Venabygd: Cross-country skiing, mountain biking and mountain cuisine

Venabygd combines experiences on a mountain plateau with activities that vary according to the season and your preferred pace. At Venabu and across the surrounding mountain plateau, there are 140 kilometres of groomed trails; cross-country skiing starts right outside the hotel. Grooming is seasonal. From Venabu, you can join the Trolløype long-distance ski trail to the north. It connects Rondane National Park with Lillehammer, complementing the plateau trails with a long-distance route between two clearly defined destinations.

Mountain bike routes with different profiles

The mountain bike routes vary in distance and difficulty. Around Svartfjell is a challenging 14-kilometre loop that starts in Venabu and follows gravel roads and a technical trail around Mount Svartfjell. Its season runs from June to October. Another option is the easy, 10-kilometre mountain bike family tour from Venabu to the foot of Svartfjell. Venabu is also on a 7.5-kilometre loop via Spidsbergseter, Lundes and Venabu, rated easy to moderate. In comparison, the longest route is also the most challenging; the shorter 7.5-kilometre loop is not the same as the easy family tour, as its difficulty rating reaches moderate.

Horseback riding tours and regional cuisine

Venabustallen offers daily horseback riding tours from mid-June to mid-October for riders of all ages and abilities. As this is a seasonal activity, check the dates before travelling.

The cuisine also has its own distinctive character. At Venabu Fjellhotell, the culinary experience “A Taste of Norwegian Tradition” is offered on Wednesdays during the summer and winter seasons. It includes regional mountain specialities, reindeer rump steak, local side dishes and a dessert with cloudberries. Non-hotel guests are also welcome with advance booking. Venabu also serves a seasonal twelve-course game dinner featuring regional dishes and flavours, known in Norwegian as “Viltaften”. The Wednesday experience and the multi-course game dinner offer different ways to discover Norwegian mountain cuisine.

Culture in the wider destination of Ringebu

The wider destination of Ringebu offers a distinct cultural perspective. Ringebu Stave Church was built around 1220 and is one of Norway’s largest surviving stave churches. Ringebu Prestegard is a historic cultural site with art exhibitions; the Prestegardshagen garden has around 170 different varieties of roses. Alongside church architecture, Ringebu also offers art and garden culture.

Høgkleiva lies on the Pilgrim’s Route between Fåvang and Ringebu. Here, contemporary art meets an Iron Age hillfort, as well as legends and stories. The Kongevegen over Høgkleiva was the first road built through Ringebu. The 643-kilometre-long, well-marked Gudbrandsdalsleden from Oslo to Trondheim also passes over Høgkleiva. There is a rest area on Høgkleiva for pilgrims and other walkers. These Ringebu attractions offer a cultural focus that differs from the cross-country skiing, cycling and horseback riding tours around Venabu.

Discover more destinations: Fåvang, Ringebu.

Back to the wider travel overview: Ringebu.