- Lars Peters
- June 21, 2018
- Notodden, Vestvold og Telemark
- Round trip
Nice run for hot days! The first part over the bridge en then up the hillside is east facing so it’s nice and cool there in the hot summer days. as soon as you’ve climbed up the the first ridge the trails divides. One straight forward goes to Øysteinnatten (1174m & and extra 4,5 km if you run back and forth to it) and to the right (west) goes over a ridge to Dyrdalsfjellet and Økteren. From the ridge you look straight down into the Dyrdalen Valley and towards the summer cottage of Hollane. There is a crossing with a trail towards Økteren right after you past Dyrdalsfjellet.
Økteren has a great view towards the North and Gaustatoppen (south Norway highest peak) is clearly visible on good days. Himingen (Himingsniba 1066) is also a easily recognizable landmark towards the north. Now the decent start the trail is a bid narrow here and can be hard to follow (it is marked with red dots) so be extra aware that you don’t stray. The trail follows a ridge all the way down to Høllenfossen a waterfall in the stream down the valley. Follow the trail north downstream, good trail, all the way until you reach a smal cabin close to Gavlejå. from here you follow the trail east towards Åmotdal/Grønbygil. Cross the gravel road and you’ll find the trail continuing on the north side. The trail goes a bid north of the gravel road all the way until you again arrive back at the road just a 50 meters from the parking space.
The trail is marked with red dots of paint on rocks & trees and a signpost here and there. Sheeps that graze up in the mountains create small paths everywhere, you would need to be extra vigilant of your surroundings so that you don’t take a wrong path especially just after Øketeren on the way down to the stream in the valley.
Nice narrow single-track trail to run. It can an be a little slippery in the forest when it’s wet but generally few loose rocks and roots. First part of the route can be swampy & wet in rainy weather. The same counts for the trails after you’ve past Aslakstul, more wet feet after that. The parts along the river and up the ridge towards Økterer are a delight to run.
- You can add Øysteinnatten to the route, additional 4,5km
- Old trail on the part from Aslakstulen past Brødløs along the stream Aslakstulåo all the way back to the gravel-road and the car. This is an old trail that’s almost grown over but its still possible to follow for those with a good eye. cuts down the distance with about 1 km but it’s easy to loose the trail. it used to be marked so you’ll some leftovers of red dots here and there on trees on rocks. but there almost worn off now. Legend says that one of the last bears roaming Lifjell was shot at Brødløs in the 1800’s (an old cabin/summer cottage)-
The trail takes you past some nice streams with waterfalls both on the way up and down. There are sheeps grazing on the mountains and you’ll probably meet some on the trails at one point. There some pretty rock formations along the trail and in atuhm the vegetation on the mountains turns orange and red. The river on the way down is filled with large boulders.
Please remark that you shouldn’t drive on the seeps in high speed. Slow down if they don’t leave the trail & yes they usually follow the trail for quite a while before they move aside. As this to them seems the easiest way to escape. Maybe find a way you can get around them if there is an opportunity to do so.
- Toll road up Bygdardalen, bring kr70,- pr. car card-payent. Be aware of the sheep on the road, drive carefully!
- Plenty of accommodation; camping sites, cabins and a hotel towards Bø.