Bellingstua

The Norwegian Trekking Association (Norwegian: Den norske turistforening, DNT) is a Norwegian association which maintains mountain trails and cabins in Norway. The association was founded on 21 January 1868 with the scope "to help and develop tourism in this country". Today the goal is to work for simple, secure and environmentally friendly outdoor activities. DNT has currently more than 300,000 individual members, and 57 local chapters. It also has several "honorary members", prominent people who have shown a keen interest in Norwegian nature and given the country publicity as a tourist destination, among them Kofi Annan and Katie Melua. The secretary-general of the association is Dag Terje Klarp Solvang. The mountains of Norway have always been utilised by the Norwegian people since the first Norwegians followed the reindeer when the ice cap retracted ten thousand years ago. DNT's first hut was Krokan by the Rjukan waterfall. The waterfall was later harnessed for hydropower production and the hut was sold. Today it is re-opened, situated by the main road from Tinn to Vinje. Together with local organisations all over Norway, it operates more than 550 cabins in Norwegian mountains and forest areas. Olav Thon, a Norwegian real-estate investor and hobby trekker, has so far donated 55 million kr to the association. The money has been spent to build new and refurbish existing cabins.