Visitors to Fyresdal can combine local history in the centre with experiences around the park and lake. The Fyresdal Bygdemuseum comprises 14 historic buildings from the Middle Ages and later periods. Hamaren Activity Park offers a different focus, with a treetop trail and circular route. There are also places to visit at Fyresvatn, with options to suit different interests.
Historic traces in the centre
Four pagan burial mounds are located in the museum park at Øyskogen. The Moland cultural trail starts at the museum. It is suitable for families with children and older people; most of the trail is wheelchair accessible. A treasure hunt for children adds to the museum’s offerings and may be seasonal. This means a visit can take in both the historic site and an activity for younger visitors.
Folkestadbyen in the centre of Fyresdal is a well-preserved architectural ensemble with many Swiss-style houses, which you can explore on a walk around the town. It has local shops, guesthouses, cafés, a bank and a community hall. Individual businesses and services may change; if a particular offering is important to your plans, check in advance.
Other historic details reveal different aspects of local history. At the entrance to Moland Church, built in 1843, there is a protected Iron Age burial mound. Klokkargarden is a sexton’s house built in 1777 and was Fyresdal’s first permanent school building. The historic wooden log-floating boat MB Teisner was taken out of service in 1971, brought ashore and preserved. Near Prestestranda, remnants of a slag heap provide evidence of two iron mines dating from the Early Iron Age and the Middle Ages, respectively.
The landscape also tells of changes from the past: Munkhola is a cave in the mountain, formed during the Ice Age by wave and frost erosion from Fyresvatn. These different traces—from burial mounds and buildings to mining and geological formations—offer a reason to experience history not just through individual dates, but also through its visible evidence.
Hamaren Activity Park and Fyresvatn
Hamaren Activity Park features Norway’s first treetop trail, a treetop trampoline, a climbing course, cycling trails, picnic areas and swimming spots. The accessible circular route, including the treetop trail, is about 3.5 kilometres long and takes approximately 1.5 hours. At 343 metres above sea level, Klokkarhamaren is the highest point on the route. From there, you can look out over Fyresvatn, Norway’s sixth-deepest lake. The facilities mentioned in the park may change; before planning a visit, check which offerings are currently available.
At Fyresvatn, you can enjoy a different kind of visit from the circular route: Stykkjevika lies nearby, at the northern end of the lake. The beach is 700 metres long and gently sloping, making it suitable for children and adults. If you rent a canoe, you can paddle to one of the small islands in Fyresvatn. Check locally to see whether canoes are available.
Bryggeparken, at Fyresdal’s central landing stage, has a business park, a café, a beach, barbecue areas, a beach volleyball court and a water trampoline. This makes it a place where various waterside amenities are found side by side. As individual facilities may change, it is worth checking what is currently available before your visit.
More places to visit in Fyresdal Municipality
Historic sites can also be found outside the centre. A church service is held annually in the Trollholene caves in Kilegrend. The Moisesberg mining field in Fjellgardane was established between 1541 and 1549 and is considered exceptional in the European mining context. Both sites are in Fyresdal Municipality and add further places to explore the area’s history.
Discover more destinations: Hauggrend.
Go to the main travel overview: Fyresdal.
