Sparstad stølen,bredformat Foto Trude Henrichsen

Sparstadstølen

At Sparstadstølen, you can experience stølen the old-fashioned way with hand milking, hand-powered chinning and cheese-making over a wood-fired oven. You can also sleep in the old shed and wake up to the sound of cows grazing peacefully around the house wall. It's like taking a time travel into a beautiful fairy tale.

Sparstad stølen, Foto Trude Henrichsen (3)
Sparstad stølen, Foto Trude Henrichsen (1)
Sparstad stølen, Foto Trude Henrichsen (2)

It's just past six when the sound of scattered rumbling signals that the local milk suppliers are on their way. Budeia herself, Katharina Sparstad, is already in full swing and has formed a rearguard together with the dog Eira. Calmly but firmly, she leads the herd into the milk barn.
Sparstadstølen in Sanddalen has over 150 years of tradition and is still run in the old way, with milking by hand.
She finds the bucket and sits down on the barn stool while she chats with the cows. With familiar hand movements, she sends the jets of milk steadily into the bucket. In the stall next to it, scattered bleating can be heard from the goats and down the mountain sides the trickle of small streams can be heard. Otherwise, the morning is characterized by a rare silence and harmony.

When traditions are upheld

When Katharina started seat operation at the stølen in 1996, it had been empty since 1964 when the previous owner, Olga, the grandmother's sister, closed the door for the last time with a heavy heart. Today, she uses the same methods and tools as back then. Still without installed electricity and water. Solar panels and noisy aggregates are far from here. The equipment is washed in fresh mountain water and all heating and cooking takes place on a wood-burning stove inside the living room. Time is governed by the rhythm of the animals. Every morning and evening they go home to be milked. The rest of the day they stay in the open fields around the setra together with the goats.

An important contribution

-The driving force of being here? She sums it up: It's the silence, the calm, happy animals and producing good food. That in combination with interest and commitment to culture, tradition and nature. She herself is a trained nature manager and agronomist with an extra gene for the stable life. Growing up with summers at my aunt's at Sparstadstølen in Sanddalen left its mark. In 1996, she took up the business again, and for the past 25 summers she herself has been the owner of the family farm in Sanddalen. For the rest of the year, she works as general manager at Norsk Seterkultur and cultural advisor at Valdres Nature and Culture Park.

- I think it is important to contribute to keeping the stable business alive, she emphasizes. -Doing things that my ancestors did also makes me a little better acquainted with them. It's about getting a closer relationship with history and feeling that what I'm doing here is part of a larger whole. In addition, it is satisfying to cook food that I can ethically vouch for. 

Animal welfare has a strong place in SeterNorge. Here the animals have a good time from start to finish. They use rich grazing resources that would otherwise have lain fallow. In addition, the mountain grass gives an extra good quality to the milk.

Sparstadstølen

  • Opening hours:
    Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 4 July - 28 August from 12.00 - 17.00.
  • There is stilt operation at Sparstad from the end of June to September.
    Address: Vennisvegen 711
    2975 Vang in Valdres.
    Price toll road: NOK 70.
    NB! There is no mobile or internet coverage at the stølen, so send an SMS to 99009584 when you want contact. You can also send an email to: kath.sparstad@gmail.com

Sparstadstølen is the only stølen that is in operation of the six stølen in the stølsgrenda Sanddalen on the north side of Vangsmjøsa and consists of six stølen. The road from the barrier up is seven kilometers long, but allow yourself plenty of time. The surroundings make you constantly want to stop the car. You will be looking for a more overwhelmingly beautiful landscape for a long time. Here you can buy sour cream, table cheese, brown cheese and real mountain butter made from milk from 5 cows and 8 goats. You can also buy Katharina's self-produced ceramics such as cups and bowls in beautiful colours.

Things to do:

Bring a fishing rod! 

The river runs along the stølsveien with good opportunities to test your fishing luck. Remember your fishing license!

Hiking

There are nice hiking opportunities from the stølen. Remember warm clothes and good hiking boots.

Book a seat stay.

The one støl and the old shelter have been restored and arranged for self-catering accommodation. If you live in løa, you have a view of the stone barn where the goats provide the evening entertainment. This is an experience for the whole family.  

Go on a photo safari!
Valdres is known for its many listed and well-preserved buildings. Treat yourself to a drive around Vangsmjøsa. 

Kvam old village farm, Sørre Hemsing, Sørre Gjevre on slettefjell, Riddarstøga on Lerhol, the stream mills on Vennis/leineåne, Nørre leine on vennis and Øylo Gjestgiveri: It is full of photo motifs. 

Byline: Trude Henrichsen