Tiny houses in Setesdal

Setesdal is Norway's valley of silversmiths and log-building — a long, narrow inland valley running north from Kristiansand, where the hytte tradition of hand-built timber cabins goes back centuries and the local folk music was recognized by UNESCO as intangible heritage. At the head of the valley sits Hovden, a small ski resort ringed by open mountain plateau, with the medieval Bykle stave church a short drive below it.

This is inland mountain Norway rather than fjord Norway: rounded peaks, birch forest, and rivers running fast enough for whitewater rafting in summer. A cabin here works as a base for hiking the plateau trails around Hovden in summer or skiing them in winter, with detours to the Setesdal Mineral Park for a look at the valley's old mining history. It's a quieter alternative to the west-coast fjord routes — few tour buses make it this far inland.