Askland
Accommodation in Askland
Askland combines a long church history with a hike that starts here. Gjøvdal Church and the trail to Åmlandsnapen offer two different reasons to explore the area: historical accounts and a specific hike. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Askland, you can decide whether you would rather focus on local history, hiking or both during your trip.
Gjøvdal Church and the History of Askland
The oldest known mention of a church in Askland dates back to 1421. It gives the name “Aschland Kyrke”. Gjøvdal Church was built later, in 1803, on the Askland farm, and is the second known church at this location in Askland. The mention in 1421 and the construction in 1803 therefore refer to different stages in the history of the church.
Gjermund Gunnarson Veum is named as the builder of Gjøvdal Church. This account appears in the 1953 anniversary publication “Gjøvdal kyrkje gjennom tidene”. The church is recognised as a church under Section 19 of the Norwegian Church Order; its church site is also protected as a heritage site. For those interested in cultural history, the name, construction date and historical account offer specific points of reference without needing to be combined into a single story.
Historical Traces in the Area
There are also traces of earlier uses in Askland beyond its church history. A 100-metre-long Buveg, a historic cart track, runs across plots 20/5, 20/10 and 20/32. Gunhildsbumoen, west of the Gjøv River, is recorded as a charcoal-burning site. There is a slag heap at Hagehola, near Hagane. These three details refer to different places and forms of historical record; they should therefore not be understood as a single site or a continuous route.
The farm name Askland also has a historical connection. It is one of the Agder farms whose names end in “-land”. The origins of such farms are thought to date to the Late Roman Iron Age, 200–400 AD, and the Migration Period, 400–600 AD. These dates refer to the presumed origins of farms with this name ending, not to the year the church was built.
Hike to Åmlandsnapen
The hike to Åmlandsnapen starts in Askland. On the 4.3-kilometre route in one direction, a path alternates with a tractor road; the route is marked blue. The distance given is for one direction.
To get there, turn onto the road to Gjøvdal 4 kilometres north of Åmli. Follow it to the church in Askland and continue a short distance. After the first uphill stretch, there is a car park up to the left. These directions take you to the car park, where the hike begins; the church serves as a landmark for the drive.
When choosing a holiday apartment in Askland, you can consider whether you would rather devote your stay to the church history or the hike to Åmlandsnapen. The two options appeal to different interests, so you can decide whether Askland suits you based on which reason carries more weight for your trip.
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