Reindeer tradition in Valdres

Av Ølsjølitoppen | 3 Mar, 2021 | Valdres , Winter

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Reindeer tradition at Lenningen in Valdres

At the end of February we were in place Ølsjølitoppen Cabin field to witness the displacement of Fram Reinlag's winter herd, which has winter pastures up in Synnfjellet in Valdres . Throughout the winter season we have been in close dialogue with Hallgeir Opdal, head of Fram Reinlag, and agreed early on that this was an event worth documenting.

Up at Lenningen there was a bustling crowd with cabin owners who were out in the ski tracks, as well as all those who had turned up to see the reindeer herd coming running by from Djuptjendskampen and on to hølbekkenløypa which goes by Ølsjølitoppen Cabin fields and that crosses the county road at Feplassen. The reindeer herd's annual winter pasture stretches from Valdresflya to Espedalen in the east, and further towards Spåtind and Synnfjell in the south.

Watch video of this year's migration of the reindeer herd

"A lot of grazing takes place in the national park and there are large areas needed to ensure good animal welfare with first-class quality meat. Fram Reinlag has a winter herd of about 3000 animals and a summer herd of about 5000 animals. The company has 4 shepherds and an apprentice, who follow the herd all year round. Fram Reinlag produces about 50 tons of meat a year."
https://www.framreinlag.no/om-oss/

It was a waiting time before the attendance was able to witness the displacement of the reindeer herd at the crossing point at Feplassen this year, and one had to smear himself with patience and wait in excitement for the arrival of the nearly a thousand reindeer that came running by with the shepherds driving on the back of the snowmobile.

We were present with a drone and camera to document this year's return of the winter herd to Fram Reinlag who arrived along slaverivegen, passed the county road at Feplassen and Ølsjølitoppen and who ran further in formation up to winter pasture in Synnfjellet.

Finally, we would like to thank Fram Reinlag, and especially Hallgeir Opdal for a good dialogue and interaction ahead of and during this year's relocation of the reindeer herd, and we want to make sure that this event becomes a pure tradition up at Lenningen and for cabin owners at Ølsjølitoppen .