Sollia: Mountain Landscape, Culture and Seter Traditions

Sollia brings together a striking mountain landscape and a distinctive cultural history. On the Norwegian Scenic Route Rondane, you can experience a road running between Sollia Church and Enden; the surrounding area also offers mountain hikes, a viewpoint overlooking Rondane National Park and insights into seter culture. When planning your holiday, you can therefore consider whether you would like to spend most of your time outdoors, exploring art and history, or enjoying local specialities as well.

Scenic Route and Active Days

The Norwegian Scenic Route Rondane is open to traffic all year round. It is relatively easy to cycle along, while motor traffic is moderate. This gives anyone wishing to explore Sollia on two wheels a useful point of reference for planning their trip. The road connects the stretch between Sollia Church and Enden; its year-round opening and the described traffic conditions are helpful considerations when choosing how to travel.

The mountains offer a range of experiences, too. The hike to 1,187-metre-high Grytvola opens up views in every direction on clear days. Gravskardhøgda is also in Sollia and, at 1,767 metres, is the highest mountain in Stor-Elvdal. In winter, it is used for randonnée ski touring; in summer, for hiking. These seasonal activities give your trip a clear focus: you can consider Sollia as a destination for a summer hike or a winter ski tour.

Another viewpoint is Sohlbergplassen in Atndalen. From there, you can enjoy an impressive view of Rondane National Park. The place is also closely connected to art history: it was right here that Harald Sohlberg painted “Vinternatt i Rondane”. Sohlbergplassen was designed by Carl-Viggo Hølmebakk and opened on 23 June 2006. This lets you experience the landscape and the artistic subject in one place, without implying any particular route or length of stay.

Church, Museum and Local History

Sollia Church is a small, timber-framed long church dating from 1738. It is known for its beautiful paintings on all its walls and ceilings. Original decorative panels have been preserved behind the altar and pulpit. These details make the church a special destination for travellers who want to discover historic architecture and interior design as well as nature in Sollia.

The Sollia Military History Museum, housed in the listed Amperhaugen building, offers a different perspective on history. Visitors can see depictions of battlefields, mannequins in complete uniforms and containers used for air drops during the Second World War. The collection also includes objects, uniforms and personal belongings from Milorg, the Kompani Linge group Grebe, the German occupying forces and the Nasjonal Samling party. A visit adds concrete evidence of military history to your picture of Sollia.

Seter Traditions and Local Food

Øverdalssetra is an example of Norwegian seter culture, which was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List in December 2024. The seter café serves sour-cream waffles, sour-cream porridge, cured meat, kringle, rhubarb cake and farm-made ice cream. Products from Sollia Prestegård are also sold at Øverdalssetra, including goat-meat salami, cold-smoked goat legs, rhubarb jam and traditional local baked goods. This way, you can include regional dishes and products in your exploration of local culture.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Sollia, it is worth deciding what matters most to you: would you like your stay to focus on mountain activities, scenic views, cultural history or local food? The options described offer different starting points for your trip, without requiring a single shared route.

More places to discover: Stor-Elvdal, Atna, Koppang, Strand.

Back to the main travel overview: Stor-Elvdal.