Nordre Ekre

[1] Nordre Ekre has been an agritourism farm since 1995, in the early years based mainly on self-catering.

Today the farmland is leased to neighbouring farmers, and the tourist offering has been expanded with a restaurant.

The oldest documented use of the main name, «Ekre», in the dative case and in the spelling of the period, is from 1333 when Sigurd, Hafthor Thoressön's vassal, wrote «Ek var a Eckru» (I was at Ekra).

[4] Oluf Rygh provided this etymology in Norske Gaardnavne (Norwegian Farm names) from 1897: «Ekra f., to field with grass, derived from Ager, derived from akr.» Rygh listed several documented forms of the name, e.g. «Ekren» in 1520, and «Ecre» in 1578.

In the 14th century this farm was a meeting place for things (assemblies) and court proceedings.

There were dairy cows at Nordre Ekre up until 1987, and hay and forestry until 1995, but since then tourism has formed the production basis for the farm.

Nordre Ekre farm hotel and restaurant are owned by a married couple.

[7] The couple are both trained chefs, and since they took over the farm in 2005, they have upgraded the guest rooms and expanded the tourist offering with a gourmet restaurant in the former barn.

[13] Here were stables, a piggery and several other outbuildings, but the buildings were not so clearly defined in an inner and outer yard, as they are on som of the other Heidal farms.

The other six buildings from before the twentieth century today, form a not completely closed «firkanttun» (=square yard).

The house lived in by the last generation farmers, is from 1976, and is pulled slightly back from the yard.

The second storey was added in 1940, and the sod roof was also replaced with flat, hewn slate tiles.

The building originally stood where today's kitchen in Søre stu is located.

This building is the farm's bakehouse, and has a wood fired traditional flat top baking oven and chimney, although its location, right among the other farm buildings, makes it unlikely that it was meant to be used as a bakehouse when it was moved to this location.

Today the building is used for baking traditional flatbrød and lefse for – and on – special occasions, such as during the annual event «Gardmillom».

In 2012/2013 it was completely renovated and converted into the farm's restaurant as it is today, as well as providing an additional guest room.

It is located on the west side of the Sjoa river, at the foot of the mountain Heidalsmuen.