Bjåen Fjellstove
Historic Accommodation at the top of Setesdal
Established 1884
The history of Bjåen Fjellstove extends back to Hotel Børte in 1884.The hotel was built in the traditional “Norwegian Swiss” architectural style, and the appearance of the building remains true to the original. In 1937 the hotel was bought of the owner`s grandfather, Aslak Bjåen. He took down the big wood building, log by log, moved it 700 km and built it up again exactly as the original. And like that it is today, except some “modernisation” of the rooms. Anyway, the atmosphere and the walls tell us about 100 year of history from this area, in the middle of West-, South- and East of Norway.
We intend to tell you this history, through the meal, accomadation and stories. Now we are restoring the hotel, intending to keep the old style intact. The rooms are simple but nice, each with an individual style. We also intend to be sustainable and to take care of our environment. The food is based on traditional local and ecological products. Bjåen Fjellstove was one of the first businesses who were sertified Norwegian Ecotourism in 2008.
There is 12 rooms, with together 24 beds. There is warm and cold water at every room, and two toilets and one shower in the building.
Bjåen is a small mountain village, 900 meters over the sea level. It`s about the same distance from Bergen and Oslo (300 km), and about 240 km from Krisiansand. From Hovden it is 11 km, and from Haukeligrend it is 20 km. Bjåen Fjellstove belongs to Bjåen Mountainfarm, the highest placed milk-production farm with cows in Norway.
The majority of the mountain area is protected in one of Norway`s largest protected nature area; Setesdal Vesthei Ryfylkeheiane Verneområde. The terrain surrounding Bjåen is alpine but still gentle mountains. The lakes is good for trout-fishing, and the wild raindeere has theire pasture here.
The Norwegian Trekking Association has two marked hiking trails from Bjåen: Bjåen – Tjørnsbrosbu and Bjåen-Haukeliseter.
We could also guide you on tours, or make special arrangement for you and your group. We have long experience and education in nature- and outdoorsmanangement. We would then like to focus on the knowledge of the local nature, and how the people here have used the nature and influenced the cultural old landscape. This mountainarea has a long cultural history, from before the age of vikings, the years with important ironmaking in the medieval, hunting and fishing, animal husbandry, farming and herds of domestic reindeer. You can still see tracks from all this epochs in the nature around here.
Please send us a request and tell us the wishes for your staying.
Welcome to the mountains in Setesdal!
