Telemark
3
Day Itinerary •
Norway
Three days in Telemark take you to Norway's most historically resonant and overlooked inland region, where the world's first modern ski jump was built, the extraordinary Telemark Canal connects a series of extraordinary lake-filled valleys, and the wartime sabotage of the Vemork heavy water plant at Rjukan was the most extraordinary act of resistance in occupied Europe, commemorated in the extraordinary Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum. This route covers the essential Telemark. The extraordinary Notodden UNESCO Heddal Stave Church, the finest medieval wooden building in Norway, the extraordinary Telemark Canal boat journey through the most beautiful inland waterway in Scandinavia, the remarkable Rjukan valley with the Vemork sabotage site and the extraordinary Gaustatoppen cable railway to the summit of southern Norway's highest peak.
Best Time To Visit
May to October for canal. Year-round for Rjukan and Gaustatoppen.
Getting There
Drive from Oslo 2 hours, or bus from Oslo to Notodden
Getting Around
Car essential throughout for Telemark
Budget Per Day
Approx 800 to 1,500 NOK per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate. Gaustatoppen cable railway accessible to all.
DAY 1
NOTODDEN AND TELEMARK
MORNING
HEDDAL STAVE CHURCH, NORWAY'S FINEST
Heddal Stave Church near Notodden is the largest and most extraordinary stave church in Norway, its extraordinary triple-nave wooden structure dating from around 1150 and standing entirely intact with its remarkable dragon-head roof ornaments and extraordinary carved portals. The church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site candidate and the finest example of medieval Norwegian wooden architecture in the country. The extraordinary carvings of Sigurd the dragon slayer on the north portal are outstanding. Entry approx 100 NOK. Travel: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
NOTODDEN AND THE HAUGFOSS WATERFALL
Notodden is the most extraordinary industrial heritage town in Telemark, its extraordinary 20th-century industrial architecture from the Norsk Hydro period giving it a remarkable character unlike any other Norwegian town. The extraordinary Haugfoss waterfall in the town centre, harnessed to power the extraordinary Notodden fertiliser works that fed Europe in the early 20th century, is the finest urban waterfall in inland Norway. The Notodden Blues Festival in August is the largest in Scandinavia. Travel: 30 min drive to canal
AFTERNOON
THE TELEMARK CANAL AT ULEFOSS
The Telemark Canal between Skien and Dalen is the most extraordinary inland waterway in Norway, its extraordinary 105km route through a series of lakes and locks connecting the Telemark valleys with the sea. Built between 1887 and 1892, the canal uses 18 locks to rise 72 metres from sea level to the mountain lakes. The Ulefoss lock complex is the finest on the canal, its extraordinary sequence of three lock chambers and the remarkable 19th-century lock keeper houses outstanding.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Rauland plateau above Notodden is the most extraordinary cultural landscape in Telemark, its extraordinary collection of traditional wooden farm buildings, the remarkable Rauland Academy of folk art and the extraordinary Numedalslagen river valley giving the finest hidden cultural experience in the region. The extraordinary Haddeland glassverk glass blowing studio in Numedal is entirely free to visit.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bakeri near Notodden Coffee and Norwegian bread before the stave church. | Lunch: Cafe at Heddal Stave Church Outstanding cafe beside the extraordinary medieval church. Local Norwegian food. | Dinner: Restaurant in Notodden Outstanding Telemark restaurant. Local trout and traditional Norwegian dishes.
DAY 2
THE TELEMARK CANAL
MORNING
THE TELEMARK CANAL BOAT JOURNEY
The Telemark Canal day boat from Ulefoss or Skien to Dalen is the most extraordinary inland boat journey in Scandinavia, the extraordinary passage through 18 locks, past traditional Norwegian farm buildings on the canal banks and through the extraordinary Kviteseid lake landscape giving the finest slow travel experience in Norway. The boat passes through the extraordinary Nordsjo and Bandak lakes as it approaches the extraordinary Dalen Hotel at the western end. Book in advance. Travel: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
DALEN AND THE FAIRY TALE HOTEL
Dalen at the western end of the Telemark Canal is the most extraordinary canal village in Norway, its extraordinary Dragon Style Dalen Hotel built in 1894 with its remarkable carved wooden facades and turrets overlooking the extraordinary Bandak lake the finest historic hotel in inland Norway. The hotel is open to non-guests for coffee and lunch. The extraordinary Bandak lake views from the hotel terrace are outstanding. The canal bridge beside the hotel is the finest viewpoint. Travel: 1 hour drive to Rjukan
AFTERNOON
DRIVE TO RJUKAN VIA KVITESEID
The drive from Dalen to Rjukan through the extraordinary Kviteseid valley gives the finest Telemark rural landscape, the extraordinary traditional farm buildings on the hillsides and the remarkable Seljord lake below the valley the finest inland scenery in the region. Seljord is the home of Norway's version of the Loch Ness monster. The extraordinary Lifjell mountain above Kviteseid gives the finest panorama over the entire Telemark valley system.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Kviteseid open-air museum is the most extraordinary traditional farm complex in Telemark, its extraordinary collection of medieval log buildings from across the valley reconstructed on a single hill giving the finest insight into pre-industrial Norwegian rural life. Entry approx 80 NOK. The traditional farm buildings at the extraordinary Kviteseid church are outstanding.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel in Notodden Early departure breakfast before the canal boat. | Lunch: Canal boat lunch Outstanding Norwegian packed lunch from the boat kitchen. Local fish soup and bread. | Dinner: Restaurant Gaustablikk Outstanding mountain hotel restaurant in Rjukan. Local reindeer and Telemark trout.
DAY 3
RJUKAN AND GAUSTATOPPEN
MORNING
THE NORWEGIAN INDUSTRIAL WORKERS MUSEUM AT VEMORK
The Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum at Vemork above Rjukan tells the most extraordinary wartime sabotage story in occupied Europe, the remarkable story of the Norwegian commando team who destroyed the German heavy water programme in 1943, preventing Nazi Germany from developing a nuclear weapon. The extraordinary original Vemork power station building and the remarkable exhibits including authentic explosives, clothing and communications equipment from the sabotage operation are outstanding. Entry approx 180 NOK. Travel: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
THE GAUSTATOPPEN CABLE RAILWAY
The Gaustatoppen at 1,883 metres is the highest peak in southern Norway and the most extraordinary mountain experience in Telemark, its extraordinary Gaustabanens cable railway, originally built by NATO in 1961 inside the mountain, rising 850 metres through the rock in 7 minutes to emerge at the summit plateau. The extraordinary panorama from the top covers one sixth of Norway on a clear day. The extraordinary steel summit tower gives views to the Hardangervidda and the Oslo fjord. Cable railway approx 400 NOK return. Travel: 45 min drive
AFTERNOON
RJUKAN AND THE SUN MIRROR
Rjukan town in the narrow Vestfjord valley below Gaustatoppen is the most extraordinary industrial heritage town in Norway, its extraordinary location so deep in the valley that the sun never reaches the town centre between September and March. The Solspeilet sun mirror system, three large mirrors on the hillside above the town installed in 2013, reflects sunlight down into the town square in winter. The extraordinary Krossobanen cable car above the town gives the finest views over the valley.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Krossobanen cable car above Rjukan, built in 1928 to give the workers of the deep valley access to sunlight, is the most extraordinary urban cable car in Norway, its extraordinary story of industrial workers' welfare told in the Krossobanen museum at the top. Entry approx 130 NOK. The extraordinary view of the sun mirror below and the Gaustatoppen beyond is outstanding.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel Gaustablikk Mountain hotel breakfast before the Vemork museum. | Lunch: Cafe at Gaustatoppen summit Outstanding mountain cafe at 1,883m. Coffee with one sixth of Norway visible. | Dinner: Restaurant in Rjukan Outstanding farewell Telemark dinner. Local trout and traditional Norwegian dishes.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Notodden, Night 1 Quality Hotel Notodden or Bolkesjø Turisthotel. Near the stave church. Approx 900 to 1,600 NOK. Rjukan, Night 2 Gaustablikk Hogfjellshotell or Hotel Rjukan Fjellhotell. Mountain location. Approx 900 to 1,800 NOK.
Top Tips
1. The Heddal Stave Church is most extraordinary in early morning before tour groups arrive. Built around
1150.
2. Book the Telemark Canal boat in advance in July and August. The full-day Skien to Dalen journey is extraordinary.
3. The Gaustatoppen cable railway through the mountain takes 7 minutes. The summit panorama covers one sixth of Norway.
4. The Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum at Vemork tells the extraordinary heavy water sabotage story. Book ahead.
5. Telemark is the most underrated region in Norway. The canal, stave churches and WWII history make it extraordinary.
6. The Rjukan sun mirror Solspeilet on the hillside above the town reflects sunlight into the valley in winter. Extraordinary.
Total Budget
800 to 1,500 NOK/day