Every design for Melhus

Melhus sits in the lower Gauldalen valley on the river Gaula, just south of Trondheim, with the Dovrebanen railway stopping at Melhus Station in the middle of the village. Its name goes back to Meðalhúsar, 'the middle houses', part of a far older farm once called Óðinssalr, Odin's hall.

What sets it apart today is how much of daily life fits into a short walk. The old E6, once a notorious bottleneck through the centre, was rebuilt as a calmer street when the highway moved west, and the centre has grown more town-like around it. Melhustorget, the doctor, the bank, the restaurants and the town hall are all close by, while Furuåsen and the little park Hyggeligflekken offer a breather, and Prestegårdslåna keeps the older village in view.

Then there is Jarlshola, linked to Jarl Haakon and his slave Tormod Kark on their last night before the killing at Rimul. Not many places can put a Viking saga on the same map as the morning commute.