Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway
Adventures and experiences are waiting on the doorstep Visitors to the area also have a large range of activities they can choose between, should they want to venture outside the comfort of the hotel or do more than just relax and take in the scenery. The Haug family offers guided tours of their farm, and helps organise hikes and elk spotting in the surrounding area. “Skåbu is located right in the middle of the so-called elk-county, and every year, up to 700 elk walk past on their way from their winter pasture to their summer pasture and back again,” Haug Doksæter explains, a spectacular sight for tourists and locals alike. Skåbu has a long history of hunting and fishing; archaeological finds date elk hunting and human activity in the area as far back as 10,000 years ago, and the village is eager to keep the
tradition alive. So, should you want even more adventure and action, there are hunting and fishing outings in the autumn, randonee-skiing and dog sledding in the winter, and, during their gourmet trips, you can get a proper meal at the campfire after a long day of activities. With the whole local area contributing to activities and happenings, Skåbu has become a thriving place with a lot of heart and soul. There is the Peer Gynt outdoor play by Henrik Ibsen, which takes place every August; Gausdal Marathon, a giant dog-sledding event taking place in January; and Liv Lågå, an annual market and fair with food stalls and entertainment such as music and theatre. “It’s a very open and welcoming community,” Haug Doksæter says. “People appreciate visitors because there’s not a lot of us up here.”
Each December, there is a Christmas market in the village and the hotel hosts a Christmas dinner with local traditional meals. Should you want to take it even further and experience a proper Norwegian Christmas, the hotel stays open for guests all through the holidays. And with a white Christmas being the norm rather than an exception, you can expect torch-lit sleigh rides with reindeer skins and mulled wine keeping you warm and snuggly while enjoying the snowcovered surroundings and the starry nights. If you are lucky, you might even get to see the northern lights!
Web: www.skabufjellhotell.no and www.lykkjafjellgard.no Facebook: skabufjellhotell and lykkjafjellgard
Peer Gynt. Photo: Bård Gundersen
Jannicke Haug Doksæter with goat.
Issue 116 | September 2018 | 97