Are you looking for a special place to spend the night in Norway and don’t mind staying somewhere a bit primitive? Then this little cabin in Stryn is THE place for you. There’s no electricity, no running water, just a cooler with some ice and a small gas burner, but we felt like kings. The view, the colors of the sunrise and sunset, the silence..
A photogenic overnight stay in Stryn
You sleep in a ‘gapahuk’, which is Norwegian for ‘shelter’. And that’s exactly what it is. “It looks a bit like a bike shed,” I thought when I opened up the hut. You can slide the wooden front panels open and closed, so you can decide whether you want to sleep with a view (and treat the mosquitoes to a midnight snack) or would rather have a bit more privacy. Not that you need that privacy, because there are no neighbors anywhere in sight.
The gapahuk is in Skogtun, a teeny-tiny spot that’s a 10-minute drive from Stryn. So you have all the luxuries of civilization nearby, but here you really feel like you’re alone in the world.
Staying in Bodil’s garden
The gapahuk is in Bodil’s backyard. She’ll give you unlimited ice for the cooler and water for the jerrycan, and on top of that she’s super friendly and helpful. Don’t worry, the garden is big enough and hilly, so you sleep completely out of sight. AND RIGHT BY THE WATER!
From the ‘parking lot’ at Bodil’s house, it’s a short walk along a little bark path. You’ll do yourself a favor if you only bring the things you really need. Trust me.. And wear shoes instead of flip-flops, because some red ants like to cross the path now and then, and they can bite really nastily.
Deafening silence at Langesetvatnet
I sat in silence on a folding chair on the porch for ages, just staring ahead. Out over the mirror-smooth Langesetvatnet and the soft breeze that blew across it every now and then. I kept staring until the sun had set and then enjoyed the silence a little longer by candlelight. We cooked outside, ate outside, brushed our teeth outside. And how well you sleep in a little wooden hut that doesn’t quite close properly?!
It was so cool to wake up to the first rays of sunshine peeking in and to peek out over the water for a moment at how the world was slowly coming to life. Wonder of wonders, we weren’t bothered by mosquitoes at all! Although I had hung a Parakito clip at every possible entrance and we had covered ourselves well in Norwegian mosquito oil. With an allergy to Norwegian mosquitoes, you’d better not take any risks!
A private rowing boat at the door
In front of the gapahuk there’s a floating dock with a little boat tied to it. You get to use it completely free of charge with your stay! Of course we didn’t need to be told twice. We had a packed schedule during the day, but before we checked out we got up extra early so we could still go for a quick row around the lake. It was already super warm early in the morning, so it was a real treat to bob around for an hour.
Isn’t it picture-perfect? And on top of that, it all costs next to nothing. Because of the combination of the heat, sunscreen, sweat and the lack of running water, we did secretly go for a shower at a nearby campsite, but apart from that I would definitely come back here again. Skogtun has stolen a place in my heart!
Want a special overnight stay in Stryn?
The little cabin isn’t available in winter, but from spring (April) you can stay here. You can book the gapahuk with Bodil via AirBnB.
Update: The little cabin has been temporarily removed from AirBnB, I don’t know if it will come back.
