FAQ gudbrandsdalsleden
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Gudbrandsdalsleden has been the main road from Oslo to Nidaros, today’s Trondheim, since the Middle Ages. It is a 643 km long, well-marked path with beautiful and varied scenery. The Gudbrandsdalsleden is one of the first pilgrimage routes to be ‘reopened’ in Norway as a modern pilgrimage. On this path you follow in the footsteps of pilgrims who for ten centuries made their way to Trondheim, to the resting place of Saint Olav.
The total distance – from Oslo to Trondheim – is 643 kilometers. Nordic Pilgrim offers tours along the last 250 kilometers of the Gudbrandsdalsleden, starting in Dovre.
The Gudbrandsdalsleden is a moderately difficult route, with some tougher and easier parts. The Dovre plateau can be difficult, especially when the weather is bad. Check the forecast before beginning your hike! Good equipment and planning are required and you should be in good physical shape.
Although the route ascends and descends, you do not have to climb anywhere or walk along steep cliffs.
The Dovre plateau can be hiked from June to August. From Oppdal onwards the season is longer: May to September.
No need for assistance? Do you want to plan everything yourself? That is possible. You can find information on the website of the Gudbrandsdalsleden and there are several guide books. But if you need help with planning or booking, or need general info, please contact us.
You will have to book the journey to/and from Norway yourself. These costs are excluded in our prices.
There are several possibilities to travel to Norway. It can be a puzzle to find the best or cheapest trip. We are happy to help you find the best option.
You can also start your own puzzle by visiting these websites:
- SAS (Scandinavian Airlines)
- Norwegian Airlines
- Vy (train in Norway)
Yes! There is even a guide available: viagaia.nl
Many pilgrims choose to travel with their best four-legged friend: their dog. This is possible: most accommodations accept dogs – just be sure to check beforehand. However: special rules apply for entering and Norway with your dog. Norway also has certain breeds that are not allowed in to the country. At the moment that applies to the following breeds: Pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Fila Brasilerio, Toso Inu, Dogo Argentino and Ceskoslovenský vlciak.
The accommodation along the route varies from rooms to cabins and small hostels and hotels. Nordic Pilgrim chooses all accommodation with care. However, the standard varies per accommodation – this is because there is not yet much available, as it is a sparsely populated area.
Sleeping bag and/or bed linen (these can also be booked at most accommodation – but not all); thermos/water bottle; backpack; rain gear; (warm) clothing and equipment; good walking shoes (preferably waterproof); lighter shoes for relaxing; first aid supplies and blister plasters; insect spray; passport. Trekking poles can be a great tool. Also make sure you are insured.
Oppdal-Trondheim (10 days)
Gudbrandsdalsleden10 days(self-guided)
The Gudbrandsdalsleden, the Olav Path
After the death of King Olav in 1030 and his canonization, many pilgrims walked to the holy place of Nidaros to pray, give thanks and do penance. After the Reformation the routes fell into disrepair. Since the 1980s, work has started to restore these age-old routes, the most important of which runs from Oslo to Trondheim, the Gudbrandsdalsleden. Nowadays, modern pilgrims walk along this route for countless reasons, to escape the hectic pace of everyday life, to reflect on their own existence, in search of physical and mental challenges or simply to enjoy nature. Whatever it is, ultimately the tour is so much more than an ordinary mountain hike or a tourist trip.
Program
A self-guided hike to Trondheim. During this tour you walk from the town of Oppdal, through a beautiful cultural landscapes along the river Orkla, through forests and bogs to the city of Trondheim where the imposing Nidaros Cathedral stands. The shrine of Olav the Saint once stood in this church. Luggage transfer along the route is possible.
01. Travel day. Overnight stay in Oppdal
Depending on your arrival time, it may be a good opportunity to walk to Oppdal Church, which is located 2 kilometers outside the center. Of course you also have the opportunity to look around the center of Oppdal.
02. Oppdal – Langklopp Fjellgård (approx. 21.5 km)
After leaving the apartment complexes around Oppdal behind, you continue walking through cultivated landscape and forests, surrounded by a beautiful mountain area. It’s not a difficult hike; you walk on typical Norwegian grusveier, interspersed with grass paths, to the next accommodation address. Along the way you regularly have beautiful views over the valley on your right.
03. Langklopp Fjellgård – Stamnan (approx. 20 km)
Today’s tour leads through the beautiful Orkla valley – the river meanders through a cultural landscape with vast pine forests on the mountain slopes. Until Skjepphaugen, where you cross the river, you mainly descend. After the bridge you can choose between a steep climb with beautiful views over the valley or a flat walk along the banks of the Orkla. The last 2 kilometers you walk parallel to highway 700.
04. Stamnan – Hol (approx. 22.5 km)
You reach Rennebu through the forest. After Rennebu you follow national road 700 for one kilometer and then you climb up the mountainside again. On the way you will pass some old farms – so-called trønderlån – the typical style of large and medium-sized farms in Trøndelag. When you are back on the main road, it is only a few kilometers to the overnight address.
05. Hol – Løkken Verk (approx. 19 km)
Also today a nice stage along the Orkla, through Meldal to the mining village of Løkken Verk, mostly on flat gravel roads, asphalt and grass paths, but after Meldal and Malmplassen there are also a few steep climbs.
06. Løkken Verk – Gumdalen (approx. 9 km)
A short stage today, so actually half a rest day. At Malmplassen you will be reminded of the mining industry and you will see some remains of the old smelting furnace. There is also a milestone here that indicates that it is still 61 kilometers to Nidaros.
07. Gumdalen – Skaun (approx. 21 km)
After passing Lake Solsjøen and Korslia Farm, you will reach a shelter designed as a ‘living room’. A great place for a break. Then a tour through a beautiful and deserted peat area begins. This was the route used by the pilgrims in summer, in winter they walked higher along the slope through the snow. After a few kilometers you leave the marshy area again and walk on forest paths and gravel roads to Skaun.
08. Skaun – Øysanden (approx. 18 km)
The milestone in Skaun states that it is still 38 kilometers to Nidarosdom in Trondheim. You first walk to the historic site of Husaby. You walk between fields and meadows in the direction of the river Gaula.
09. Øysanden – Trondheim (approx. 21 km)
In the first kilometers of the last stage to Trondheim, a short but tough climb awaits you. Later you walk through a forest area and finally through the streets of Trondheim to the Nidaros Cathedral, the goal of this pilgrimage walk.
10. Travel day
You can book extra nights in Trondheim if you want.
10 days of which you walk 8 days, an average of 18 kilometers per day.
June-September
The route is described as ‘moderate’, which means that if you are a trained walker the route is easy to do. You cross rocky paths, forests, gravel and asphalt. There is no climbing involved. If you want to walk the entire route, you need to be in good shape. We also recommend that you bring good hiking equipment – broken-in hiking boots, a comfortable backpack and possibly walking sticks. Planning the entire route requires time, so start planning early and don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions.
You spend the nights in pilgrim hostels, ranging from simple to comfortable. In a hut on a campsite, in traditional fjellstuer, on authentic farms or in old storehouses, in a motel or on a mattress in a parish house. What is certain is that you are introduced to a special, unusual part of Norway. In one place you use your own sleeping bag and share the room with others.
Meals can be booked – but not for all places: 5x dinner, 8x breakfast/packed lunch.
Luggage transfer is possible along this hike. Ask us for details.
Bed linen (except in Skaun), booking, assistance through app (if needed).
Luggage transfer (ask us for more information), bed linen in Skaun (sleeping bag needed – or a transfer to a nearby other accommodation that does have bed linen), plane- and train tickets. You will of course be helped to find the trip that suits you best.
This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).
Contact us for more information: info@nordicpilgrim.com or +31 6 12834782.
- € 990 (one person, single room where available)
- € 1.690 (two persons, double room where available)
Summary
Self-guided hike along Gudbrandsdalsleden, Norway
-
Available from June to August
-
10 days of which you walk 8 days, an average of 18 kilometers per day.
-
€ 990 (one person, single room where available)
-
€ 1.690 (two persons, double room where available)
Dovre-Trondheim (14 days)
Gudbrandsdalsleden14 days(self-guided)
The Gudbrandsdalsleden, the Olav Path
After the death of King Olav in 1030 and his canonization, many pilgrims walked to the holy place of Nidaros to pray, give thanks and do penance. After the Reformation the routes fell into disrepair. Since the 1980s, work has started to restore these age-old routes, the most important of which runs from Oslo to Trondheim, the Gudbrandsdalsleden. Nowadays, modern pilgrims walk along this route for countless reasons, to escape the hectic pace of everyday life, to reflect on their own existence, in search of physical and mental challenges or simply to enjoy nature. Whatever it is, ultimately the tour is so much more than an ordinary mountain hike or a tourist trip.
Program
A self-guided hike to Trondheim. During this tour you walk from Dovre over the barren Dovrefjell plateau, through a beautiful cultural landscapes along the river Orkla, through forests and bogs to the city of Trondheim where the imposing Nidaros Cathedral stands. The shrine of Olav the Saint once stood in this church. Luggage transfer along the route is possible.
The difference with the 16-day trip is that you skip Ryphusan - an accommodation that cannot be booked through us. This package also has bed linen included - except for Skaun.
01. Travel day. Overnight stay in Budsjord (approx. 4.5 km)
A short walk from the train station to the first accommodation.
02. Budsjord – Fokstugu (approx. 14.5 km)
Today you start the ascent of Dovrefjell. On the bare plateau, wind and weather have free rein. You follow the old king’s road to today’s highest point: Allmannrøysa (1210 meters above sea level). For centuries people have placed a stone on this pile when they passed this point, but now the old road has been given monument status and the laying of stones is no longer allowed here. From Allmanrøysa there is still a descent of more than 6 kilometers to the fjellstue Fokstugu.
03. Fokstugu – Hageseter (approx. 19.5 km)
You walk back to the other side of the E6 and follow the path along the river Foksåa up through the Foksådal. The first part takes you above the tree line again, but later you mainly walk between birch trees. Along the way you will enjoy the magnificent view over Dovrefjell and the Fokstumyra Nature Reserve, Norway’s most famous bird sanctuary. Finally you reach Lake Avsjøen, which you pass on the east side. Through a beautiful and varied terrain you reach Hageseter, where you will spend the night.
04. Hageseter – Kongsvold (approx. 16.5 km)
After only one and a half kilometres you will reach Veslehjerkinn; this area was already inhabited during the Viking age. Here stood the first sælehus – a safe haven for pilgrims and travelers – built by order of King Eystein Magnusson. At Hjerkinn, at an altitude of 965 meters, is the Eysteinkyrkja. The church from 1969 is designed after Norway’s national mountain, Snøhetta. You follow the old king’s road over Hjerkinnhø and after a few kilometres you pass the highest point (1288 m) with a beautiful view of Snøhetta and Rondane. Tonight you will stay in the ‘palatial’ accommodation Kongsvold Fjeldstue and enjoy a special pilgrim dinner in the historic dining room.
05. Oppdal
Today you travel by train from Kongsvoll to Oppdal and you can rest from the efforts of the past few days. Depending on the train times, it may be a good opportunity to walk to Oppdal Church, which is located 2 kilometers outside the center. Of course you also have the opportunity to look around the center of Oppdal.
06. Oppdal – Langklopp Fjellgård (approx. 21.5 km)
After leaving the apartment complexes around Oppdal behind, you continue walking through cultivated landscape and forests, surrounded by a beautiful mountain area. It’s not a difficult hike; you walk on typical Norwegian grusveier, interspersed with grass paths, to the next accommodation address. Along the way you regularly have beautiful views over the valley on your right.
07. Langklopp Fjellgård – Stamnan (approx. 20 km)
Today’s tour leads through the beautiful Orkla valley – the river meanders through a cultural landscape with vast pine forests on the mountain slopes. Until Skjepphaugen, where you cross the river, you mainly descend. After the bridge you can choose between a steep climb with beautiful views over the valley or a flat walk along the banks of the Orkla. The last 2 kilometers you walk parallel to highway 700.
08. Stamnan – Hol (approx. 22.5 km)
You reach Rennebu through the forest. After Rennebu you follow national road 700 for one kilometer and then you climb up the mountainside again. On the way you will pass some old farms – so-called trønderlån – the typical style of large and medium-sized farms in Trøndelag. When you are back on the main road, it is only a few kilometers to the overnight address.
09. Hol – Løkken Verk (approx. 19 km)
Also today a nice stage along the Orkla, through Meldal to the mining village of Løkken Verk, mostly on flat gravel roads, asphalt and grass paths, but after Meldal and Malmplassen there are also a few steep climbs.
10. Løkken Verk – Gumdalen (approx. 9 km)
A short stage today, so actually half a rest day. At Malmplassen you will be reminded of the mining industry and you will see some remains of the old smelting furnace. There is also a milestone here that indicates that it is still 61 kilometers to Nidaros.
11. Gumdalen – Skaun (approx. 21 km)
After passing Lake Solsjøen and Korslia Farm, you will reach a shelter designed as a ‘living room’. A great place for a break. Then a tour through a beautiful and deserted peat area begins. This was the route used by the pilgrims in summer, in winter they walked higher along the slope through the snow. After a few kilometers you leave the marshy area again and walk on forest paths and gravel roads to Skaun.
12. Skaun – Øysanden (approx. 18 km)
The milestone in Skaun states that it is still 38 kilometers to Nidarosdom in Trondheim. You first walk to the historic site of Husaby. You walk between fields and meadows in the direction of the river Gaula.
13. Øysanden – Trondheim (approx. 21 km)
In the first kilometers of the last stage to Trondheim, a short but tough climb awaits you. Later you walk through a forest area and finally through the streets of Trondheim to the Nidaros Cathedral, the goal of this pilgrimage walk.
14. Travel day
You can book extra nights in Trondheim if you want.
14 days of which you walk 11 days, an average of 18 kilometers per day.
June-August
The route is described as ‘moderate’ to ‘difficult’, which means that if you are a trained walker the route is fairly easy to do. The first part of the trip is the hardest. The route over the Dovre plateau can be hazardous during bad weather – so check the forecast. You cross mountain paths, forests, gravel and asphalt. If you want to walk the entire route, you need to be in good shape. We also recommend that you bring good hiking equipment – broken-in hiking boots, a comfortable backpack and possibly walking sticks. Planning the entire route requires time, so start planning early and don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions.
You spend the nights in pilgrim hostels, ranging from simple to comfortable. In a hut on a campsite, in traditional fjellstuer, on authentic farms or in old storehouses, in a motel or on a mattress in a parish house. What is certain is that you are introduced to a special, unusual part of Norway. In one place you use your own sleeping bag. There are a couple of places where you might have to share a room.
Meals can be booked – but not for all places: 8x dinner, 11x breakfast/lunch.
Luggage transfer is possible along this hike. Ask us for details.
Bed linen (except in Skaun), booking, assistance through app (if needed).
Luggage transfer (ask us for more information), bed linen in Skaun (sleeping bag needed – or a transfer to a nearby other accommodation that does have bed linen), plane- and train tickets. You will of course be helped to find the trip that suits you best.
This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).
Contact us for more information: info@nordicpilgrim.com or +31 6 12834782.
- € 1.440 (one person, single room where available)
- € 2.495 (two persons, double room where available)
Summary
Self-guided hike along Gudbrandsdalsleden, Norway
-
Available from June to August
-
14 days of which you walk 11 days, an average of 18 kilometers per day.
-
€ 1.440 (one person, single room where available)
-
€ 2.495 (two persons, double room where available)
Guided group tour (14 days)
Guidedgroup tourGudbrandsdalsleden
1-14 August 2024
The Gudbrandsdalsleden, the Olav Path
After the death of King Olav in 1030 and his canonization, many pilgrims walked to the holy place of Nidaros to pray, give thanks and do penance. After the Reformation the routes fell into disrepair. Since the 1980s, work has started to restore these age-old routes, the most important of which runs from Oslo to Trondheim, the Gudbrandsdalsleden. Nowadays, modern pilgrims walk along this route for countless reasons, to escape the hectic pace of everyday life, to reflect on their own existence, in search of physical and mental challenges or simply to enjoy nature. Whatever it is, ultimately the tour is so much more than an ordinary mountain hike or a tourist trip.
Program
In a small group we walk the last approximately 220 kilometers of the Gudbrandsdalsleden, the Olav Path, from Dovre to Trondheim. During the first days we walk across the beautiful unspoiled and rugged Dovrefjell plateau; sometimes we can see infinitely far, see Rondane and Jotunheimen in the distance in clear weather. After conquering the mountains, there is more room for fields and farmland, and yet we continue to encounter forests, peat, climbs, quite a few height differences until the last day.
01. August 1: travel day + hike to Toftemo (approx. 2.7 km)
Arrival at the first accommodation & introduction of the group.
02. August 2: Toftemo – Fokstugu (approx. 20 km)
Today we start the ascent of Dovrefjell. On the bare plateau, wind and weather have free rein. You follow the old king’s road to today’s highest point: Allmannrøysa (1210 meters above sea level). For centuries people have placed a stone on this pile when they passed this point, but now the old road has been given monument status and the laying of stones is no longer allowed here. From Allmanrøysa there is still a descent of more than 6 kilometers to the fjellstue Fokstugu.
03. August 3: Fokstugu – Hageseter (approx. 19.5 km)
We walk back to the other side of the E6 and follow the path along the river Foksåa up through the Foksådal. The first part takes us above the tree line again, but later we mainly walk between birch trees. Along the way we enjoy the magnificent view over Dovrefjell and the Fokstumyra Nature Reserve, Norway’s most famous bird sanctuary. Finally we reach Lake Avsjøen, which we pass on the east side. Through a beautiful and varied terrain we reach Hageseter, where we spend the night.
04. August 4: Hageseter – Kongsvold (approx. 16.5 km)
After only one and a half kilometers we reach Veslehjerkinn; this area was already inhabited during the Viking age. Here stood the first sælehus – a safe haven for pilgrims and travelers – built by order of King Eystein Magnusson. At Hjerkinn, at an altitude of 965 meters, is the Eysteinkyrkja. The church from 1969 is designed after Norway’s national mountain, Snøhetta. We follow the old king’s road over Hjerkinnhø and after a few kilometers we pass the highest point (1288 m) with a beautiful view of Snøhetta and Rondane. Tonight we stay in the ‘palatial’ accommodation Kongsvold Fjeldstue and enjoy a special pilgrim dinner in the historic dining room.
05. August 5: transfer to Oppdal
Today we travel by train or mini-bus from Kongsvoll to Oppdal and you can rest from the efforts of the past few days. It may be a good opportunity to walk to Oppdal Church, which is located 2 kilometers outside the center. Of course you also have the opportunity to look around the center of Oppdal.
06. August 6: Oppdal – Langklopp Fjellgård (approx. 21.5 km)
After leaving Oppdal behind, we continue walking through cultivated landscape and forests, surrounded by a beautiful mountain area. It’s not a difficult hike; we walk on typical Norwegian grusveier, interspersed with grass paths, to the next accommodation address. Along the way we regularly have beautiful views over the valley on your right.
07. August 7: Langklopp Fjellgård – Stamnan (approx. 20 km)
Today’s tour leads through the beautiful Orkla valley – the river meanders through a cultural landscape with vast pine forests on the mountain slopes. Until Skjepphaugen, where we cross the river, we mainly descend. After the bridge we can choose between a steep climb with beautiful views over the valley or a flat walk along the banks of the Orkla. The last 2 kilometers we walk parallel to highway 700.
08. August 8: Stamnan – Hol (approx. 22.5 km)
We reach Rennebu through the forest. After Rennebu we follow national road 700 for one kilometer and then we climb up the mountainside again. On the way we pass some old farms – so-called trønderlån – the typical style of large and medium-sized farms in Trøndelag. When we are back on the main road, it is only a few kilometers to the overnight address.
09. August 9: Hol – Løkken Verk (approx. 19 km)
Today is also a beautiful stage along the Orkla, through Meldal to the mining village of Løkken Verk, mostly on flat gravel, asphalt and grass paths, but after Meldal and Malmplassen there are also a few steep climbs.
10. August 10: Løkken Verk – Gumdalen (approx. 9 km)
A short stage today, so actually half a rest day. At Malmplassen we are reminded of the mining industry and we see some remains of the old smelting furnace. There is also a milestone here that indicates that it is still 61 kilometers to Nidaros.
11. August 11: Gumdalen – Skaun (approx. 21 km)
After passing Lake Solsjøen and Korslia Farm, we reach a shelter designed as a ‘living room’. A great place for a break. Then a tour through a beautiful and deserted peat area begins. This was the route used by the pilgrims in summer, in winter they walked higher along the slope through the snow. After a few kilometers we leave the marshy area again and walk on forest paths and gravel roads to Skaun.
12. August 12: Skaun – Øysanden (approx. 18 km)
The milestone in Skaun states that it is still 38 kilometers to Nidarosdom in Trondheim. We first walk to the historic site of Husaby. We walk between fields and meadows in the direction of the river Gaula.
13. August 13: Øysanden – Nidaros, Trondheim (approx. 21 km)
In the first kilometers of the last stage to Trondheim, a short but tough climb awaits you. Later we walk through a forest area and finally through the streets of Trondheim to the Nidaros Cathedral, the goal of this pilgrimage walk.
14. August 14: travel day
Trip back. You can book extra nights in Trondheim if you want.
14 days of which we walk 11 days, an average of 20 km per day.
From August 1 to August 14, 2024.
7-8 people + 1 guide. Men and women in good shape, who enjoy adventurous walking in a beautiful, sometimes challenging landscape with quite a few height differences, and who prefer not to do it alone. The trip will be definitive when 7 people book.
We spend the night in pilgrim hostels, ranging from simple to comfortable. In a hut on a campsite, in traditional fjellstuer, on authentic farms or in old storehouses, in a motel or on a mattress in a parish house. What is certain is that we are introduced to a special, unusual part of Norway. In most places you use your own sleeping bag.
Under the guidance of Henriëtte van der Noord, pilgrim, walking guide, tour guide and city guide.
All meals are included; sometimes these meals are served, sometimes we cook them together.
Transfer from Dovre station to Toftemo (if needed), transfer from Kongsvold to Oppdal, daily luggage transfer from Toftemo to Trondheim.
Your trip to/from Norway. You will of course be helped to find the trip that suits you best.
This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).
Contact us for more information: info@nordicpilgrim.com or +31 6 12834782.
€ 2.250 per person.
Your guide
Henriëtte van der Noord (1961) was a teacher in special education for a long time and is now a walker, pilgrim, certified tour guide, walking guide and city guide.
After walking much of St. Olavsleden in 2018 she decided to follow her heart and give her life a different direction. She is experienced in dealing with groups and guiding trips, has knowledge of Norwegian culture and history and she feels happiest in nature.
Summary
Guided group tour Gudbrandsdalsleden 2024
-
From August 1 to August 14, 2024
-
7-8 people + 1 guide
-
Price: € 2.250 per person
Dovre-Trondheim (16 days)
Gudbrandsdalsleden16 days(self-guided)
The Gudbrandsdalsleden, the Olav Path
After the death of King Olav in 1030 and his canonization, many pilgrims walked to the holy place of Nidaros to pray, give thanks and do penance. After the Reformation the routes fell into disrepair. Since the 1980s, work has started to restore these age-old routes, the most important of which runs from Oslo to Trondheim, the Gudbrandsdalsleden. Nowadays, modern pilgrims walk along this route for countless reasons, to escape the hectic pace of everyday life, to reflect on their own existence, in search of physical and mental challenges or simply to enjoy nature. Whatever it is, ultimately the tour is so much more than an ordinary mountain hike or a tourist trip.
Program
A self-guided hike to Trondeheim. During this tour you walk from Dovre over the barren Dovrefjell plateau, through a beautiful cultural landscapes along the river Orkla, through forests and bogs to the city of Trondheim where the imposing Nidaros Cathedral stands. The shrine of Olav the Saint once stood in this church. For this trip you need to bring a sleeping bag and luggage transfer is not always possible.
01. Travel day. Overnight stay in Budsjord (approx. 4.5 km)
A short walk from the train station to the first accommodation.
02. Budsjord – Fokstugu (approx. 14.5 km)
Today you start the ascent of Dovrefjell. On the bare plateau, wind and weather have free rein. You follow the old king’s road to today’s highest point: Allmannrøysa (1210 meters above sea level). For centuries people have placed a stone on this pile when they passed this point, but now the old road has been given monument status and the laying of stones is no longer allowed here. From Allmanrøysa there is still a descent of more than 6 kilometers to the fjellstue Fokstugu.
03. Fokstugu – Hageseter (approx. 19.5 km)
You walk back to the other side of the E6 and follow the path along the river Foksåa up through the Foksådal. The first part takes you above the tree line again, but later you mainly walk between birch trees. Along the way you will enjoy the magnificent view over Dovrefjell and the Fokstumyra Nature Reserve, Norway’s most famous bird sanctuary. Finally you reach Lake Avsjøen, which you pass on the east side. Through a beautiful and varied terrain you reach Hageseter, where you will spend the night.
04. Hageseter – Kongsvold (approx. 16.5 km)
After only one and a half kilometres you will reach Veslehjerkinn; this area was already inhabited during the Viking age. Here stood the first sælehus – a safe haven for pilgrims and travelers – built by order of King Eystein Magnusson. At Hjerkinn, at an altitude of 965 meters, is the Eysteinkyrkja. The church from 1969 is designed after Norway’s national mountain, Snøhetta. You follow the old king’s road over Hjerkinnhø and after a few kilometres you pass the highest point (1288 m) with a beautiful view of Snøhetta and Rondane. Tonight you will stay in the ‘palatial’ accommodation Kongsvold Fjeldstue and enjoy a special pilgrim dinner in the historic dining room.
05. Kongsvold – Ryphusan (approx. 21 km)
The last day on Dovrefjell starts with a walk parallel to the E6 on a somewhat more difficult path to the beginning of the so-called Vårstigen. The ascent to the viewpoint at Tingsvaet – the highest point of Vårstigen – is steep, but the view is worth it. With a bit of luck you can spot musk oxen on the other side of the E6. After this the terrain flattens out and you walk through the forest to the Drivstusætra. Then it goes up again and after the bridge over the river Vårstigåa the pilgrim route leaves the Vårstigen. Above the tree line the road becomes less steep again and you can walk relatively easily for about 10 kilometers through the Vinstra valley to Ryphusan.
06. Ryphusan – Oppdal (approx. 27 km)
From Ryphusan you descend further through the Vinstra valley – a river valley with steep mountain walls on both sides. You walk largely parallel to the river Vinstra and after about 12 kilometers you pass the pilgrim chapel of St. Mikael. You walk through forests, past fields and farms in the direction of Oppdal. Passing the Vang burial ground with more than 750 burial mounds from the Viking age you reach Oppdal church and then it is just a short distance to the city centre of Oppdal.
07. Oppdal
Today you can rest from the efforts of the past few days. Perhaps a good opportunity to visit the cemetery Vang for a nice stroll that has been set out there or to look around in the city centre of Oppdal.
08. Oppdal – Langklopp Fjellgård (approx. 21.5 km)
After leaving the apartment complexes around Oppdal behind, you continue walking through cultivated landscape and forests, surrounded by a beautiful mountain area. It’s not a difficult hike; you walk on typical Norwegian grusveier, interspersed with grass paths, to the next accommodation address. Along the way you regularly have beautiful views over the valley on your right.
09. Langklopp Fjellgård – Stamnan (approx. 20 km)
Today’s tour leads through the beautiful Orkla valley – the river meanders through a cultural landscape with vast pine forests on the mountain slopes. Until Skjepphaugen, where you cross the river, you mainly descend. After the bridge you can choose between a steep climb with beautiful views over the valley or a flat walk along the banks of the Orkla. The last 2 kilometers you walk parallel to highway 700.
10. Stamnan – Hol (approx. 22.5 km)
You reach Rennebu through the forest. After Rennebu you follow national road 700 for one kilometer and then you climb up the mountainside again. On the way you will pass some old farms – so-called trønderlån – the typical style of large and medium-sized farms in Trøndelag. When you are back on the main road, it is only a few kilometers to the overnight address.
11. Hol – Løkken Verk (approx. 19 km)
Also today a nice stage along the Orkla, through Meldal to the mining village of Løkken Verk, mostly on flat gravel roads, asphalt and grass paths, but after Meldal and Malmplassen there are also a few steep climbs.
12. Løkken Verk – Gumdalen (approx. 9 km)
A short stage today, so actually half a rest day. At Malmplassen you will be reminded of the mining industry and you will see some remains of the old smelting furnace. There is also a milestone here that indicates that it is still 61 kilometers to Nidaros.
13. Gumdalen – Skaun (approx. 21 km)
After passing Lake Solsjøen and Korslia Farm, you will reach a shelter designed as a ‘living room’. A great place for a break. Then a tour through a beautiful and deserted peat area begins. This was the route used by the pilgrims in summer, in winter they walked higher along the slope through the snow. After a few kilometers you leave the marshy area again and walk on forest paths and gravel roads to Skaun.
14. Skaun – Øysanden (approx. 18 km)
The milestone in Skaun states that it is still 38 kilometers to Nidarosdom in Trondheim. You first walk to the historic site of Husaby. You walk between fields and meadows in the direction of the river Gaula.
15. Øysanden – Trondheim (approx. 21 km)
In the first kilometers of the last stage to Trondheim, a short but tough climb awaits you. Later you walk through a forest area and finally through the streets of Trondheim to the Nidaros Cathedral, the goal of this pilgrimage walk.
16. Travel day
You can book extra nights in Trondheim if you want.
16 days of which you walk 13 days, an average of 18 kilometers per day.
June-August
The route is described as ‘moderate’ to ‘difficult’, which means that if you are a trained walker the route is fairly easy to do. The first part of the trip is the hardest. The route over the Dovre plateau can be hazardous during bad weather – so check the forecast. You cross mountain paths, forests, gravel and asphalt. If you want to walk the entire route, you need to be in good shape. We also recommend that you bring good hiking equipment – broken-in hiking boots, a comfortable backpack and possibly walking sticks. Planning the entire route requires time, so start planning early and don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions.
You spend the nights in pilgrim hostels, ranging from simple to comfortable. In a hut on a campsite, in traditional fjellstuer, on authentic farms or in old storehouses, in a motel or on a mattress in a parish house. What is certain is that you are introduced to a special, unusual part of Norway. In one place you use your own sleeping bag. There are a couple of places where you might have to share a room.
Meals can be booked – but not for all places: 8x dinner, 11x breakfast/lunch.
Luggage transfer is possible along most stages of this trip – but not all. Ask us for details.
Accommodation, most meals (8x dinner, 11x breakfast/lunch), booking, assistance through app (if needed).
Overnight stay in Ryphusan, luggage transfer, bed linen, plane- and train tickets. You will of course be helped to find the trip that suits you best.
This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).
Contact us for more information: info@nordicpilgrim.com or +31 6 12834782.
- € 1.495 (one person, single room where available)
- € 2.315 (two persons, double room where available)
Summary
Self-guided hike along Gudbrandsdalsleden, Norway
-
Available from June to August
-
16 days of which you walk 13 days, an average of 18 kilometers per day.
-
€ 1.495 (one person, single room where available)
-
€ 2.315 (two persons, double room where available)