Tokke is a municipality in Telemark county. It is part of the traditional region of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dalen. The municipality of Tokke was created on 1 January 1964 upon the merger of the two older municipalities of Lårdal and Mo. Located in Lårdal, Eidsborg stave church is one of Norway´s old stave churches.

Tokke borders Vinje, Kviteseid, Seljord, Fyresdal, Valle, and Bykle. The highest peak is Urdenosi which is 1.520 metres above sea level.

Tokke municipality is one of the most exciting in Telemark for countryside, with dramatic vistas along Rv 45 on both sides of Dalen, with the high plateau of Skafsåheia towards Setesdal, forest and mountains towards Øyfjell. Some of the finest rural museum collections in the country are to be found in Tokke. Tokke municipality has approximately 2.300 inhabitants and covers a area of 984,5 km2.

DALEN

Dalen, with approximately 1,000 inhabitants, is Tokke’s largest centre and houses the district council offices. It is a pleasant community with a good climate and a varied assortment of shops and services. Dalen is the terminus for traffic on the Telemark Canal and has a visitors’ landing stage with showers and toilets.

Dalen Hotel is a historic hotel located at Dalen in the municipality. The luxury Dalen Hotel, once a popular locale for European royalty, is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and one of the best preserved hotels of its size from the 1800s.

The hotel is located in eastern Dalen on the shores of Bandak lake. The hotel owners operate a ferry service along the Telemark Canal, which during the warmer seasons has daily trips between Skien and Dalen on the historic passenger ships MS Henrik Ibsen and MS Victoria. The hotel can also be accessed by road on Fylkesvei 38 and 45, which extends down from E134 to the north. The hotel, designed by architect Haldor Larsen Børve, was built in the style of a Swiss chalet with elements of National Romanticism and Dragestil.

TELEMARKSKANALEN

The Telemark Canal stretches 105 kilometres from Skien to Dalen. There are six municipalities which are known as Canal Municipalities: Skien, Nome, Kviteseid, Tokke, Sauherad and Notodden.

The Telemark Canal is the only canal system in Norway connected to the sea. 18 lock levels divided over 8 lock systems litt boats 72 metres above sea level to the lake of Flåvatn. From here beautiful lake and river reaches take the traveller on to Dalen, 150 km inland, in the heart of the mountains of southern Norway. The contrast between the broad agricultural districts, the wilderness and the old industrial sites makes the Telemark Canal one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Europe.

In addition, the water is clean and the fish live well! The Telemark Canal was completed in 1892 and 500 men had worked for 5 years to bring this waterway into the heart of Telemark. The canal is a living heritage site, and has kept its nineteenth century air, with manual operation of most of the lock gates. The beautiful old walls and lock systems have been preserved in their original form. Along the hanks of the canal you can still see the old lock-keepers houses, the smithies, the sawmills, the watchmens cottages and the jetties with warehouses and other buildings.

THE PASSENGER BOATS

Experience the ancient cultural history, the bustling crowds and travel through the locks as people did over 100 years ago. Enjoy the journey from the deck of one of the nostalgic canal boats: M/S Victoria, M/S Henrik Ibsen or M/S Telemarken. The boats run between may and september.

EIDSBORG STAVE CHURCH

The stave church is from the 13th century and dedicated to St. Nicolas who is famous throughout Europe. It was restored in 1927 when old murals from the 17th century were revealed. Waffles and coffee served.

The Stave Churches are constructions of high quality, richly decorated with carvings. In virtually all of them the door frames are decorated from top to bottom with carvings. This tradition of rich ornamentation appears to go back to the animal carvings of the Viking age. The dragons are lovingly executed and transformed into long-limbed creatures of fantasy, here and there entwined with tendrils of vine, with winding stems and serrated leaves. The elaborate designs are executed with supreme artistic skill. The stave church doorways are, therefore, among the most distinctive works of art to be found in Norway. However, it is difficult to connect them with the Christian gospel.

LARDAL RURAL MUSEUM

Lardal Bygdemuseum was created by the silversmith Eivind Tveiten and his wife Hæge. The museum is built around the two Vindlaus farms, which stand on their original sites. These are complemented by houses from and old farm. In all there are 26 houses in the museum. In addition, a fireproof exhibition building has been constructed, which contains an exceptional collection of objects. The oldest house in the muscum has a runic inscription which is dated at about 1300.

ANNE GRIMDALENS MEMORIAL

Anne Grimdalens Minne. Gallery with exhibition of sculpture by the artist, with occasional separate or collective exhibitions in the basement.

AMDALS VERK MINES

Open mine and museum. Guided tours. Public permitted to take mineral samples from the heaps.

VIKING DALEN HOTEL

Viking Dalen Hotel is one of the few original Swiss style hotels. It was completed in 1894 with a magnificent foyer and dining room. This monument to the golden age of water-borne passenger traffic was reopened in the summer of 1992.

RAVNEJUVET

From the rural museum there is a footpath down to Ravnejuvet, an impressive viewpoint at the edge of a 200 metre perpendicular drop. If you throw a handkerchief over the edge, the updraught will carry it up and deposit it carefully. Ravnejuvet can also be reached by car by following the road from Liosvingen to Gøytil.

TOKKE POWER STATION

One of the largest power stations in Northern Europe which, with its 4 turbines, generates ap proximately 440 00 kW by harnessing the 394 metres drop from the Vinjevatnet lake to Bandak. It is built into the mountain some 800 metres south of the steamship pier, and may be visited in the summer by parties subject to prior arrangement.

DALEN MARKET

Dalen Sales fair, exhibitions and entenainment.

GUEST MARINA IN LARDAL

Approximately 10 berths at the guest quay. Shower / WC, laundry, drinking water, boat toilet emptying, kiosk with light meals. Fuel at separate quay. Cabin.

GUEST MARINA IN DALEN

Approximately 40 berths. Shower / WC, drinking water, laundry, telephone, boat toilet emptying, kiosk, meals. Fuel (derv only), at the quay, tap, tourist information.

SKIING

The Hallbjønn Centre is located in beautiful mountainous territory between 800 and 1500 m above sea level. The area features rolling mountain ranges, heights and pine clad peaks and numerous lakes. The slopes vary in length from about 700 to 1400 m, and are perfect for downhill, Telemark skiing and snow-boarding. There are also off-piste possibilities. Hallbjønnsekken ski resort is well suited familyholidays. The center have two skilifts and 4 downhilltracks. Both children and adults can enjoy 30 km of prepared cross country tracks in various terrain.

The area is ideal for cross-country skiing and hiking. During the winter markend cross-country tracks are laid out around the centre. In summer and autumn hiking paths are marked out.

RIDING

Contact the Tourist Office.

CANOEING

Rental of canoes from the Dalen Brygge for the Bandak lake.

FISHING

Fishing permit for the the Bandak lake. Sold at the Tourist Office in Dalen.

GOLF

Golfclubs in Telemark.