Check out our hiking blog and read all about our wonderful day trip to Elgå, Norway:  https://roamingspices.com/elga/

Music: https://www.bensound.com

In the winter of 2002 I visited Elgå in Norway with my Sister, Marianne and Brother-in-law, James. We were holidaying in Grövelsjön, Sweden at the time and being so close to the Norwegian border we had little excuse but to visit Norway for the first time. 

We took the road signposted, Elgå, and drove the 30 km through the snowy, icy wilderness until we entered the small lakeside village of Elgå, located on the shore of Lake Femund, Norway’s third biggest lake.

It was very cold and there was very little sign of life being a tourist destination way out of season. Having walked around for a while soaking in the stunning views across the frozen Lake Femund, we decided to see if the local hotel was open for lunch. It was called the Femund Fjellstue and we were somewhat amazed to find it open.

There was no one but the owner on the premises but he was very friendly and welcoming. We sat and enjoyed a wonderful meal and the owner was more than happy to answer the questions we had about Elgå and the surrounding area.   

Upon leaving I knew that I would definitely be returning to this wonderful little village someday. Little did I know that it would take 16 years before I visited again.

In February 2018, while visiting Grövelsjön with Didem, we made the day trip into Norway once more. Before we left the UK I contacted the owners of the Femund Fjellstue just to confirm that they would be open when we came to visit. 

Rolf and Tone Eriksen told us that they would be open on February 6th, which just so happened to be National Sami Day. We agreed to visit on this day and even put in a cheeky request for Elk to be served for lunch. 

We received a wonderful and warm welcome not just from the two owners but also their delightful dog, Sara. While we sat and enjoyed the gorgeous, tender and flavoursome Elk burgers, a family of Elk appeared from the wood directly outside the dining room window. It was almost like they were putting on a spectacle just for us!

Rolf and Tone shared facts and stories about the local area and of their many road trips in Europe with their dog, Sara. They were such interesting and knowledgeable people that we could have sat and listened to them all day long!

We promised that next time that we visited, it will definitely be in the summer so that we can take advantage of the wonderful nature in all its summer glory.

What is on offer in and around Elgå in the summer months?
Fishing and canoeing are very popular pastimes on Lake Femund. However, the number one reason why people come to the area is the wide array of hiking trails on offer.   

Just to the north of Elgå sits Femundsmarka National Park which is a hiker’s heaven. This is one of the largest continuous, unspoiled wilderness regions in Southern Scandinavia. 

The Norwegian Trekking Association has highlighted this location as one of the three best hiking destinations in Norway. 

The MS Fæmund II is a one hundred people capacity passenger ferry that serves destinations on both the eastern and western shores of Lake Femund. This gives hikers full access to the Femundsmarka National Park so that they can do their exploring.

We just love Elgå in winter, shrouded in snow with little or no one around. However, we are now definitely looking forward to experiencing it in the height of summer and take full advantage of the hiking opportunities on offer. 

Naturally, we are very much looking forward to staying in Femund Fjellstue during our stay!