Birkenes

Birkenes combines river and lake landscapes with hiking trails and a rich local history. The Tovdalselva flows through the municipality, running freely from the mountains to the fjord. At Ogge, a 70-kilometre shoreline and more than 300 islands and islets shape the landscape. If you are considering Birkenes for a holiday with nature, culture and outdoor activities, you can use your interests in excursions as a starting point for choosing where to stay.

Water and landscapes around Ogge

Ogge is a lake area that can be explored by canoe or kayak. Its many islands and islets offer a different landscape experience from the long shoreline; both features make the lake a distinctive destination for water-based outings. If you want your trip to focus mainly on water and nature, you can include this aspect of Birkenes in your holiday plans. You can choose accommodation according to the focus you want for your trip, without needing to treat all the excursion destinations as one shared area.

There are also different ways to get outdoors on land. Maps and descriptions of hikes throughout the municipality are available to download for Birkenes. One special destination is Mollestadeika: the oak is estimated to be 1,000 years old and has a circumference of 10.5 metres. It is about three kilometres south of the centre of Birkeland and is well signposted from Road 41. This makes it possible to combine a nature outing with a visit to an impressive old tree.

Trails, views and activities

The section of the Barnevandrerstien through Birkenes runs from Varpelia via Grasham and the Birkenes Bygdemuseum to Birkeland primary school. Along the way, it follows the route of the former Lillesand-Flaksvandsbanen railway. The Barnevandrerstien is 136 kilometres long in total, passes through Birkenes and is linked to a sad but instructive history. When planning, it is important to distinguish the length of the entire trail from the section described in Birkenes.

The Kolåsbu day-trip cabin is located near Herefoss, below Kolåsen. From there, the view extends over the Herefossfjord and the surrounding settlement. An approximately 0.7-kilometre trail leads to Kolåsbu from Hanefossbrua or the Hanefoss dam. A circular hike via Kolåsbu and Kolåsen back to the starting point is about 2.2 kilometres long.

Those looking for more activities will also find an annual cultural orienteering event in Birkenes, with 40 checkpoints in nature. The Topptur programme includes 25 summits and viewpoints with specially installed Topptur checkpoint boxes. In winter, Toplandsheia offers groomed ski trails and opportunities for sledging. The selection ranges from orienteering in nature to summits and viewpoints, as well as winter activities.

Local history and culture

The Birkenes Bygdemuseum has exhibitions on how transport and industry have shaped the municipality. The collection includes material on the Lillesand-Flaksvandsbanen railway and timber floating. In the western part of Birkenes is the Iveland og Vegusdal bygdemuseum, also known as Fjermedalsmuseet. In Herefoss, the former role of Skrivargarden Nes recalls the area’s administrative history: the building was once the official residence of the Råbyggelag district court judge.

Another unusual chapter in industrial history is told by Myhre Torvstrøfabrikk. It is Norway’s only peat museum and illustrates the process from harvesting peat in the bog to producing finished peat-litter bales. The factory is currently closed for necessary restoration work. If you want to combine culture and nature, you can make local history a focus of your trip alongside river, lake and hiking experiences.

Regular events include Birkelandsdagene, held every year on the third weekend of August, with events from Friday to Sunday. National Road 41, also known as Telemarksveien, runs through Birkeland. In Herefoss, Kirkekilen, near the old village centre, has a bathing beach, a sand volleyball court, a bathing jetty and a diving tower. The different options can help you decide what kind of trip you want before choosing a holiday apartment or other accommodation in Birkenes.

Explore more places in Birkenes

For further orientation around the area: Birkenes, Birkeland, Oggevatn, Herefoss, Söre Herefoss, Evje and Engesland.

For the broader travel overview: Aust-Agder.

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