The Løvstad cave in Beiarn
Quite a alot of material about the
Løvstad Cave exists. Follow the links “Grottene i Beiarn” or
“Grotteklubben”to find out more.
Hans Mikael Hansen discovered the Løvstad
Cave in 1862, only eight years old.
Hans is the father of Sakarias Løvstad
and the great-great-grandfather of Øyvind.
There was still no road between Gråtådalen and Øvernes
in those days, thus it was pure luck that led the young boy to the cave. A
timber house is located nearby the crossroad at the main road where the
sign “GROTTER 3KM” is situated. This is the house that William, the
son of Hans Hansen, built. This house is named “The William House”.
William was the brother of Sakarias Løvstad.
Hans Hansen was out herding his animals when
discovering the giant hole in the mountain. Inside the grotto he found a
lake.
The time passed by, and when Hans
was 25 years old (1879), he married Edel Sakariasdatter. Sakarias was
raised as the fourth of nine siblings.
We know nothing about how many times Hans Hansen visited the Løvstad Cave after he discovered it. What we know however is that Hans and his sons William and Sakarias brought a boat to the entrance of the cave in 1915. By the help of the boat and flaming torches they found their way inside the grotto. It must have been an amazing experience, almost like a fairytale.
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Sakarias offered guiding in the Løvstad
Cave for the first time in 1923. At the time they lacked the sort
of equipment we use today. The air temperature inside the cave is
approximately four degrees Celsius, and the water temperature is
not more than two degrees Celsius. It must have been a thrill! At the Løvstad Farm we have old
guest books signed by those who visited the cave. The books are
from as early as 1932. Also photos of Sakarias and Thorvald with
visitors exits. During World War Two, in 1943, as
many as 121 registered people visited the Løvstad Cave.
People came from all over the
northern parts of Norway, but also from places such as Tønsberg,
Kristiansand, Stavanger, Oslo, Trondheim and Kongsvinger. People
from abroad visited the Løvstad Cave as well. |
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The Løvstad cave today
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lean-to has been raised outside the Løvstad Cave. |
A
group of volunteers named the lean-to ”Løvstadhuken”. The photo
shows the view outside the Løvstad Cave. |
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