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1939: Holidays at Hydros cabins by the sea and in the mountains

In 1939 Hydro acquired land by the sea in Lower Telemark to provide its employees with opportunities for open-air recreation. The area is now known as Hydrostrand Hydro beach and has 80 cabins.

Beach and rocks with swimmers and sunbathers
Hydrostrand, near the Åby and Rogn fjords, is an area of nearly 1300 decares. Cabins and camping facilities have been added over the years, as well as a shop and a cafeteria. This has become a popular holiday destination, especially in the hot summer months.

High up in the mountains

Now that the employees had been provided with a holiday centre by the sea, the company looked into acquiring cabins in the mountains. The first mountain cabins were ready for use at the end of the fifties. These are situated at Frøystul, which is 870 meters over sea level, and less than half an hour's drive from Rjukan. The site now has a total of 48 cabins that can be used all year round.

In connection with its 75th anniversary in 1980, Hydro set up another holiday centre in the Telemark mountains at Arbuvollen near Haukeli. All these three holiday centres have cabins for handicapped users.

The offer is extended

The development of the oil and gas operations in the west of Norway and the merger with Årdal Sunndal Verk resulted in Hydro setting up additional holiday centres for employees. In 1991, Hydrotun was established at Beitostølen in the county of Oppland, and Hydro also leases cabins at several sites along the western coast, at Ustaoset and Kvamskogen.

12,000 members

The holiday cabins - both by the sea and in the mountains have always been popular, not least as they offer a range of recreational activities. Today more than 12,000 employees and retired personnel are members of Hydro's holiday cabin organization. In the most popular periods such as Easter and the summer holiday, demand usually exceeds availability, so that cabins are allotted on application according to seniority of membership.

It is also possible for employees in other countries to rent cabins in Norway.