Gaustatoppen ( 1 883 meters)
Gaustatoppen, which many claim to be the most beautiful mountain in Norway, towers majestically above the town of Rjukan at an altitude of 1,883 metres. Around 30,000 people make the trip up to the summit every year to enjoy the fantastic views from the top. On a clear day, you can see all the way south to the coast and east to Sweden. You can see one sixth of Norway from here.

No matter what the weather is like, you can still buy a cup of coffee, waffles and food at the Tourist Association’s 100-year-old stone cabin on the summit. The best place to start off on a trek up to the top is from Stavsro (1,173 metres). The car park here has a kiosk and toilets. The trail is well marked with red T’s all the way up and it takes most people about two hours to reach the summit and a little less on the way down.

Ørnenipa (1 333 meters)
The trail, which passes through not too steep country, has marvellous views of Vestfjordalen, Tinnsjøen, Tuddal and Notodden. Follow the same path back. The walk takes about 3-4 hours.

Toreskyrkja (1 364 meters)
This top is situated in the Heddersfjell mountain area – the area between the hostel and Gausta. There is a well-marked trail. When you get to the pass you will have a beautiful view over the lake Djupetjønn. Follow the same path back. The walk takes about 3-4 hours.

For more information and booking please contact Gaustatoppen Hostel directly by phone: +47 35 09 20 40 and e-mail: gaustatoppen@hihostels.no.

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The Pine Hut is rented out as a private cabin for up to 6 people, the Spruce Hut is rented out as a private cabin for up to 7 people and the Larch Hut is for up to 8 people, but note for 8 people it gets a bit crowded.

Brumund Hostel – The king of the woods

Brumund Hostel – the Squirrels are regular guests

What to experience
At the treetop cabins, which are located in the wilderness, you may experience rich birdlife and squirrels in the treetops. The view is fantastic. Those who manage to be still have a good chance to see elk from the front porch, or other animals that visit feeding places nearby. You may experience the starry sky and the completely silence. In the mornings you will usually wake up to the squirrel paws tapping over the roof top and birds feeding from only a step away. Many of our guest experience that the bids are eating directly from their hands.

The roads in the area are well suited for hiking and cycling. The area also offers unique opportunities to enjoy the outdoors such as fishing, picking berries or just enjoy the tranquility. Tracks and trails for dog sledding are passing in the front of the treetop cabins. It is possible to book a trip with a horse and sleigh or dog sledding. The blackcock is grazing close to the area fall, winter and spring.

Please fill up the bird feeders with a fistful of birdseed when you arrive and when you leave the cabins.

Anyone who rents a cabin always stays at Brumund Hostel alone. Please note that Brumund Hostel is unattended – with no reception, and guests must bring their own duvet, pillow case, sheets, drinking water and food. There is also no public transportation to the cabins. To reach the cabins you should have your own car / motorcycle / bike. There is free parking at the cabins. The distance between the cabins are considerable, so further planned contact between the cabins can present challenges.

Full payment in advanced
HI Norway requires full prepayment for staying at the hostel. After making the booking through the Hihostel online service, guests will be contacted for information about how to make the full payment. The cabin will be reserved for the following 5 (five) days. If a guest does not make the full payment within the 5 days limit, the booking will be cancelled. The deposit will not be returned.

For more information please contact the Brumund Hostel by e-mail: brumund@hihostels.no or telephone, +47 909 33 356 / +47 410 27 820. Book your stay in the treetop huts today www.hihostels.no.

The post Get to know our nature – experience a stay at Brumund Hostel, the treetop huts in the woods at Brumund appeared first on Norske Vandrerhjem.

The Northern Lights are most strongly seen in dark and clear weather. As the name indicates, it is particularly related to The Polar Regions. It occurs most frequently in a belt around the magnetic pole at a distance of approximately 2 500 km from it. Although the Northern Lights can be seen over large parts of Norway, it is on the coast of the regions Troms and Finnmark that the Northern Lights occurs most frequently and strongest.

What are the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights occur when large amounts of electrically charged particles at high speed are coming towards the Earth along the magnetic field and collide with the upper layers of the atmosphere. The gas will then be lit. The colors reflect those gases that are up there. The yellow-green color reflects oxygen, which the color red does as well. The color violet, which is often seen in the lower edge of the lights, comes from nitrogen. As the same is the most of the blue. The source of the electrons comes from the sun and the conditions of the sun decide whether it turns into the Northern Lights. Emanating from the sun, some particles are captured by Earth’s magnetic field and find the way to the Polar Regions along the magnetic field. But first it has been on the night side of Earth and gained an extra energy in the magnetic field there. What really happens out there, do we simply not know for sure. Perhaps this uncertainty has helped to build the many myths about the Northern Lights?

Join Joanna Lumleys trip to experience the Northern Lights:

There is much superstition and many different stories about the Northern Lights. In the good old days, people looked upon the Northern Lights as a warning of punishment or a reminder of how to behave. Some believed that the Northern Lights was a warning of war and pestilence. If you waved a white handkerchief to the Northern Lights, it could be provoked and angry, and it could have taken you with it. The Laps said that the Northern Lights had a supernatural power.

There are numerous stories and legends about the Northern Lights. Although there is still some uncertainty, we know today that it is due to physical phenomena. We also know that it is incredibly beautiful and that people are travelling from all over the world to experience this phenomenon.

HI Norway has several hostels in the area with the Northern Lights. Mehamn, Nordkapp and Karasjok are the hostels in the area where the Northern Lights occur most frequently. Andenes, Senja, Sortland, Ballstad, Å and Bodø are located a bit further south, but the possibility to experience the natural phenomenon is quite good as well.

When do the Northern Lights occur? The Northern Lights is often associated with winter, but actually it is there all year. We just cannot see it in the brightest nights. It is because the sky must be fairly dark. Therefore, we only see the Northern Lights in real life in the Northern part of Norway in the period from September to mid April. The strongest Northern Lights can also be seen towards the sky when it is quite bright. The Northern Lights is hard to see, the days before and after, the full moon. It is because the sky is bright that the experience pales considerably.

Other information and illustration of the Northern Lights:

• Mine Northern Light: Make your own Northern Lights
• Visitnorway: nordlys
• Wikipedika: Aurora polaris
• Facts about Auroras by Alv Egeland: Faktabok skrevet i popluær form for barn

For further information and booking, please contact the hostels directly. Members of Hostelling International receive 10 % discount on the overnight price. Join HI today!

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Do you have a need to recharge? Røros Hostel Fjellheimen welcomes to the UNESCO’s old Mining Town. Our hostel is an excellent option for girls-out-trips, weekend with friends, recreations, kick-offs training, meetings, anniversaries and events. The hostel is best suited for small- and medium-sized groups.

Røros Hostel offers:

• Natural Therapeutic treatments
• Health and comfort
• Accommodation in cabins and private rooms with and without bathrooms
• Family rooms are available, if desired
• Camping with and without electricity
• Training / meeting rooms with banquet facilities
• Beautiful natural surroundings
• Opportunities for campfire, sleigh rides and dog sledding
• Skiing on a calm mountain plateau.
• Prepared trails in the immediate vicinity
• Short distance to the city of Røros

For more information and bookings, please contact the Røros Hostel Fjellheimen directly by telephone, +47 72 41 14 68 and e-mail; roros@hihostels.no.

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