful place just are the right place – too – for the chief de cuisine to prepare some reindeer meat or elk, cowberries and some exciting accessories – and in that case the lady with the red wine is needed no doubt…
Ok, ok, now I can even imagine such an chief de cuisine (ducknoir?) in this kind of place.
)
could I come and live with you for a while?
We could live in one of these very small houses, Sally. They actually have beds for 3-11 persons each, even if it maybe doesn’t look that way.
I love the turf roofs!
I love turf roofs too, and wish they will never be replaced with modern roofs.
I love great sky, —– and nice milk cans ! Nice shots.
Though I’ve been puzzling what those twisted wood for, especially
the white one on the wall, in 5th photo — do you know ? ? ?
The white thing is a twisted, old root. It may be there so that you can hold tight while you open the door in a storm. Or for other purposes I don’t know. We norwegians like old, twisted wood, Yoshizen.
M m m ? Norwegian storm could blow a person away ? = such strong ?
And, a twisted old wood / root, is a symbol of say, the resilience / longevity kind ?
(and act like a lucky charm to protect the person ? ) How interesting. I like that.
I have never seen or heard any philosophy about old, twisted wood, Yoshizen, I am just used to seeing objects like this everywere around people who are close to nature in how they live or how they spend their free time.
These are some beautiful pictures. I love older farms. I recently took a bunch of pictures of my grandparents’ farm. If you would like to see those hop on over to our website and look at a post entitles buildings are beautiful.
DrJeff
http://heritagebreedsfarm.com
I have been there for a visit. Nice post, I love older farms and farm buildings too.
Beautiful!
Thanks, Mcolmo.
Fantastisk vakre bilder! Herlig sted! Vakre, vakre Norge…
Ønsker deg ei god uke! : )
Det er mye vakkert, i Norge, og i Sverige. Og i Kina! Mye å fotografere og oppleve. Tusen takk, Fotonita, ha en fin uke du også.
This place is a beauty and time stands still magically … Thanks for sharing
Thanks for visiting, Carlos.
Beautiful pictures and landscape. Thank you for the fascinating history of these summer farm houses. The detail and texture of your photographs is gorgeous! I love the grass roofs.
Grass roofs are an old tradition in the mountains. Thanks for your comment, Carol.
You really have excelled with these images. I felt like i could step into them
That was a great comment, EllaDee. Thanks a lot.
Wow !! A wonderful place… I take my travel bag and I’m going !
I can recomend this place, Marion B, but bring some french sunlight, it is so great for your photos.
What a beautiful place….and your photos are wonderful.
Thanks a lot, Debra.
What beautiful cabins, I love the turf roofs!
Glad you like the turf roofs, Frenchgarden, so do I.
Magnifiques photos…j’admire la profondeur illustrée par les nuages . La lumière est parfaite . Cet album est un régal pour les yeux .
Merci pour ce commentaire très agréable, Pierrettej.
I’d love to spend a night in one of those old cottages. The look so cute and rustic. The area is spectacular!
Very rustic and cute, indeed. Me too, I would love to stay in this place, thanks Longlife.
Nice blog…but loved images 4/5 and 6 the best of all. Nice trip
Thanks, David, I might agree with you.
Great photos! Love the little farmer’s cottages, so beautiful!
Nice cottages, and taken good care of. Thanks Ali.
What spectacular countryside, Bente.
I’d love to stay in one of those cottages. Just magical. The whole thought of staying in an old dwelling that reflects times from the past and a lifestyle that stayed in balance with nature appeals to me greatly.
My Father still has a cottage (or ‘shack’ as we call it in Australia), that he built from secondhand materials around an old stone fireplace used by gold miners up in the mountains. Too far for me to travel to now. But it has dense bush around it & near the river.
I like the idea of mountains & open countryside where you can see for miles far better.
I agree about the open countryside and the view, Victoria, but I am sure your fathers shack is a very nice and interesting place to stay (unless if there are snakes there…).
Such beautiful country, so completely sublime! Your images are just lovely.
Thank you, Feygirl.
Wonderful photos, Bente. I am in awe of your country!
(And your photographic skills!)
What can I say, but thanks. Thanks a lot, Carissa.
Thanks for bringing back some lovely memories of Grimsdalen. I like this valley very much and hope to combe back one time!
Great photos in the gallery, too!
Have a nice day.
Wow you have been there. It was my first time, but I have been in the area before, and hope to go again, sometime. Have a nice day too, Allesistgut.
beautiful country views!
Thanks, Gisele. I like the countryside, among other things..
How absolutely delightful! I really enjoyed these images, makes me wish I could live more simply . . . just not yet willing to take that leap of faith.
I guess there are few of us that will take that leap, but myself I would enjoy a short visit to simple life now and then. Thanks Sandra.
Good call.
. I like the visits, too. Love your blog. I just love it.
Great ! Once I must be there …..
Maybe one day you will be there, Carllapierre.
These make me think of what houses might have looked like in the American prairie in the late 1800s. There seems to be a timelessness and stability in these images.
Some of those prairie houses may have been built by norwegians. A lot of norwegians were very poor in the late 1800s, they left for America.
That makes sense.
love old farm buildings…
I love old farm buildings too, Nancy. With or without dogs..
Man kan riktigt känna den rena och friska luften! Härliga bilder
Bare masse ren og frisk luft oppå der. Milevis fra asfalt og vanlig sivilisasjon. Det er veldig fint der. Takk, Polaroidized.
A place where you can enjoy close the nature. Regards.
You are absolutely right, Antonio. Close to nature and a place to be enjoyed.
Underbara bilder, helt ljuvliga att betrakta…
Takk for det, Maria.
Beautiful photos of a awesome place!
Thanks a lot, Jota.
Great photos. SO rustic
Rustic, that’s the word Lilly Sue. But they didn’t serve beer as I could see…
Oh bummer, that would have made it even better!
How nice these photos are! I love to read of the old ways. Are they still using those milk cans? They look new.
They have cattle grazing there, and there are still some mountain farms that produce diery products. There were actually a modern mountain farm not far away, and I think they only milk the animals there, so these ones only were for display. Probably.
What a beautiful place. Hard work living and working in such an isolated place
It used to be very hard work. Today nobody in Norway have to survive from a place like this, but I think it is important to keep history alive by keeping the buildings and some of the traditions. Thanks a lot for your comment, lensScaper.
What a fascinating and beautiful place! I can imagine what it must have been like to live there when those cabins were new!
¡Admirable trabajo, bello paisaje!
Mi admirado saludo.
These grass roof cottages have to be one of the most charming things I have ever seen. I could live there! Although it might be a bit chilly in winter.
Another sensational photo essay where I can believe I am almost there. stunning country side and those cabins are so quaint and sooo cute, wow!!
Cheers Callie
love this!
amazing area , very beautiful, Bente . Thank you for sharing these photos.
Ciao, Francina
Thanks a lot for your comment, Francina. Ciao.
I don’t particularly enjoy moving my yard . . . not sure I want to mow my roof. But I like how it looks. The roof, I mean.
Better keep your grass on the ground, Disperser. But a sheep or a goat could be used to mow the roof, if necessary.
Cute little house! The perfect place to relax!
Perfect place to relax, be sure, far away from everything but nature. Thanks, Ionna.
Because of mega corporations so many places have become the same so that it can be difficult to know what city, state or country you are in. Thank you for sharing something unique and refreshing.
Me too I like to see something unique and refreshing if I travel, and when visiting blogs. Something different from every other place. It is so important we keep some of our historu and roots. Thanks for your comment, Elaine.
I visited Norway this past June (on a cruise) and was so pleased to see a summer farm on one of our excursions. We anchored at Geiranger then took a bus up the Eagle’s Bend road. What incredible scenery, from the fjord to the snow-capped mountains. It was so interesting to learn about the summer farm, where many farmers share the duties and live in such cozy cottages. They made the most delicious cheeses from the goat milk, especially the sweet brown cheese. Unfortunately, it was the start of the summer season, so we could taste the cheese, but they didn’t have enough yet to sell, so I couldn’t bring any back with me. I’m still catching up on my blog. Although I have a few photos of Norway up in different posts, I have many more yet to share, including the summer farm.
I am glad you had at a chance to taste the summer farm cheese, and I am quite surprised you liked the brown, sweet one, because some foreigners don’t, and if it is made of pure goat milk it has a strong taste. But I love it of coarse, especially the hand made ones from farms. Thanks a lot for your comment, and I will look for your photos.
I think everyone in our group loved the brown sweet cheese. We then went to another farm where we were served pancakes with that cheese as filling—wonderful. Thank you, too, for checking out and liking the posts on my blog. Many more photos of Norway coming up in the next few months, including stave churches, which I find fascinating. I really liked Norway a lot.
Beautiful photos, I would love to visit Norway someday…and maybe that won’t be so hard to do since we live in Finland.
That shouldn’t be hard to do, if you live in Finland. Myself I would like to visit Finland. Untill now I have only been to the island Åland, for a weekend..
Magnificent!
Re-creation takes on a whole, new meaning, doesn’t it? We had small dwellings like this when we took cattle into the foothills to graze. Very rustic… and worth every blister.
Nice photography Bente
Wish I was there. The photo’s are great! bill