The Lågen flows along the bottom of the longest valley in Norway, from Bjorli in the north to Lillehammer in the south, over more than 203km. The Gudbrandsdal is a deep valley in the heart of this mountainous region, opening an access route to the north, between Oslo and Trondheim. The trading routes, which shaped the valley for centuries, have been replaced by road and rail. Despite this traffic, the beautiful region remains distinctly rural.