Discover Øvre Ramse: coppice gardens and hiking

Øvre Ramse combines a distinctive cultural landscape with access to the Skjeggedal–Tovdal hike. Two coppice gardens, classified as particularly valuable, define the area: an elm grove and an oak grove. Together, they give the landscape a tangible cultural significance, reflected in their long-term care.

Coppice gardens and hiking access in Øvre Ramse

A care plan was drawn up for both gardens in 2006. It provides for their restoration, followed by the annual care of almost 100 valuable old coppice trees. The planned care highlights what gives this landscape its special value: established stands of trees whose preservation is considered over the long term. If you would like to give the cultural landscape more weight than a single excursion destination when choosing a holiday location, Øvre Ramse offers a clear focus.

A user contribution recorded in 2026 on the DNT route platform describes access to the Skjeggedal–Tovdal hike. The route passes through Øvre Ramse; from there, turn towards Tveit to reach the innermost farmstead, where there is a marked car park and information board. This makes the route directions a practical reference point for planning. Check the route information before setting off if you plan to include this hike in your stay.

Cultural history in the area

Surtekjellsundet is also part of Øvre Ramse’s cultural history: it is designated as an iron-smelting site. Slag and evidence of iron smelting have been recorded at Surtekjellsundet. Alongside the gardens, this offers a second perspective on local history, with each telling a different story: one is a designated iron-production site, the other an old cultural landscape and its valuable tree gardens.

A reference from 1803 places Øvre Ramse within a historical transport network. Horse-transport connections ran from there to Bås, later called Eppeland, as well as to Vrålstad and Austenå. This local history adds another perspective to today’s hiking directions: these connections belong to the past and do not describe present-day transport routes.

Local food production is also connected to the cultural landscape. Livold Bigård in Dølemo produces honey from beekeeping in the old cultural landscape of Øvre Ramse in Tovdal. The honey is gathered and produced locally and offered to customers as a local product from Tovdal. This is a distinct aspect of the area’s character, not a promise of a tasting or a visit to the apiary.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Øvre Ramse, you can base your decision on whether the local cultural landscape and directions to the Skjeggedal–Tovdal hike are important to you. The gardens, the designated iron-smelting site and the historical context offer a range of thematic points of interest. Choose your focus based on which aspects of the area you would like to explore during your stay.

More experiences in the wider destination of Åmli

The wider destination of Åmli offers additional activities. Trogfjell has two via ferrata routes with views of the centre of Åmli and the surrounding landscape. The older route is 240 metres long, with an elevation difference of about 200 metres. If you would rather take a hiking and cultural trail than a climbing route, Trogfjell also has a path from the Elvarheim Museum to the summit. Its 13 stops provide information about nature and culture in Åmli.

The Trogbu day-trip cabin is located on Trogfjell, near the centre of Åmli. From there, the view takes in the town centre, the Nidelva and a cultural landscape shaped by active farming and forestry. The car park by the Elvarheim Museum and the signs along the path to Trogfjell are given as guides to the via ferrata starting points. From the car park, an easy walk of about 15 minutes leads to the starting points. As local conditions can change, check the latest access information before your visit.

The Åmli–Treungen cycling route offers another way to connect history and landscape: it follows the historic railway line between Åmli and Treungen, is 34.9 kilometres each way, and passes cultural heritage sites associated with railway operations and timber floating along the Nidelva. The route has only gentle gradients and runs mostly on a dedicated track, separated from car traffic. This makes it easy to distinguish from the more specific cultural attractions in the town centre.

In the centre of Åmli, the Elvarheim Museum is housed in the former municipal building from 1925, by the Nidelva. Its core collection includes the collection of trapper Aslak Harstveit, with taxidermied animals, trapping equipment and more than 200 knives. The exhibition “Det vesle folket” depicts the lives of beavers above and below water. The Sentrumsløypa trail leads to ten historic sites with information boards and also serves as a starting point for the local Stolpejakt. Check the latest information about opening hours and exhibitions before your visit.

Åmli also offers specific options for other interests: the bathing park in the centre has a bathing area, a beach volleyball court, tennis courts and water-play equipment; seasonal operations may change. At Pan Garden, Vannvegen is a miniature river where children can float timber as people once did in Åmli. Operating conditions may also change, so it is worth checking the latest visitor information. Those interested in art and crafts can find exhibitions and works to view and buy at Hillestad Gallery. This makes it possible to compare different aspects of Åmli, from trails and landscapes to local history, water activities and art.

Discover more destinations: Åmli, Askland, Dølemo.

Return to the wider travel guide: Åmli.