RoutesHiking trails & RoutesNorwayWest AgderKristiansand
Sjømyr Abandoned Farm – Plassen Old Homestead Ruins loop from Åsen
RoutesHiking trails & RoutesNorwayWest AgderKristiansand
Sjømyr Abandoned Farm – Plassen Old Homestead Ruins loop from Åsen
Moderate
4.0
(4)
9
hikers
Sjømyr Abandoned Farm – Plassen Old Homestead Ruins loop from Åsen
02:16
7.91km
190m
Hiking
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths.
Last updated: August 19, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through a protected area
Please check local regulations for:
Badstudalen naturreservat
Waypoints
A
Start point
1
2.94 km
Sjømyr Abandoned Farm
Highlight • Historical Site
Sjømyr is an abandoned farm in the forests of Trøe, about 100 meters from the former Vest-Agder county border into Lillesand municipality. The property was bought in 1852 by spouses Jørgen and Mari Torjussen, who previously lived in Kiledalen near Drangsholt. At Sjømyr they kept four cows and eight sheep. As a widower, Jørgen moved to neighboring Stemmene in 1900. At that time the forest worker Gunder Jonsen lived here on Sjømyr.
As a 60-year-old widow, Karen Ånonsen Gåseland moved from Stemmene to Sjømyr in 1910. Many people lived on the farm, including four of Karen's children. In addition, there lived several men who worked for board and lodging. One of them was Nils Olsen - or "Treske-Nils" - who got lost on the way from Drangsholt at Christmas 1933 and was later found dead in the Gåse valley about 300m west of Sjømyr.
The farm at Sjømyr consisted of sheep and cattle. Karen carved and spun sheep's wool into yarn. She knitted mittens and stockings, which were sold for little money. The feed for the animals was obtained from logging in the forest. Logging was practiced in parts of the forest, and Nils Olsen, among others, worked in the forest.
Karen's son, Anders Kristian Anonsen, took over Sjømyr in 1918 and owned the farm until he sold it in 1953.
As a 60-year-old widow, Karen Ånonsen Gåseland moved from Stemmene to Sjømyr in 1910. Many people lived on the farm, including four of Karen's children. In addition, there lived several men who worked for board and lodging. One of them was Nils Olsen - or "Treske-Nils" - who got lost on the way from Drangsholt at Christmas 1933 and was later found dead in the Gåse valley about 300m west of Sjømyr.
The farm at Sjømyr consisted of sheep and cattle. Karen carved and spun sheep's wool into yarn. She knitted mittens and stockings, which were sold for little money. The feed for the animals was obtained from logging in the forest. Logging was practiced in parts of the forest, and Nils Olsen, among others, worked in the forest.
Karen's son, Anders Kristian Anonsen, took over Sjømyr in 1918 and owned the farm until he sold it in 1953.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
2
3.60 km
Plassen Old Homestead Ruins
Highlight • Historical Site
Plassen is an old farm situated between Sjømyr and Ulsholmen. Its age is uncertain, but it has probably been abandoned longer than either of those places. The wooden buildings have completely disappeared, but the partially collapsed and overgrown mounds of houses are still clearly visible.
Down at the edge of the swamp, about 10-15 meters southwest of where you are, you'll find the remains of a building that was probably Plassen's outbuilding. Up here, where the information board stands, the remains of the former inner house can be clearly seen. At the time when Plassen was still inhabited, the area was probably cleared and developed. This gave the possibility of both a piece of land for cultivation
Growing crops and possibly potatoes, as well as grazing land for a few animals. It is likely that the swamps around the outbuilding were mowed and the grass used as fodder.
There is little information about these
small settlement, but we can be pretty sure it was a small settlement. There must have been limited farming and animal husbandry, but to survive in such places people had to work outside of the settlement. An important additional industry in this regard was the so-called bark braiding. Bark was collected from young oak trees and dried. The dried bark was then used to tan leather and hides, and to tan fishing nets.
The square and Ulsholmen 300-400
meters south-east of Ulsholmen - play a central role in the novel "The Bark Weaver" by Gabriel Scott. The main character of the novel, Søren Andersen Røsnes, lives here on Plassen. The characters in the novel are based on real people, but their names and locations have been changed so that descendants don't feel isolated. Søren, for example, was actually born in Røsnes, so it's probably just Gabriel Scott who made his home on Plassen.
The remains of an outbuilding that probably stood in Plassen at the bottom of the swamp. Photo: Ole-lørgen Hasle 2020.
Residence.
Down at the edge of the swamp, about 10-15 meters southwest of where you are, you'll find the remains of a building that was probably Plassen's outbuilding. Up here, where the information board stands, the remains of the former inner house can be clearly seen. At the time when Plassen was still inhabited, the area was probably cleared and developed. This gave the possibility of both a piece of land for cultivation
Growing crops and possibly potatoes, as well as grazing land for a few animals. It is likely that the swamps around the outbuilding were mowed and the grass used as fodder.
There is little information about these
small settlement, but we can be pretty sure it was a small settlement. There must have been limited farming and animal husbandry, but to survive in such places people had to work outside of the settlement. An important additional industry in this regard was the so-called bark braiding. Bark was collected from young oak trees and dried. The dried bark was then used to tan leather and hides, and to tan fishing nets.
The square and Ulsholmen 300-400
meters south-east of Ulsholmen - play a central role in the novel "The Bark Weaver" by Gabriel Scott. The main character of the novel, Søren Andersen Røsnes, lives here on Plassen. The characters in the novel are based on real people, but their names and locations have been changed so that descendants don't feel isolated. Søren, for example, was actually born in Røsnes, so it's probably just Gabriel Scott who made his home on Plassen.
The remains of an outbuilding that probably stood in Plassen at the bottom of the swamp. Photo: Ole-lørgen Hasle 2020.
Residence.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
3
3.93 km
Ulsholmen Historic Homestead
Highlight • Historical Site
Ulsholmen is an old homestead.
The houses have disappeared, but the ruins are still clearly visible. Ola Osmundsen (born 1765) is the first known farmer on Ulsholmen.
Osmund Olsen took over the farmstead from his father Ola, who died in 1843 as a beneficiary. Osmund was ironically nicknamed "The Count of Bjørnholmen" and wrote many anecdotes about the "Count" who "often spiced his speech with the stiff book language of Ulsholmen" and Abraham Ulsholmen always wore his best clothes: a shiny divided coat and a top hat, and a staff in hand". In 1901 the writer Gabriel Scott published a collection of short stories entitled "The Hunting Journal". While living in Uldalen and writing this book, he became acquainted with the places and people in the forest between Høvåg and Tveit Scott then made the "Earl of Ulsholmen" into one
central figure in the 1931 book "Der Barkefletcher".
"Der Barkenflechter" is a lively - and at the same time painful - story from a recent past in which the poor were an underclass who could hardly pave the way to recognition and a dignified life. Bark weaving was an important side trade on many farms in the coastal villages of southern Norway. In "Barke- on Ulsholmen, but the real weaver of the novel" lived here the "Count"
His name was Jørgen Sjømyr. The 1865 census shows that 3 people lived on Ulsholmen. Osmund Olsen (65) together with his wife Severine Ellingsdatter (68) and their son Ole C. Osmundsen (23). They had 2 sheep and 6 goats.
The houses have disappeared, but the ruins are still clearly visible. Ola Osmundsen (born 1765) is the first known farmer on Ulsholmen.
Osmund Olsen took over the farmstead from his father Ola, who died in 1843 as a beneficiary. Osmund was ironically nicknamed "The Count of Bjørnholmen" and wrote many anecdotes about the "Count" who "often spiced his speech with the stiff book language of Ulsholmen" and Abraham Ulsholmen always wore his best clothes: a shiny divided coat and a top hat, and a staff in hand". In 1901 the writer Gabriel Scott published a collection of short stories entitled "The Hunting Journal". While living in Uldalen and writing this book, he became acquainted with the places and people in the forest between Høvåg and Tveit Scott then made the "Earl of Ulsholmen" into one
central figure in the 1931 book "Der Barkefletcher".
"Der Barkenflechter" is a lively - and at the same time painful - story from a recent past in which the poor were an underclass who could hardly pave the way to recognition and a dignified life. Bark weaving was an important side trade on many farms in the coastal villages of southern Norway. In "Barke- on Ulsholmen, but the real weaver of the novel" lived here the "Count"
His name was Jørgen Sjømyr. The 1865 census shows that 3 people lived on Ulsholmen. Osmund Olsen (65) together with his wife Severine Ellingsdatter (68) and their son Ole C. Osmundsen (23). They had 2 sheep and 6 goats.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
4
4.02 km
Lake in Southern Norway
Highlight • Lake
Great tour even in drizzle.
So many highlights make you forget the rain.
Also very historical.
That makes you think how people lived with nature and earned their living income with it.
A lot is lost and the milk comes out of the tetrapak and the cow is purple and is called Milka.
I find all of this very worrying.
So many highlights make you forget the rain.
Also very historical.
That makes you think how people lived with nature and earned their living income with it.
A lot is lost and the milk comes out of the tetrapak and the cow is purple and is called Milka.
I find all of this very worrying.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
5
5.03 km
Treske-Nils Memorial
Highlight • Monument
Here in Gåsedalen stands the small pillar in memory of Nils Olsen, or "Treske-Nils". The stone is less than 20 cm high and is said to have been placed by Alf Strai and Arne Voreland on the spot where he was found dead. On the stone itself it says:
"Nils Olsent 12/1-34".
This is the date of the day it was found.
Nils Olsen originally came from Vegårdshei. Those who remember Nils say that he was a jovial little guy who worked constantly. Nils got his nickname because he helped thresh grain. He was
The memorial for "Treske-Nils". Photo: Ole-Jørgen Hasle 2020
was also called "Sprege-Nils" because he made brooms out of Sprege buckets. Most people in
Dorf had one of Nils' broomsticks in the house. Nils Olsen lived with several men who worked for board and lodging with the widow Karen Ånesen
Gåseland on Sjømyr in Hovàg, about 300 meters east of where the memorial stone is. When he was in Tveit he stayed with "mother of the homeless" Theodine Drangsholt, who "...always had an eye on passers-by who couldn't get shelter.".
In his article in Tveit Historielag Årsskrift no. 12-2002, Arne Egil Larsen mentions that Nils had a speech impediment and couldn't pronounce the letter "k". He also had "a somewhat odd and somewhat stiff gait" - he walked with his toes curled under his feet because his shoes were too small.
At Christmas 1933, Nils was on his way between Drangsholt and Sjømyr. The path he used was marked with stones, but he took the wrong path and got lost. Due to a misunderstanding and because it was Christmas weekend, everyone in Drangsholt thought he was in Sjømyr. Those in Sjømyr, on the other hand, thought he was in Drangsholt. As a result, no one was sent to look for him, and it wasn't until January 12 that he was gone.
Nils Olsen, or "Treske-Nils", pictured on Drangsholt in front of Tønnes Drangsholt's house
In 1934 he was found. At that time he was sitting dead behind a tree here in Gåsedalen, no more than 300 meters from the safety of the house on Sjømyr.
"Nils Olsent 12/1-34".
This is the date of the day it was found.
Nils Olsen originally came from Vegårdshei. Those who remember Nils say that he was a jovial little guy who worked constantly. Nils got his nickname because he helped thresh grain. He was
The memorial for "Treske-Nils". Photo: Ole-Jørgen Hasle 2020
was also called "Sprege-Nils" because he made brooms out of Sprege buckets. Most people in
Dorf had one of Nils' broomsticks in the house. Nils Olsen lived with several men who worked for board and lodging with the widow Karen Ånesen
Gåseland on Sjømyr in Hovàg, about 300 meters east of where the memorial stone is. When he was in Tveit he stayed with "mother of the homeless" Theodine Drangsholt, who "...always had an eye on passers-by who couldn't get shelter.".
In his article in Tveit Historielag Årsskrift no. 12-2002, Arne Egil Larsen mentions that Nils had a speech impediment and couldn't pronounce the letter "k". He also had "a somewhat odd and somewhat stiff gait" - he walked with his toes curled under his feet because his shoes were too small.
At Christmas 1933, Nils was on his way between Drangsholt and Sjømyr. The path he used was marked with stones, but he took the wrong path and got lost. Due to a misunderstanding and because it was Christmas weekend, everyone in Drangsholt thought he was in Sjømyr. Those in Sjømyr, on the other hand, thought he was in Drangsholt. As a result, no one was sent to look for him, and it wasn't until January 12 that he was gone.
Nils Olsen, or "Treske-Nils", pictured on Drangsholt in front of Tønnes Drangsholt's house
In 1934 he was found. At that time he was sitting dead behind a tree here in Gåsedalen, no more than 300 meters from the safety of the house on Sjømyr.
Translated by Google •
Tip by
B
7.91 km
End point
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
5.51 km
1.54 km
871 m
Surfaces
5.51 km
1.54 km
871 m
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