Åmdals Verk

Åmdals Verk combines an impressive mining history with a hilly, forested landscape. Partly preserved mining infrastructure and intact mines are part of the cultural landscape, alongside marshes, small lakes and streams. Åmlivatn lies right next to the mining area. During your trip, you can therefore explore both the area’s former copper mining industry and its natural surroundings.

Mining landscape and trails

The mining area is rich in minerals and surrounded by nature and hiking trails. The trail in Skjerpenuten provides information about various mines and offers a way to learn about mining history while out walking. If you would rather follow the historic transport routes, you can discover Malmvegen as part of that history: this route crossed the highlands and was used by miners to transport ore from the mines in Åmdals Verk to Bandaksli.

The landscape is more than just a backdrop to the history of mining. Its forests, marshes, small lakes and streams offer another focus for your stay. Åmlivatn lies right next to the mining area; the other bodies of water and landscape features are part of the wider cultural landscape. If you would like to focus your trip more on nature and hiking trails, these aspects can help you choose the focus of your holiday.

Explore the mines

On a guided tour of the old mines, visitors can enter the «Hoffnung» and «Howard» workings. The tour passes «Sølvsynken», climbs a staircase in the «Ingeborg shaft» and reaches the underground workshop «Smia». These stops provide a tangible encounter with different parts of the mining complex, rather than presenting its history solely through exhibitions.

The underground tours have important physical requirements: they are not suitable for people with mobility impairments. Visitors should be reasonably fit and comfortable with heights and narrow passages. If you plan to take such a tour during your trip, bear these requirements in mind. The mine complex also includes a small open-air mine for children, where they can look for stones. This offers another way to explore the subject of mining.

Museum and history of copper mining

The Åmdals Verk Mines museum presents the mining history of the area and the workers’ culture shaped by the copper works. The museum building houses a geology exhibition and mechanical models showing copper production. You can therefore explore both the geological context and the work involved in extracting copper.

Copper mining in Åmdals Verk began in 1691 and was permanently discontinued after 1945. It is estimated that more than 8,000 tonnes of copper were extracted. The infrastructure is also part of the operation’s history: Cross-Cut is located on the site of a former power station that supplied electricity to the surrounding mines and was a central part of the mining operation. Together with the mines, historic routes and museum, it offers different ways to explore the area’s past.

Choose the right focus for your trip

When looking for a holiday rental in Åmdals Verk, it can be helpful to first decide what you would like to focus on during your trip. If you are mainly interested in history, the museum and mine tour are the highlights; bear in mind the requirements of the underground tour. If you would rather focus your stay on the landscape, the hilly, forested surroundings and hiking trails are good places to start. Families can enjoy an additional activity related to searching for stones at the small open-air mine for children. This makes it easier to choose accommodation based on what you most want to discover during your time in Åmdals Verk.

Other places: Dalen, Høydalsmo.

To the main travel overview: Tokke.