The St. Olavsleden is the northernmost thru-hike in the world. It is the Scandinavian equivalent of the Camino de Santiago. You walk from the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the western coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The trail starts in Selånger (Sweden) and ends in Trondheim (Norway). This thru-hike is 580 kilometers long and takes you through forests, over hills, traverses mountains, and crosses farmland. Along the way, you will encounter many lakes and waterfalls. You will follow the historical footsteps of the legend of Olav Haraldsson. Legend has it that Olav traveled to England as a Viking where he then converted to Christianity, after which he converted the Norwegians.
SELÅNGER – BORGSJÖ
The St. Olavsleden starts in Selånger on the Swedish Baltic Sea. You walk along the farmlands of Selånger valley towards Vasterasen and past ancient villages. On the way to Stöde, you can take a refreshing dip and then walk over the Ljunganasen ridge. You pass a few more villages before you reach the end of this section in Borgsjö. Now you have completed the first 88 kilometers.
BORGSJÖ – OSTERSUND
After leaving Borgsjö, you walk through a village with typical Swedish wooden houses as you head toward the border with Jämtland. In the next part, you mainly hike through dense forests. You pass Mordviken, a town well-known for its bay and fishing. Continue to the pilgrimage town of Revsund and visit the old church, from where you continue the trail west towards Anviken. You now have a view of mountains, and you walk along boulders more often. After 124 kilometers and 6 stages, you reach Östersund, the only city in the province of Jämtland and the endpoint of the second section.
ÖSTERSUND – ARE
From Östersund, the path continues across the meadows of Froson into the mountains and wilderness. You will get to know the Sami culture in the mountains of Are. You follow the hills and have a nice view of the Oviksfjallen mountains. Walk along forest paths and old village roads toward Glosa where you can find 5,000-year-old petroglyphs. After 124 kilometers and 6 stages, you reach the mountain village of Are. The area is known for its history of reindeer herding. Today there are still four Sami villages where the animals are kept, and you can find many Sami crafts being made there.
ARE – STIKLE TOWN
In this section, you cross the border into Norway. From Indalsalven you walk west on the old path to Duved and pass the Tegforsen waterfalls. After a route over the E14 and Skalstugavagen, you will pass Tannforsen: Sweden’s largest waterfall. Along the way, you will see historic stone arch bridges. Back in the day, this was the main road between Norway and Sweden for trading. Further on, the landscape becomes rougher. You cross the border and regularly walk along high cliffs in Norway, where you have amazing views of the mountains. You pass the village of Vuku where there is a church from 1655. Finally, you will arrive in Stiklestad, the cultural center of the region. This section is 112 kilometers long and consists of 6 stages.
STIKLE CITY – TRONDHEIM
You leave Stiklestad for the last few stages of the St. Olavsleden. You walk on forest paths past several monasteries to the Tomvasslia viewpoint. At Munkeby in Levanger, you can choose from two routes, the inner path, and the outer path. The inner path mainly runs through deep forests. You will meet very few people and are mainly within nature and on your own. Accommodations and shops are scarce. If you choose the outdoor path, you will walk through towns and villages along the Trondheim fjords. You cover the last part of the trail by boat to Trondheim. Once you arrive at your final destination, you will be amazed by the thousand-year-old town that was once the capital of Norway. It lies on the delta of the Nidalven river fjord. After 580 kilometers, your pilgrimage is finished, and you’ve completed the 7 stages of the long-distance walk.
Good to know
There are plenty of accommodations along the trail to spend the night. You can also choose to camp. In Sweden and Norway, the ‘every man’s right’ rule applies to make free use of nature. There are a few rules though. Don’t disturb nature, don’t leave a mess behind, and don’t stay in the same place for more than two days. Please also note that the weather in Scandinavia, and certainly in the mountains, can change quickly. Be prepared for all types of weather and regularly check the weather forecast.
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