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Setesdal Ice Climbing Guidebook
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Setesdal Ice
The first comprehensive guide to 150 classic water-ice climbs in Setesdal and Aseral.
Setesdal Info

Accommodation & Facilities

In the winter season the valley has the provision of hutte accommodation, supermarkets and petrol stations in seven locations:  Hovden, Bykle, Valle, Rysstad, Ose (unmanned petrol station), Bygland and Åseral.

There plenty of hotels in Evje and Byglandsfjord, but these may be too far south to be useful locations. Likewise accommodation in Hovden may prove to be too far north for an intensive climbing trip, and the best locations are likely to be in Rysstad or Valle – both of which are central to the Setesdal valley – or in Ljosland for the Åseral region.

Valle has a petrol station, 2 supermarkets, a silversmith, a flower shop, and a very nice coffee shop in the old Bergtun hotel, all situated in the main part of the village. Below it is the Valle Commune building and a range of other facilities including a tourist office (closed in winter), a craft centre, a bank, a post office, and a medical centre.

Rysstad has a useful petrol station which stocks other goods and food supplies, a museum that is open in winter, a supermarket and an excellent hotel complex. Both Rysstad and Valle have libraries (open on different days) at which internet access is often possible.

The Solvgarden Hotel and Feriesenter complex, 500 metres south of the Rysstad petrol station, provides a variety of accommodation from full hotel service to hutte booking.  The hotel has a bar service and wireless internet access.
bookings@solvgarden.no   0047 37936130

The Valle Motel provides hutte accommodation as well as hotel rooms, a simple breakfast and dinner service and the only bar in Valle. 
post@valle-motell.no  0047 37937700

Hutte accommodation usually consists of a simple kitchen and sitting room, with a shower and toilet cubicle and bunk beds. A hutte can usually accommodate 6 persons, but smaller ones may only provide beds for 4 persons. Prices tend to be upwards of 800 Kroner per day, so usually it is only cost effective if 4 to 6 persons are sharing. Bedding can be supplied by some hutte complexes for a small additional cost. Be prepared to negotiate prices in winter, when there are many un-rented huttes to choose from.

The Bykle Hotel, at the top of the valley, provides reasonably priced hotel accommodation and would be a good option if the lower valley is too warm. The hotel is directly behind the petrol station, with the supermarket on the opposite side of the main road.
post@bycklehotell.no    0047 37938999

In the Aseral region the best option is the Ljosland Fjellstove, located at the end of the Vestredalen valley at Ljosland, which provides rooms and a simple breakfast and dinner service.
post@fjellstova.no  0047 38 285700

All of the petrol stations sell hot drinks and hot dogs and a limited range of food.

The options for buying souvenirs are very limited, although Rysstad and Valle are considered to be the silversmithing capitals of Norway! In summer, there are many silversmith shops in the valley, but in winter the only one that is routinely open is in the centre of Valle, next to the petrol station. 

Hovden and Evje have a range of shops including book shops and outdoor equipment shops which may provide other options for the purchasing of souvenirs.

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"Rjukan without the crowds"

Setesdal Ice Climbing, Norway
The Setesdal Ice Guide is published by the Oxford Alpine Club. We are always looking for new authors, and new destinations - visit our main pages for more information.
Copyright (c)2011 Oxford Alpine Club.