Hovden is a village in the municipality of Bykle in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of Setesdalen valley, on the Norwegian National Road 9 and the river Otra, on the eastern shore of the lake Hartevatnet. The village sits about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of the village of Bykle and about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east of the village of Breive. The 0.57-square-kilometre (140-acre) village has a population (2019) of 413 and a population density of 726 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,880/sq mi). Fjellgardane Church is located in Hovden.
Hovden has many leisure activities in the wintertime, especially skiing and ice fishing. There is a major downhill ski resort in Hovden as well as a water park and spa. In the summertime, tourists come to go hiking and fishing in the lakes. The Ørnefjell Golf Course in Hovden is a 9-hole golf course. The area has Scandinavia's southernmost occurrence of wild reindeer. In the autumn, Hovden is known for its abundance of bilberries, lingonberries, and cloudberries.
Hovden travel guide from Wikivoyage
