Welcome to Drangedal - English version
Here you’ll find useful information about our municipality — what it’s like to live here, work opportunities and business development, local activities and attractions, and other services that might be helpful or interesting whether you’re a resident or just visiting.
Curious about living in Drangedal?
Drangedal is a long and scenic municipality in Telemark, known for its beautiful nature with forests, lakes, hills, and mountains. We border the urban and industrial areas of Grenland (Skien, Porsgrunn, and Bamble), the charming coastal town of Kragerø—often called “the pearl of the coast”—and serve as a gateway to both Western Telemark and Southern Norway. A little over 4,000 people live here.
We have vibrant local communities where people are eager to make things happen. Residents are spread across several towns, villages, and rural areas.
There are three schools: Drangedal 1–10 School in the municipal center, and primary schools (grades 1–7) in Kroken and Tørdal. All three locations also have kindergartens. Our health and care services are efficient and mainly located in the center of Drangedal, with some services in Neslandsvatn.
Considering moving to Drangedal, perhaps? We encourage you to reach out to us!
Mayor Stina A. Sætre 📞 +47 900 85 744 📧 stina.saetre@drangedal.kommune.no
Information officer Randi Berdal Hagen 📞 +47 915 85 739 📧 randi.berdal.hagen@drangedal.kommune.no
We’ll connect you with local representatives in the different villages and communities who can tell you more about what it’s like to live where they do — and what opportunities are available.
Drangedal kommune (municipality) has two train stations along the Sørlandsbanen railway line: Drangedal Station, located in the municipal center of Prestestranda, and Neslandsvatn Station, located further south in Kroken. To the south, the E18 highway runs just 10–15 minutes from the municipal border, and in the coming years, it will be moved even closer due to a major road development project. This will connect Drangedal even more closely to one of Norway’s most important transport routes.
In terms of tourism, Gautefall is a key destination year-round, both in summer and winter. Further south and east lies Lake Toke, with its 185 kilometers of shoreline, dotted with islands, skerries, and inlets. This part of the Kragerø waterway stretches all the way into both Kragerø and Bamble to the south.
Looking for a house?
Finn.no houses for sale in Drangedal
Finn.no houses for rent in Drangedal
There are also several local Facebook groups where you can ask if someone knows about available houses: Drangedal - kjøp-selge-bytte - Tørdal - kjøp og salg / Tørdal - Trivselsgaranti - Hva skjer i Kroken / Neslandsvatn vel
Want to build your own house? See this page (Norwegian) and contact Siri S. Melås ssm@drangedal.kommune.no - +47 94 81 88 67 - she will help you navigate and find the right people to talk to.
Visiting Drangedal - what to do and where to stay?
Discover Drangedal - A natural gem for all seasons
With its stunning nature—featuring lakes large and small, mountains, hills, and beautiful smooth rock formations—Drangedal is a perfect destination for family activities all year round. Drangedal is a member of Visit Telemark. On the Visit Drangedal and Gautefall pages, you’ll find plenty to explore: activities, hikes, accommodations, dining, and attractions.
Here's a small selection:
· Drangedal offers many idyllic swimming beaches, for example these.
· The area is rich in hiking trails. Here on ut.no you can fins a list of some of the most popular ones.
The Gautefall region is a cycling paradise—especially for trail and rock cycling. Gautefall Event organizes unique experiences throughout the year.
· At Hulfjell Farm, kids can enjoy the water park and meet a variety of animals. · Gautefall features a compact ski resort and miles of cross-country trails.
· Gautefall Biathlon is a year-round training facility with 4.3 km of paved tracks and 31 shooting targets.
· Drangedal Bygdetun is a charming open-air museum with 19 historic buildings.
· Tokestua Cultural Center offers concerts, theater, cinema, exhibitions, and more throughout the year.
· Interested in dog training? Go Agility in Neslandsvatn has drop-in-seminars and other events.
At Neslandsvatn, you can walk or cycle along the former Kragerø Railway Line, now a 5-kilometer universally accessible trail. Learn more here.
One of the most unique and popular hiking destinations in Drangedal is Himmelriket on Gautefallheia. These spectacular rock formations, shaped by the last Ice Age, resemble a Roman amphitheater—a must-see when visiting Drangedal and Gautefall.
Accomodation
You’ll find many accommodation options on Visit Gautefall and Drangedal. Ski Logde Gautefall has 60 available apartments and suites for rent all year.
You can also search for places to stay on Airbnb, Finn.no, and Inatur.no (english version available).
Many hidden gems here! Search for Drangedal, Gautefall, Neslandsvatn, Tørdal, or explore the maps on each page.
On Inatur you can also explore fishing and hunting opportunities and buy permits.
What's on? Events and activities
In the Drangedal Associations Portal, you’ll find the “What’s On in Drangedal” calendar, where local associations and businesses post their events and activities.
Another available calendar is Hva skjer on the Visit Gautefall and Drangedal pages, and events listed there are also visible in the Visit Telemark calendar.
You may also find activities and events in these Facebook groups: Kultur i Drangedal and Hva skjer i Kroken
Work and business opportunities in Drangedal
Opportunities in Drangedal – For Those Ready to Create
Drangedal is a business-friendly municipality. There’s room here for everyone—from small startups to large international industries.
Nearly 600 businesses are located in the municipality. Right now, many people are starting businesses for the first time. At the same time, the largest industrial development in years is underway: an artificial intelligence data center is being built at Varpet in Tørdal.
This brings great opportunities and ripple effects for the entire municipality—and the region. Many of us are ready to welcome you and your business. Driv – Drangedal i vekst (Drangedal in Growth) is the municipality’s main business support program. It offers both guidance and funding for development projects in businesses of all sizes.
Drangedal Business Association is an active partner in local business development. Contact information can be found here: Drangedal næringsforening
Explore the opportunities:
We are part of the national restructuring program until 2027 – take advantage of it now!
Until the end of 2027, Drangedal is designated as a restructuring municipality (“omstillingsprogram”). This means that if you want to start or grow a business, there are excellent opportunities for support and facilitation. We want you to succeed here!
Feel free to contact project leader Tone Størseth to discuss your idea: tone.storseth@drangedal.kommune.no
One of Drangedal’s great advantages is that you’re always close to nature, no matter where in the municipality you are. We offer fresh air, strong communities, and great opportunities for those who want to build something.
At the same time, Drangedal is within commuting distance of Grenland, Kragerø, Western Telemark, and Southern Norway. Drangedal was among the first to offer full fiber coverage to all households, making it ideal for remote work.
The Drangedal Business Association also offers clean desk spaces where you can bring your laptop and work in a shared office environment on the days you want.
Looking for a job in Drangedal?
Job listings in Drangedal are available from:
But remember:
You can also easliy live in Drangedal and work in a neighboring municipality.
Depending on where you live, commuting times typically range from 30 to 60 minutes to places like Kragerø, Skien, Porsgrunn, Bamble, Nissedal, Kviteseid, Gjerstad, Risør, Nome, and Bø.
The Sørlandsbanen railway stops in both Drangedal and Neslandsvatn, taking you to Oslo, Kristiansand, and Stavanger.
These pages are under development. If you have suggestions or notice something missing, feel free to email: randi.berdal.hagen@drangedal.kommune.no
Himmelriket, Gautefall (Foto: Yngve Ask)
Sist endret: 01.07.2025 15:20