Perfect first run

Check out how it went when Norway’s biggest bicycle website Terrengsykkel.no tried the biketrails at Høgevarde.

Video: Terrengsykkel.no

From summer 2023, Høgevarde will be able to offer approx. 30 kilometers of trail. But already back in 2022 there were a handful of in full operation, catering to all levels and styles of mountainbike riders. 

The trail Patrol from Terrengsykkel.no visited Høgevarde summer 2022, to meet the crew and test out the trails which were already open at that time. Host Runa Buene was also given the opportunity to test parts of the new trails set to open a bit later in the season, and she was full of praise.

– The first thing you notice is that the trails are incredibly well made. Everything is built by hand using locally sourced top soil. Here, the trails on Høgevarde differ slightly from many other places in Norway, where the standard top layer is often imported gravel. This means that the trails appear very natural and beautiful, well integrated in the terrain.

All levels

When the trail network at Høgevarde is complete, the destination will be able to offer around 100 kilometers of trails. 

Glen Jacobs and his team at World Trail, who are building the trails, have been keen to preserve the natural elements. This means that they have focused on building with nature and not against it, thus making use of the opportunities that nature has provided.

The result should be trails that are adapted to all skill levels, from beginners to experts, with all imaginable levels of difficulty.

– There are trails of all kinds, for families, beginners, intermediates and professionals, something for everyone, Jacobs tells Terrengsykling.no. Runa Buene confirms this.

– Here there really is something for everyone. The craftsmanship behind it makes it easy to maintain the speed you get naturally, and you can easily get good flow. If you want great speed and high jumps, you’ll get it, but you can also roll calmly through the trail if that’s what you want. I spoke to Jacobs, and you can tell how much he is passionate about what he does, and that he knows what he is doing. The slopes at Høgevarde are absolutely in the best hands. 

Perfect for mountain biking

Glen Jacobs arrived at the destination at the easternmost end of the Hallingdal valley in 2019, came back with the first small construction crew in a corona- plagued 2021. In 2022 he´s back, bringing with him a team of 14 highly skilled trailbuilders. In addition, a further ten trailbuilders and support staff from Høgevarde are involved in the project.

– When we first came here, it was with a mission to make Høgevarde a major cycling destination. We didn’t quite know what we were getting into, but we could hardly believe how nice it was here, and absolutely perfect for mountain biking, he asserts.

– The project is progressing, we are continuously opening new trails and we have received enormously good feedback on the trails that are already open, says destination developer Harald Haaland at Høgevarde AS.

Highly invested

Runa Buene is looking forward to exploring the trail on Høgevarde further.

– I think it is cool that Høgevarde has invested this much, and seems to be doing it so incredibly well. When the trail network is completely finished it will be absolutely fantastic, and I will definitely be back to test the trails more, without a doubt!

On weekends and holidays the restaurant “Lavvoen”, resembling the shape of the Norwegian native Sami people´s tipi tents, is open, serving food and drinks to hungry bikers. The menu´s focus is on local and organic produce. Lavvoen is located at the bottom of the skilifts.

Next door to Lavvoen is the resort´s small bicycle shop, which also offers bike rentals and service. Alex, whom you´re likely to find behind the counter in the shop, also happens to be one of Norway´s best bike mechanics. In other words, you´ll be in the best of hands when you visit Høgevarde and find yourself in need of some new gear or an emergency repair!