Hovden is a village in the municipality of Bykle in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of Setesdalen valley, on the Norwegian National Road 9 and the river Otra, on the eastern shore of the lake Hartevatnet. The village sits about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of the village of Bykle and about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the village of Breive. The 0.57-square-kilometre (140-acre) village has a population (2019) of 413 and a population density of 726 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,880/sq mi).[1] Fjellgardane Church is located in Hovden.

Hovden
Hovden i Setesdal
Village
View of the village in winter
View of the village in winter
Hovden is located in Agder
Hovden
Hovden
Location of the village
Hovden is located in Norway
Hovden
Hovden
Hovden (Norway)
Coordinates: 59°33′37″N 7°21′24″E / 59.5603°N 07.3567°E / 59.5603; 07.3567
CountryNorway
RegionSouthern Norway
CountyAgder
DistrictSetesdal
MunicipalityBykle
Area
 • Total0.57 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Elevation800 m (2,600 ft)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total413
 • Density726/km2 (1,880/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
4755 Hovden i Setesdal

Tourism

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Cottages and accommodation houses

The Hovden area is a major winter tourism area since it is located in the Setesdalsheiene mountains and near many lakes such as Skyvatn, Holmavatnet, and Vatndalsvatnet.[3]

Hovden has many leisure activities in the wintertime, especially skiing and ice fishing. There is a major downhill ski resort in Hovden as well as a water park and spa. In the summertime, tourists come to go hiking and fishing in the lakes. The Ørnefjell Golf Course in Hovden is a 9-hole golf course. The area has Scandinavia's southernmost occurrence of wild reindeer. In the autumn, Hovden is known for its abundance of bilberries, lingonberries, and cloudberries.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2019). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  2. ^ "Hovden, Bykle (Aust-Agder)". yr.no. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  3. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Hovden – tettsted og vintersportssted i Bykle kommune" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2010-05-17.
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