Lier: Forests, Water and Culture

At Eiksetra, there is a ski play area and a floodlit trail with groomed tracks throughout the winter. The winter activities are seasonal and weather-dependent. Eiksetra is also a starting point for hikes in Finnemarka in both summer and winter.

At Eiksetra by Garsjø, you can swim in the lake, fish, and paddle a canoe or kayak. Eiksetra is accessible from Egge in Lier via a toll road that is open to traffic year-round. This means that both seasonal activities and road access provide practical points of reference for planning.

Forests, River and Protected Areas

Finnemarka is one of the three large forest areas in Lier and part of the municipality’s extensive network of trails. The Lierelva flows through the Lierdalen valley and empties into the Drammensfjord at Linnesstranda. The Linnesstranda nature reserve there is a brackish-water delta at the river mouth. Forest, valley and delta give the landscape its varied character.

The protected areas also each have their own focus: Asdøljuvet Nature Reserve protects a dramatic gorge with significant biological diversity. Gjellebekkmyrene is a rare calcareous fen with a rich orchid flora and diverse woodland vegetation. These descriptions can help you distinguish between the landscape-related themes for a stay, rather than reducing them to a single type of outing.

Trails with Different Focal Points

Lierbanen is an approximately 21-kilometre cycling route from Lierbyen to Svangstrand. It starts either at the old railway station in Lier or at Andershaugen in Lierbyen. Along the route, information boards describe the history of the railway line. Its length, endpoints and historical information give the trip a clear framework, without conflating the cycling route with a hiking trail.

The Pilgrim Path through Lier is part of the pilgrim route from Tønsberg to Oslo. Its section through Lier follows old transport routes and, in part, more modern roads. Paradisbakkene is protected as a road monument and today serves as a footpath between Tranby and Lierbyen. From Gamle Drammensbanen, there are expansive views of the Lierdalen valley, the Drammensfjord and the city of Drammen. The routes therefore differ both in their function and in the landscapes and stories they offer access to.

Cultural History in Lier

Store Gilhus gård dates in its present form from the 1860s. It is one of the best-preserved older farm complexes in lower Lier; the property and its park are among Lier’s most important cultural landscapes. Another historic monument is the obelisks at Gjellebekk: the marble obelisk is eight metres high and was erected in 1749.

At Egge, there are four burial mounds that experts believe date from the Late Iron Age. In Merenmarka, four lime kilns are known in the limestone belt; they are among the so-called farm kilns typical of open-air sites. Together, these places illustrate different aspects of the cultural heritage: a farm complex and park, a dated monument, burial mounds and lime kilns.

Museum and Events

Lier Bygdetun is a museum with ten historic buildings that were relocated here from various places in Lier. The site includes an orchard with around 100 apple, pear, plum and cherry trees. Several events are held there throughout the year, including Eplefestivalen, the “Glædelig jul” Christmas market, Tidsreisen, craft weekends, exhibitions and intimate concerts. If a particular date is important for your trip, check the event dates in advance.

In Huseby, the southern burial chamber contains an exhibition about St. Hallvard, and a paved path runs around the burial mounds. When looking for a hotel in Lier, you can use your travel interests as a guide—for example, seasonal winter activities and hikes at Eiksetra, the cycling route, or cultural sites and events.

Discover more destinations: Lier, Reistad, Nore Og Uvdal, Krødsherad, Hol Municipality, Sigdal, Kongsberg Municipality, Nes.

For the regional travel overview: Buskerud.