Discover Ålen

Ålen brings together a range of attractions in a compact area: a local history museum and a neo-Gothic church stand alongside traces of mining, as well as the Gaula, a canyon and trails around the town centre. This gives you more than one possible focus when planning your holiday—from culture and history to walks, hikes and downhill skiing.

Culture and industrial history

The Ålen Bygdemuseum comprises 12 buildings and preserves around 2,500 objects. It is located in Egga, roughly in the middle of the village, on the south side of the Gaula. The number of buildings and the extensive collection give the museum a special significance for learning about the area. Ålen is also home to Ålen kirke: built in 1881, the wooden long church is designed in the neo-Gothic style and is located in the railway town and municipal centre.

Another trace of the past leads to the Killingdal mines, southeast of Reitanvegen in Ålen. Mining took place there from 1674, over shorter and longer periods, until 1986. The mines are not open to visitors because they are filled with water. Those interested in the industrial past can therefore consider the site as part of Ålen’s history without planning a visit inside. The ruins of the Eidet smeltehytte are also located near Ålen. They have been secured against collapse, and a dedicated cultural trail has been created there. The remains of the large smelting furnaces are considered among the best-preserved of their kind in Northern Europe.

The Gaula and the landscape

The Gaula rises near Gaulhåen, at an altitude of 821 metres, in the Gauldal statsallmenning in Ålen. It is a tangible feature of the local landscape. In southern Ålen, Ruglråen follows the Rugla river from Nesvolden in the south to Engan in the north. This canyon was formed during the last Ice Age and is described as an erosion channel. Those interested in landforms will find a different way to explore the area here than at the cultural sites: the focus is on the shape of the terrain and how the canyon was formed.

Trails and active days

The Ålen sentrum–Flya area has a dense network of trails around the town centre, making it well suited to walking and cycling. It is also a starting point for attractive hiking trails, including Svenuken. This lets you plan a holiday around getting out on foot or by bike, without having to commit to a particular route or walking time. If you want to combine several interests, you can make trails and hikes a focus alongside the cultural attractions.

There are specific options for other activities, too. Gauldalsløypa is a recreational snowmobile route connecting Holtålen and Tydal. In Ålen, its starting point is at Litj-Rena in the town centre. Ålen Skisenter has several downhill runs of varying difficulty. These activities are different in nature: one focuses on a snowmobile route and downhill runs, while the other offers trails for walks, cycling and hiking. You can therefore choose a holiday rental in Ålen to suit your stay based on the experiences that interest you most.

If you’d like to include other places in the same wider area in your search, you’ll find Renbygda and Haltdalen here.

For the wider travel overview: Holtålen.