We’re gradually making our way back home. To stretch our legs, we stop in the town of Geilo. Geilo’s main attraction is its local open-air museum called Geilojordet. We’ve seen plenty of charming wooden houses with overgrown roofs, so we chose another spot for our leg workout – Huldreskogen, also known as the Fairy Tale Forest. This small woodland features a mini photo exhibition about Norwegian mythical creatures, focusing mainly on the forest spirit Huldra. It’s no wonder the place is called Huldreskogen, after all!
Huldras are fascinating and mysterious creatures that some would find particularly intriguing. These beings often appear as beautiful women wearing flower crowns on their heads. However, they have one distinctive feature – an animal tail, typically from a cow or fox.
The name “Huldra” comes from a word meaning “hidden” or “secret.” Huldras can be friendly and helpful, but they can also be dangerous if treated disrespectfully. Young men are typically Huldra’s targets. She helps them: she keeps coal miners’ fires burning through the night and assists shepherds with their herding. But treat her poorly, and she might lead you astray in the forest. Huldras actively seduce young men too. If a Huldra falls in love with a human and marries him, she loses her tail. So be careful with unfamiliar women in Norwegian forests – you never know what lurks behind that charming appearance. You might become her newest “project”!
Lunchtime approaches, and we make another stop. The Nore wooden church (Nore stavkirke) is one of Norway’s oldest and best-preserved wooden churches. Built around 1167, this church predates your grandmother’s cookbook and even Columbus himself. When workers constructed this church, Columbus wasn’t even born yet, and America remained just a viking secret they whispered about over mugs of beer.
Imagining those medieval craftsmen: “Alright, men, we don’t have cranes, computers, or even proper tools. But we have plenty of wood, even more determination, and some mead for inspiration. Let’s build a church that will stand for 900 years!” Done.
If Nore hasn’t fulfuilled your crave for history and architecture yet, the Uvdal church sits just 20 minutes away. It’s like Nore stavkirke’s younger sister – slightly smaller but no less impressive.
So, our journey nears its end, but memories of Norway’s natural wonders, mysterious forest spirits, and age-defying architecture will remain with us for a long time. And who knows – perhaps next time you wander through Norwegian forests, you’ll treat more carefully all beautiful women you encounter there!