Discover Kirkenær

Kirkenær combines the history of a railway town with Gruetunet Museum and a circular route that can be explored on foot or by bicycle. There are also cross-country ski trails in winter, weather permitting. If you are looking for a holiday rental in Kirkenær, consider whether local history, outdoor activities, or both should shape your stay.

Explore the Vognløypa on foot or by bicycle

The Vognløypa is a circular route of about 5 km close to the centre. It is suitable for walks with a pushchair as well as bike rides. This gives you a practical way to include some exercise in your trip without making the whole day about a sporting activity. You can start the loop at several points. If you start at Grue Church, parking is available there. This lets you choose your starting point to suit your travel plans.

Gruetunet: buildings and culture from the region

Gruetunet is located just east of the centre. The museum mainly showcases buildings and culture from the Solør and Glomma valleys. There are 25 buildings on the grounds, grouped into the main farm, farmsteads and settlements. The oldest buildings date from around 1750. These different groups of buildings give your visit a different focus from a tour that concentrates solely on the town centre: here, building styles and regional culture take centre stage.

To arrange a guided tour, contact the museum to book a time. Nygård is one of the buildings at Gruetunet. It features a svalgang (open gallery) style and was listed by Riksantikvaren in 1924. Anyone interested in architectural history will find a specific point of interest within the museum grounds.

Railway town and architectural history

Kirkenær was built in the Swiss style, which remains the town’s most distinctive architectural feature. The railway station is a central part of Kirkenær’s identity as a railway town. Together with the surrounding buildings, it preserves the town’s identity and history as a railway town and timber-trading centre. This combination of architecture and local history also makes Kirkenær interesting for travellers seeking culture not just in a single attraction, but in the character of a place.

The history of Grue Church includes several specific milestones: the church was built in 1828 and designed by H.W.F. von Linstow. His student Ole Peter Riis Høegh adapted and revised the drawings. The altarpiece was created in 1875 and painted by Christen Brun. In January 2025, it was moved from the armoury into the church. These dates tell different parts of the building’s and furnishings’ history, and each should be considered in its own context.

Cross-country ski trails when snow conditions permit

When snow conditions permit, cross-country ski trails are groomed on the floodlit trail at Vollermoen near Kirkenær. Grue IL also grooms trails in the fields near Kirkenær when conditions allow. The trail network at Bergersætra, maintained by Grue IL, is about a ten-minute drive east of Kirkenær. These are different winter options to consider when planning your trip; each is subject to sufficient snow conditions.

Whether you are interested in the Vognløypa, the cultural history of Gruetunet or winter activities, these interests can help shape your choice of accommodation in Kirkenær. You can also discover Skasenden and Grue Finnskog for more destinations.

For the broader travel overview: Grue.