Hardangervidda Nasjonalpark

Uvdal is a wonderful destination for anyone who loves the outdoors, and is a great starting point for excursions. Whether you are going for an hour or a day – you will find a path suitable for you. A wide choice of signposted footpaths make it possible for visitors to experience something new every day, whether on foot or on a bike. National cycle route no. 5 goes through Uvdal, and has been voted one of the 10 most beautiful cycle routes in Norway. The old traderoute “Nordmansslepa” is excellent for off road biking as well as hiking. With the great Hardangervidda is just around the corner you will never tire of nature in Uvdal. "Hardangervidda National Park, at 3,422 square kilometers, is Norway's largest national park. It spans from Numedal and Uvdal in the east and Røvelseggi and Ullensvang in the west across the Hardanger mountain plateau (Hardangervidda). Designated as a national park in 1981, today it serves as a popular tourist destination for activities such as hiking, climbing, fishing, and cross-country skiing. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) maintains a comprehensive network of huts and paths across Hardangervidda. The Bergensbanen railway line and the main Highway 7 cross the plateau. It has the southernmost stock of several arctic animals and plants. Its wild reindeer herds are among the largest in the world. Several hundred nomadic stone age settlements have been found in the area, most likely related to the migration of the reindeer. Ancient trails cross the plateau, linking western and eastern Norway; one example is the Nordmannsslepa linking Eidfjord and Veggli in the Numedal valley with Hol and Uvdal. The name Hardangervidda is put together by the name of the district Hardanger and the finite form of vidde, 'wide plain, large mountain plateau'."