A family business
Hjerkinn Fjellstue and Horse riding is beautifully located in the middle of Norway, in the Dovrefjell mountains, just a four-minute drive from Hjerkinn train station and the main road between Oslo and Trondheim.
The mountain lodge has been in the Hjerkind family since 1640, and is an important part of the Norwegian fjellstue tradition.
“Hjerkinn has actually been passed down for 13 generations. At least, that's how far back we can document it. It may have been in my family since the 9th century, but we can't know for sure. Today, it's managed by my mother, my sister, and my wife and I, so it's a real family business,” explains Martin Hjerkind.
Hjerkinn, and several other mountain lodges in the area, were established by the Norwegian king Øystein Magnusson (1088-1123) to provide lodging for travellers who were crossing the mountains. Back then, mountain lodges were obliged to house any traveller who needed shelter.
“Although the government owned the mountain lodges, back then the farmers in the surrounding areas also had to provide support by offering materials, food, and labour. In 1927, Hjerkinn became private property, and its ownership was transferred to my family,” says Martin.
In many ways, you might say that mountain lodges were the beginning of the hotel business in Norway.
