St. Olavsleden7 or 9 days(self-guided)

Stiklestad is the place where Olav Haraldsson was killed in battle on July 29 1030. Nowadays Stiklestad has an open-air museum, a pilgrim centre and a church, containing the stone on which Olav laid his head when he died – or so the story goes.

The route between Stiklestad and Munkeby is relatively easy. Along the way you pass the town of Verdal – the first bit of civilization in days. In Munkeby you stay at a pilgrim’s cabin, near the ruins of a medieval monastery. Not far away is a modern monastery, where you can buy cheese from the monks.

The walk is a bit rough, partly on unpaved roads and through wetlands. The path follows Lake Tomsvattnet along some old summer farms. There is a lookout with panoramic views of the mountains Haråhaugan and Vinkjerran.

Today’s trip is mainly on dirt roads through the ‘marka’, a Norwegian expression for nature areas between villages. You pass Lake Ausetvatnet. In the afternoon you reach a farm turned hostel in Boras.

You continue via Vollhaugen to Stjørdal, passing several historic sites. The church of Stjørdal is located near St. Olavsleden and has a great history. The tour ends at the beautiful farm Ersgard. Here you can take a dip in the river.

The pilgrimage continues along dirt roads through the village Hommelvik and then uphill to Brennberga and Nygårdsvollen. Here you see and hear the river Homla, which you follow for a while. Can be a pretty tough hike, especially with bad weather.

Today you walk along old church trails to the lake Nyvattnet, where you have lunch on the waterfront. At the end of the walk you pass by the farm museum Fjölstadtröa.

The last day is a day of reflection. You still have a couple of kilometers to go along the coast and through the outskirts of Trondheim. At the intersection of Saksvik once stood a cross where pilgrims stopped to have their first look at Nidaros. Here you can look out over the fjord and the city. The last kilometers to go straight through the heart of Trondheim, until you finally reach the goal of your journey: the Nidaros Cathedral, where St. Olav is buried. In Nidaros you receive your well-deserved pilgrim’s degree.

You can book extra nights in Trondheim if you want.

From Munkeby you follow the road to Levanger, one of the bigger towns in the region, with a population of 10.000. From there you go to the Levanger arboretum and follow the road to the coast.

Today’s trip is tough: mainly on asphalt roads – although there is alternative route, that is not signposted, that follows the coast. The water of the Trondheim fjord is however never far away. Past the Falstadsenteret (war museum) and the Ekne church, to Hellberg. You are now on the peninsula of Frosta, a region with a rich cultural history witnessing the central position held by Frosta throughout the centuries. Frosta is sometimes nicknamed “Trondheim’s kitchen garden” due to many farms with production of vegetables, as well as a good microclimate.

A beautiful hike through forest, over hills and across fields – all the time with the sea on your right hand side. The last bit crosses the 2-kilometer long bridge between Frosta and the island of Tautra, famous for its Monastery ruins. In 2003 Tautra Mariakloster, a new Cistercian nunnery, was founded on the island.

The last day is a day you take the boat from Tautra to Trondheim, which takes about one hour. The boat only goes in the months June, July and August, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Keep this in mind when planning your trip.
From the small harbor it is just a 2-kilometer walk to the Nidaros Cathedral – end point of the St. Olav pilgrimage.

You can book extra nights in Trondheim if you want.