Åmot: Culture, trails and active experiences
Accommodation in Åmot
In Åmot, river landscapes, cultural history and trails for a wide range of activities come together. The Glommastien loops around Rena and runs for about three kilometres alongside the Glomma. There are several places to swim and take a break along the way. Åmot municipality maintains the trail throughout the year. If you choose a holiday apartment in Åmot, you can first consider whether you would like your stay to focus on walks by the river, culture, cycling or winter sports.
Cultural history in the church and museum
Åmot Church combines striking architecture with fine craft details: Henrik Bull designed the church, which was consecrated in 1902. Built in the Art Nouveau style from solid logs, it is also known as Tømmerkatedralen (the Log Cathedral). Inside, it has an altar carved by Peter Kasterud of Fåberg, as well as a pulpit carved by him in 1775. Those interested in church architecture and woodcarving will find two distinct aspects of a building that stands out for its materials alone.
The Sørlistøa Fløtermuseum offers a different glimpse into the past. It preserves objects, boats, buildings and facilities from the era of log driving. The preserved tugboat MSTrysilknut is based at the museum; in summer, it takes trips on Lake Osensjøen.
The Skolemuseet in Åmot is housed in a wooden building near Høgskolen in Rena. On display is a historic classroom with learning materials, lunch boxes and school satchels. Visitors can also try out a historic blackboard and chalk. The school museum in the Rena school building can be visited during opening hours or by arrangement.
Walking trails: from the riverbank to the pilgrim route
The nature and culture trails in Åmot follow paths and old routes through areas of natural and cultural-historical interest. For a longer hike, consider the Birkebeinerstien between Rena and Lillehammer: it is just over 68 kilometres long, designed as a three-day trek and has a total elevation gain of 1,563 metres. These details make it a different kind of hiking plan from the shorter trails around Rena.
Pilgrim trails are another option. Østerdalsleden is one of Norway’s officially recognised pilgrim routes. Its western branch begins at Pilegrimskjæret and Nesvangen in Rena. If you would like to combine a hike with a pilgrim route, you can start from here. For an excursion to Deifjellet, the trail leads to an open, former fire lookout hut on the summit after about 1.5 to 2 hours. It is also possible to walk around Krismesjøen; a short section of the route has no trail.
Cycling routes with different profiles
There are several routes to choose from for a bike ride, each with a clearly distinct length. The Åstadalen route is 27 kilometres long and classed as easy; it avoids the steepest climbs. The loop to Østersjøen in Åmot covers 23 kilometres. Along this route, you can experience the particularly diverse birdlife at Løpsjøen. For a much longer ride, Elgtråkket is a 320-kilometre cycling route between Rena and Røros. The length and route format can help you choose a tour that fits your travel plans.
Winter sports and other active experiences
The ski centres also differ in size and the facilities they offer. Rena alpin og skisenter has two lifts and six runs; the longest run is 1,700 metres long. From there, cross-country skiing trips towards Skramstadsætra and Engulsfjellet are also possible. Furutangen skisenter has two lifts and five runs, as well as a large terrain park. All runs have snowmaking facilities, and several are floodlit. These differences offer practical points of comparison if skiing or cross-country skiing is a factor in choosing where to stay.
At Osmundsand, visitors can fish and canoe on Lake Osensjøen. For a completely different experience, Rikssenter for fallskjermidrett at Østre Æra airfield in Åmot offers tandem skydives. The range of options, from relaxing by the water to sporting activities, gives you different ways to plan your stay.
For further inspiration, you can also visit the destination pages for Åmot, Blikberget, Rena and Nordre Osen.
For the overview of the wider region, see: Hedmark.
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