Discover Skåbu: farms, village history and cross-country skiing

Skåbu offers a glimpse into life in a mountain village, as well as activities for active days. Historic farms, an exhibition on the village’s history and special collections give the place its own distinct character. If you enjoy spending time outdoors, you’ll find cross-country ski trails and opportunities for e-bike tours. The holiday rental that makes the best base therefore also depends on whether you mainly want to explore the culture or spend time on the trails and paths.

Historic farms and life in a mountain village

Skåbutunet consists of 30 buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. A historical exhibition focuses on the mountain village of Skåbu, highlighting hunting, trapping and fishing. Skåbutunet also arranges hunting and fishing trips on request. This lets you connect your visit with activities that have played a role in life in the mountain landscape and in making use of it.

Lykkja Fjellgard also offers a glimpse of a historic farmstead: there are 20 buildings around the farm, the oldest of which dates from the late 16th century. Farm visits and guided tours are available by arrangement. If you’re interested in architectural history and traditional farms, you can plan a visit as part of your stay. The need to arrange a visit in advance sets this offer apart from a visit that requires no prior arrangements.

Bakkestugu in Skåbu is considered to be Norway’s last inhabited cotter’s farm. Falkefanger-Anlegget is a reconstruction associated with the 17th century. Both places add different aspects to the historic surroundings: an inhabited cotter’s farm and a reconstruction with historical connections. For a trip focused on cultural sites like these, they offer specific starting points for exploring Skåbu.

Skåbu’s local history is complemented by a special collection in the town centre: the Lien Ford Collection features rare, well-restored Ford vehicles from the 1960s and later. Meanwhile, the altar and pulpit in Skåbu Church are wood carvings by Per Haugen, an artist from Vågå. The church itself is a cross-shaped church dating from 1927. Skåbu therefore brings together a variety of themes: historic farmsteads, local history, vehicles and ecclesiastical woodcarving.

Ski trails, paths and e-bike tours

In winter, the cross-country skiing area in Skåbu and Espedalen offers a large and varied network of trails. The trails are groomed for both classic and skating techniques. The floodlit trail in Skåbu is also a landmark in its own right: it starts at Skåbu community centre and also serves as a starting point for further hikes into the Skåbu Mountains.

If you prefer a different pace, you can consider Skåbu Sykkelsafari. It rents out electric bicycles and offers guided e-bike tours. This complements the winter cross-country skiing options with another way to stay active. If your group has differing travel interests, you can treat culture, guided tours and outdoor activities as separate priorities, without limiting your stay to just one kind of experience.

Choose the right focus for your stay

The activities described offer several starting points when choosing accommodation: you can focus on farm history and village culture by visiting farms and exhibitions, or choose cross-country skiing, hiking or e-bike tours for an active stay. When planning, consider which of these interests are most important for your trip and which activities you’d like to arrange in advance. This lets you tailor your search for a holiday rental to the kind of stay you want in Skåbu, rather than choosing based solely on a general place name.

Other destinations to consider: Vinstra, Kvam, Risdal.

For the broader travel overview: Nord-Fron.