In many parts of Norway people moved their cattle to the mountains in the summer so that the grass could grow undisturbedly on their home fields. Most farms had a little house, a sel, in the mountains where a maid lived and milked and looked after the cattle. During the middle parts of the 20th century this tradition was abandoned due to modern ways of farming, but still most of the houses in the mountains are standing and used for recreation.
Fjellstølar (summer farms in the mountain) were used from early or mid July until mid September, whereas vårstølar (spring farms closer to the main farms) were used two weeks in June/July and two weeks in the autumn.