Come along as a family from Germany shares their experience from this summer.
That was it, our very first family hike in Norway. What an adventure! And yet, it was only a test run for what was still to come. Morten and I slowly peeled off our soaking wet clothes. My backpack was completely drenched because I had forgotten the rain cover in the car. No wonder it felt a kilo heavier! Luckily, it didn’t matter much today, as we had just finished our first trial hike from Liomseter Cabin in Langsua National Park.
Tomorrow, things get serious. We’ll be hiking from one DNT cabin to the next (DNT is short for Den Norske Turistforening, the Norwegian Trekking Association). The four of us are setting out on what promises to be our biggest Nordicfamily adventure yet. After today’s 8-kilometer hike with 200 meters of ascent, I feel confident that we’ll manage well in the days ahead. The kids are in high spirits, happily carrying their own small backpacks through the gently rolling fjell. Inside they only have their rain gear and packed lunches.
With Liomseter Cabin as our base camp, we are spoiled—it’s a surprisingly luxurious start to a family hiking trip in Norway. Once we had wriggled out of our wet layers, we rewarded ourselves with a hot shower and hung everything up in the spacious drying room with warm circulating air.
Starting the Day at Liomseter Cabin
I could see Morten’s cheeks glowing—he had run ahead for the last stretch. His Joe Nimble hiking shoes, known among experts as speed-hiking shoes, certainly lived up to their name. Merle and Jan arrived about half an hour later, having carefully navigated the rocky path and crossed the small streams. They made a great team as well.
Thanks to the JVB app, we were able to keep track of our route, even with limited mobile coverage. Offline GPS helped us see exactly where we were and whether we were still on the trail. A handy tool when hiking in the Norwegian wilderness!
After scouting out our route in the morning, we enjoyed a generous breakfast buffet at the DNT cabin—muesli, fresh bread, and plenty of toppings. From the buffet, each of us prepared our own packed lunch, neatly wrapped in sandwich paper printed with all 550 DNT cabins across Norway. A fun little detail for our big family adventure!
Following the signs here in Langsua National Park, simple wooden trail markers with the signature red “T” of the DNT pointed us toward our destination: Nordre Suluhøgda. We followed the loop counter-clockwise, while 13-year-old Morten eagerly studied the map—an important motivator for him.
A Day Hike with the Whole Family
For our day hike to Nordre Suluhøgda, we packed only the essentials: rain gear, food, water, and a camera. Half the family prefers to go without hiking poles, but we all set off cheerfully into the landscape under clear skies.
The narrow trail led us through a birch forest, where twisted trees were covered in moss and lichen. It felt like stepping into a fairy-tale forest—peaceful, quiet, with only the sound of gentle cowbells echoing across the hills. Higher up, sheep grazed just below the tree line, keeping us company as we climbed.
The Path to Nordre Suluhøgda
Our hiking group kept reshuffling: sometimes the teenagers rushed ahead, sometimes the parents trailed behind. The terrain shifted too—steep climbs gave way to gentler slopes. The most fun challenges were the tiny streams crossing the marshes, where we hopped from stone to stone. Hiking poles helped, but balance was still key.
At times, I felt as if we were on a treasure hunt, searching for the next red trail marker. Occasionally, the GPS app and the signs didn’t quite match, sending us a few hundred meters off track. But that’s all part of the adventure—the main direction was always right.
Soon we were overtaken by a young father with his two daughters. Likely locals, they moved confidently along the trail, bright orange backpacks bouncing as they climbed. For them, this kind of family outing seemed like an ordinary weekend in nature.
By the time we reached the rainy summit of Nordre Suluhøgda, they had already turned around to head back the way they came. We continued over the top and down the far side of the loop. At one point, a heavy shower forced us to dig out our rain gear and readjust everything. Unfortunately, I had once again forgotten the rain cover for my backpack—by the end of the day it was thoroughly soaked. Thankfully, I always keep electronics double-sealed in a waterproof pouch.
On the Summit of Nordre Suluhøgda
After about three hours, we finally reached the summit. A heavy rain shower greeted us, and we hurried to pull on our rain jackets. Even my sandwich was soggy—but it still tasted great up there in the wild!
We marveled at the dramatic, almost epic atmosphere on the mountain top. It was hard to believe that in just a few days, this wild Nordic weather would already feel like part of our everyday routine.
On the last third of the hike, our team stretched out again. Morten sped ahead, wanting to be on his own. I followed his bright red backpack cover from a distance, imagining it as his own unique path through life.
Later, he admitted he simply wanted to get back to the cabin quickly—for a hot shower! The last kilometers wound through small hills and streams. At one crossing, I tried to film the kids, only to slip enthusiastically and land one foot straight in the water. Luckily, my shoe stayed relatively dry, and my inner child couldn’t help but laugh.
By the time we returned to Liomseter Cabin, tired but happy, we had collected not just kilometers on the trail, but countless little family memories—exactly what a family hike in Norway is all about.
Returning to Liomseter Cabin
With Morten, I climbed over the last fence that kept the sheep from straying, then hurried across the final wooden stile toward the safety of the cabin. Thankfully, Liomseter has a huge heated basement with racks and drying equipment where we could spread everything out—socks, insoles, shoes, jackets, and shirts neatly arranged. And then, straight to the shower. What a luxury! Morten soon curled up in his bunk bed in the family room, while I organized our gear downstairs. By the time everything was in place, Merle and Jan had arrived too.
It felt wonderful to be dry again by early afternoon. The kids tumbled in like soaked puppies, laughing as they kicked off their wet boots. As a reward, the teenager got a quick foot massage—but suddenly his foot began to hurt sharply. For a moment we panicked, imagining a serious injury. Within seconds, my mind raced: Would we need to rush down to Lillehammer to see a doctor?
Luckily, with some ice cubes from the cabin kitchen, rest, and gentle steps, things improved quickly. We even gave him a painkiller, and before long he managed to walk to the cozy lounge. There, surrounded by games and books, the pain faded, and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, it wouldn’t cause any trouble the next day.
By evening, more and more guests filled the dining hall—around fifty people in total. Tonight, we shared a table with Janina and her son Edvard from Oslo, who were also here for day hikes.
Dinner was served as a three-course menu prepared by the DNT team: smoked salmon as a starter, tender lamb with risotto for the main course, and a rhubarb crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Merle enjoyed a vegetarian risotto, while the rest of us tucked into hearty portions. It was delicious, the perfect fuel after a long day outdoors.
Almost ten-year-old Edvard proudly showed us how to fold napkins into little flowers for the water glasses. Conversation at the table flowed easily, mixing English and Scandinavian languages.
After the generous meal, fatigue hit me hard. The common areas downstairs were too lively, and the attic room where our family slept was a little too warm. So we simply embraced the organized chaos of packing, with gear spread out across the floor—five days’ worth of supplies to fit into our hiking backpacks.
Preparing for the Next Adventure
Packing for a multi-day hike as a family requires balance: not carrying too much, but not forgetting the essentials either. Merle kept track of the shared items, Jan was responsible for medical supplies, and I handled the technical gear. Together we divided snacks and energy bars for the trail.
My backpack still wasn’t fully dry from the rain, so I left it in the drying room and imagined how everything would fit once packed. Jan worried a bit about the length of our trek, but we agreed to share the load fairly—those who were stronger would carry more weight. Each of us had 1.5 liters of water, and our packs weighed between 13 and 16 kilos.
That night, Morten listened to his favorite audio series, while I read by headlamp about Jenny Tough’s solo adventures. It felt inspiring to immerse myself so fully in a book about courage and perseverance—perhaps the perfect mindset for our own adventure ahead.
As the cool evening air drifted through the cabin, I finally closed the book and drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow, our true multi-day family trek in Norway would begin.
Final Thoughts
If you’re planning a hike in Langsua National Park or a stay at Liomseter Cabin, make sure to check information with DNT: Welcome to Liomseter – DNT and the park’s own site: Welcome to Langsua National Park.
This blog is part of our one-week hut-to-hut family hiking adventure in Norway—more stories to follow soon!