St. Olav Ways Norway Guide: Why This Nordic Pilgrimage Rivals the Camino de Santiago

If you’re looking for a beautiful, meaningful long-distance walk in Europe that’s far less crowded than Spain’s famous Camino, the St. Olav Ways in Norway may be the perfect pilgrimage route for you.

Often compared to the Camino de Santiago, the St. Olav Ways offer stunning Nordic landscapes, peaceful countryside trails, and a deeply historic pilgrimage experience. The route honors St. Olav, the Viking king who united Norway and helped introduce Christianity to Scandinavia. Because many miracles were attributed to St. Olaf Haraldsson (995–1030), pilgrims have walked for centuries to Trondheim Cathedral to repent for sins, pray for healing, and seek blessings.

Today, the St. Olav Ways attract not only religious pilgrims but also adventure travelers, long-distance hikers, and anyone seeking natural beauty, cultural history, and the mental clarity that comes from walking day after day through spectacular scenery.

In this episode, we speak with experienced adventure traveler Sherry Ott, creator of the award-winning travel blog Otts World. Sherry shares what it’s really like to walk the St. Olav Ways — including the scenery, the logistical challenges, and the unforgettable people you meet along the trail.

You can listen to my interview with OttsWorld’s Sherry Ott HERE

Hike the St. Olav Ways in Norway: The Peaceful Pilgrimage Alternative to the Camino

If you’re looking for a beautiful long-distance hike in Europe without the crowds, the St. Olav Ways in Norway may be the perfect pilgrimage for you.

The St. Olav Ways are a network of historic pilgrimage routes leading to Trondheim Cathedral, where Norway’s Viking king St. Olaf Haraldsson is believed to be buried. Walked since medieval times, these trails offer stunning Nordic scenery, quiet rural landscapes, and a deeply meaningful cultural experience. Unlike Spain’s busy Camino de Santiago, fewer than 1,000 pilgrims complete the St. Olav Ways each year — making it one of Europe’s most peaceful long-distance walking routes.

What Are the St. Olav Ways in Norway?

The St. Olav Ways are a collection of historic pilgrimage trails across Norway (and parts of Sweden) that all lead to Trondheim Cathedral. These routes developed during the Middle Ages after the death of St. Olav Haraldsson (995–1030), a Viking king credited with uniting Norway and introducing Christianity to Scandinavia.

For centuries, pilgrims traveled these paths seeking healing, forgiveness, or blessings. Today, hikers walk them for history, nature, personal reflection, and the joy of a multi-day walking adventure.

Why Walk the St. Olav Ways Instead of the Camino?

While the Camino de Santiago attracts hundreds of thousands of walkers annually, the St. Olav Ways remain quiet and uncrowded.

Walking here offers:

• Far fewer crowds (under 1,000 pilgrims per year)

• Wild Nordic landscapes and pristine countryside

• Authentic pilgrimage atmosphere

• Deep cultural and Viking-era history

• Peaceful villages instead of busy hostel towns

If you want the spiritual and reflective experience the Camino once offered decades ago, the St. Olav Ways provide that rare opportunity today.

The 7 St. Olav Routes Explained

There are seven main pilgrimage routes to Trondheim:

• Gudbrandsdalsleden (the most popular and classic route)

• St. Olavsleden (starts in Sweden)

• Østerdalsleden

• Romboleden

• Valdresleden

• Tunsbergleden

• Borgleden

All routes ultimately converge toward Trondheim Cathedral.

What It’s Like to Hike the St. Olav Ways

Expect a mix of:

• forest trails

• farmland paths

• mountain valleys

• historic churches

• small Norwegian villages

Unlike more commercial European trails, you’ll often walk for hours in complete quiet, passing only farms, lakes, and occasional local residents. Many hikers describe the experience as deeply calming and mentally restorative.

How Many People Walk the St. Olav Ways Each Year?

Fewer than 1,000 pilgrims complete the routes annually.

For comparison:

• Camino de Santiago: Almost 500,000 walkers per year

• St. Olav Ways: under 1,000

This dramatic difference makes Norway’s pilgrimage one of Europe’s last truly uncrowded long-distance walking experiences.

When Is the Best Time to Walk the St. Olav Ways?

The official walking season runs:

June 1 through August 31

During this period:

• Snow has typically melted

• Trail services are open

• Long daylight hours allow extended walking days

• Temperatures are mild for hiking

Walking outside this window can involve snow-covered trails and limited accommodations.

Waymarking, Navigation, and Trail Conditions

The historic routes were restored and officially signposted in the early 2000s, helping revive the pilgrimage tradition.

Today the trails are:

• Well marked with official St. Olav symbols

• Maintained across most sections

• Supported by pilgrim accommodations along popular routes

Navigation is generally straightforward compared with many European long-distance hikes.

Is the St. Olav Ways Suitable for Older or First-Time Pilgrims?

Yes — many sections are very suitable for active travelers over 50 or first-time pilgrimage walkers.

The routes allow flexible daily distances, and accommodations are spaced to support multi-day walking schedules. As with any long-distance hike, preparation and realistic pacing are important, but the terrain is often less physically demanding than high alpine treks.

For travelers seeking their first European pilgrimage — or a quieter alternative after walking the Camino — the St. Olav Ways are an excellent choice.

Final Thoughts: Is the St. Olav Ways Right for You?

If you want:

• a historic European pilgrimage

• breathtaking Norwegian scenery

• peaceful trails without mass tourism

• meaningful long-distance walking

…the St. Olav Ways may be one of the best undiscovered hiking routes in Europe.

For adventure travelers who value solitude, nature, and cultural depth, this Norwegian pilgrimage offers something increasingly rare: a truly authentic walking journey.

Choose One of the Seven Routes of the St. Olav Ways

The St. Olav Ways consist of seven historic pilgrimage routes leading to Trondheim Cathedral. Each offers a different experience — from classic medieval trails to remote wilderness walks and scenic fjord landscapes.

1. Gudbrandsdalen Path (Gudbrandsdalsleden)

If you have about four weeks, consider the most popular route and the traditional medieval road to Trondheim. Nearly three-quarters of pilgrims choose this classic 399-mile trail, making it the best-supported and most established St. Olav route.

2. St. Olav’s Path (St. Olavsleden)

Love history? This 350-mile route begins in Selånger, Sweden, and follows the path believed to have been used by St. Olav Haraldsson himself on his final journey toward the historic Battle of Stiklestad in 1030. It’s one of the most historically significant pilgrimage routes in Scandinavia.

3. Østerdalen Path (Østerdalsleden)

Have strong hiking experience and enjoy true solitude? This 310-mile trail showcases the rugged beauty of rural Norway. It’s ideal for experienced walkers who want long stretches of wilderness and a genuine “get away from it all” pilgrimage experience.

4. The North Path

This northernmost 186-mile route begins at Gløshaug Church in Grong and eventually connects with the St. Olav’s Path near Stiklestad. Along the way, you’ll pass many historic sites linked to the life and legacy of St. Olav.

5. Rombo Path (Romboleden)

Experience both Sweden and Norway on one of the oldest pilgrimage routes in Scandinavia. At a shorter 93 miles, this trail leads from Sweden’s forests into the Norwegian countryside — perfect if you want a shorter international pilgrimage experience.

6. Borg Path (Borgleden)

The 109-mile Borg Path connects with the Gudbrandsdalen Path before finishing in Trondheim. A unique feature of this route is that several sections are suitable for cycling, making it one of the more flexible St. Olav options.

7. Valldal Path (Valldalsleden)

Don’t want to miss Norway’s famous fjord scenery? The Valldal Path offers dramatic landscapes and eventually connects with the Gudbrandsdalen route toward Trondheim. This is a great choice for walkers who want both pilgrimage history and iconic Norwegian views.

Need Help Choosing the Right St. Olav Route?

If you want detailed maps, accommodation info, and trail photos, check the official St. Olav Ways resources for the latest route planning information.

Planning your St Olav Ways Hike

Fortunately, there is a fabulous resource available online that can take you step by step.

You can learn more about:

*The Seven Paths

*Accommodations

*Preparations

*Print Maps

*Packing List

*Helpful Links

But be sure to also download the Active Travel Adventure’s St. Olav Ways Travel Planner as well, as it has other important information and links to help you plan your adventure.  Click the adjacent box to get your FREE St. Olav Ways Travel Planner!

St. Olav Ways Accommodations: Where to Stay Along the Route

An excellent official planning website can help you choose which St. Olav route to walk, estimate how long your journey will take, and search for available Norwegian accommodations along the trail. You can filter lodging based on your preferences and book many options in advance — something that makes planning this long-distance pilgrimage far easier than many other European hiking routes.

Types of Lodging on the St. Olav Ways

There are several accommodation options along the pilgrimage routes:

• Free trail shelters located in various sections of the route

• Simple pilgrim guesthouses and farm stays for a more local experience

• Traditional hotels and inns in larger towns

If you plan to stay in shelters or simple pilgrim lodging, you will usually need to carry your own sleeping bag, as bedding is often not provided. Accommodation listings normally specify what sleeping gear you should bring.

Because some rural places have limited capacity, it’s wise to call or reserve at least a few days in advance, especially during the main walking season.

Wild Camping on the St. Olav Ways (Right to Roam)

Norway allows wild camping under its famous Right of Access (Right to Roam) laws. This means hikers can legally camp in uncultivated land along much of the route.

If you choose to backpack and camp:

• Stay well away from private homes and farmland

• Leave no trace

• Follow all local outdoor regulations

Responsible camping helps preserve this unique freedom for future walkers.

Laundry Tips for Long-Distance Walkers

Some accommodations offer laundry facilities, but many do not. Be prepared to wash clothes in a sink when necessary.

Helpful items to pack include:

• Small travel laundry soap

• A strong lightweight clothesline (paracord works very well)

• A few clothespins or clips

These simple supplies make it much easier to stay comfortable on a multi-week pilgrimage.

St. Olav Ways Food: What to Eat and How to Plan Meals

When hiking the St. Olav Ways in Norway, you’ll often walk long stretches with limited access to grocery stores. Shops in small villages can be sparse — and many are closed on Sundays — so it’s important to carry most of your food for the day.

A good strategy is to check with fellow walkers or your accommodation host the night before to learn what services are available along the next stage. This helps you plan how much food and water to bring each morning.

Restaurants, Cafés, and Supplies Along the Route

In most stages, you can usually find at least one café, diner, or small restaurant open somewhere along the day’s route, though hours may be limited and availability varies by region.

While many towns do have ATMs, not every stop will. For safety, it’s smart to carry some cash with you.

Tip: Keep about 3,000 Norwegian kroner on hand in small bills to cover meals, small purchases, or places that may not accept cards.

What You’ll See Along the St. Olav Ways

Walking the St. Olav Ways in Norway lets you experience an incredible diversity of Norwegian landscapes and daily life. Depending on the route you choose, you may pass through vibrant cities like Oslo, quiet forests, open pastures, mountain valleys, traditional villages, and even dramatic fjord scenery.

Long-distance hiking is truly one of the best ways to explore a country, and the St. Olav pilgrimage offers a unique chance to see Norway far beyond its crowded tourist hotspots.

Stay Safe and Choose the Right Route for Your Experience

Safety and realistic planning are essential on any long-distance walk.

If you’re not an experienced hiker, consider choosing one of the more established and less remote routes, such as the Gudbrandsdalen Path, which has the most walkers and support services.

Just as important — don’t rush. Plan daily distances that challenge you without exhausting you, and schedule a rest day at least once per week. A well-paced pilgrimage is far more enjoyable than one where you arrive too tired to appreciate your surroundings.

Pace Yourself and Enjoy the Journey

Only you can judge your fitness level, endurance, and how much training you’ll realistically complete beforehand. Many hikers discover that slower pacing leads to a far richer travel experience.

On my own long-distance hike along England’s Cotswold Way, I learned this lesson the hard way. I often arrived so tired that I missed the chance to properly explore the beautiful villages along the route.

So remember: slow down.

There’s no rule saying you must walk the entire length of any St. Olav route in one trip. Once you choose your path, set a modest daily walking goal and work backward to decide where to start. On longer routes, you can even split the pilgrimage across multiple visits and still enjoy the full experience.

Other Long Distance Trails you might enjoy:

El Camino in Spain

Cotswold Way in England

West Highland Way in Scotland

Machu Picchu in Peru

Mont Blanc in Italy, France and Switzerland

Kungsleden Trail in Sweden

Rota Vincentina in Portugal

Cycling Trails you might enjoy:

Along Danube river Passau to Vienna

Italy’s Puglia – the Stilleto Heel

Place a stone on the Cairn along St Olav Ways

Along the trails, as markers, you will come across large stone piles called cairns.  Traditionally, cairns were used as a trail marker when there was no trees to blaze or, in mountains where the weather can get so dicey you need something to really stand out in order to find your way.  Nowadays, hikers will often add to the pile of stones while simultaneously making a wish or leaving behind a burden represented by the rock.  In some countries, this practice is now being discouraged as being damaging to the landscape, so check with locals to see what local customs are wherever you are hiking. 

What to Wear on the St. Olav Ways (Clothing for Hiking in Norway)

The single most important piece of gear for hiking the St. Olav Ways in Norway is a pair of well-broken-in hiking boots or trail shoes. Make sure they allow extra room for your feet to swell during long walking days.

For socks, I recommend wearing liner socks plus wool hiking socks. I personally use silk toe “glove” liner socks with wool outer socks. Even when wet, wool and silk stay warm — which is extremely important in Norway’s cool, unpredictable weather.

Dress in Layers for Norway’s Changing Conditions

Layering is essential for long-distance hiking in Scandinavia.

A practical clothing setup includes:

• Wool or synthetic base layer (can double as sleepwear)

• Two pairs of wool hiking socks and liner socks

• Breathable, quick-dry hiking pants

• One long-sleeve hiking shirt

• One short-sleeve hiking shirt

• Two pairs of underwear

• One sports bra

• Waterproof rain jacket

• Insulated thermal jacket

• Wool hat or balaclava

• Waterproof gloves

• Waterproof rain pants

If hiking in the shoulder season, consider bringing an additional warm mid-layer such as a lightweight wool sweater.

(You can also download my complete packing list for full gear recommendations.)

Camp Shoes and Minimal Extras

If you’re backpacking, it’s wonderful to have lightweight camp shoes for the end of the day. I often clip lightweight Crocs to my backpack with a carabiner so I have comfortable footwear for evenings.

If you plan to eat at nicer restaurants in town, you might also pack:

• Foldable flats or lightweight casual shoes

• One slightly nicer lightweight top

That said, most hikers pack as minimally as possible — and locals along the trail fully expect you to arrive in hiking clothes.

Important Rule: Never Pack Cotton

Cotton kills in cold, wet hiking conditions.

If cotton becomes wet from sweat or rain, it dries very slowly and loses insulation. In chilly weather, this can quickly become dangerous.

Instead, choose:

• Wool (best for warmth and moisture control)

• Technical athletic fabrics

• 100% polyester if you’re on a budget

High-quality waterproof gear will breathe better and keep you more comfortable, though budget rainwear can still work if necessary. If there’s any chance of cold weather, waterproof gloves are strongly recommended.

Long Distance Hiking

A long distance hike is very different than day hikes.  Often you have to plan your accommodations in advance, which generally means that you MUST make it to your end day’s destination, whether you feel like hiking or not.

I actually find that a long distance hike builds my ‘Grit Bone’, as sometimes I might feel like an easier day, but I challenge my body to perform for me.  It is an empowering feeling (of course that’s once you’re warm and cozy:).  A long distance hike can ba compared to a ‘job’ because it is WORK!  Often the weather is uncooperative.  Sometimes your feet, back or knees hurt. ÂBut still you must persevere.  A long distance hike will make you super proud of yourself, but it’s definitely not for everyone.  I would suggest about a 100 mile hike as a test to see if it’s for you.  So for these paths, consider just doing a section, or try the beautiful 96 mile West Highland Way in Scotland.

Sherry Ott from Otts World

Our guest today is fellow adventure traveler, Sherry Ott.  Sherry is an extraordinary world traveler who runs the wonderful travel blog, Otts World.  On it you’ll learn about her many adventures, get destination information and advice, see some incredible photography (like the ones showcased above) and more.  It’s a site to bookmark!  You can read Sherry’s blog post on her walk along the St. Olav Ways here.

Reach out to Sherry on:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

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St Olav Ways in Norway

To me, travel is about exploring and I have to feel like I am exploring and discovering things. This was one of these times. Everytime I put on my boots and I got out there and started walking, that’s what it was like.

—

Way back in episode ten on the 15 Benefits of Adventure Travel, I neglected to add one to it that I want to add. Adventure Travel often helps with the problem with over tourism. What is over tourism? As the world continues to grow in population, particularly about the blossoming middle class in China and other Asian countries, the cheaper airfares and Instagram showing off great destinations, travel has become huge and is growing at a pace that the local townships can’t absorb all of the people that are going to these top destinations. The residents have been in an uproar in places like Venice and Barcelona because the towns just can’t handle the crowds. The places like Airbnb are pushing out the local residents.

They can no longer afford to live in their own town anymore because the tourists will pay more than they could afford to pay their rent. One thing that adventure travel is doing that is good, is that we’re often going to off-the-beaten-path places and even when we go to one of the top destinations like Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. They have already recognized this in the natural resource environment of the travel industry and they limit the permits to 200 a day. Same thing if you want to go track gorillas. They limit that too. They limit by the gorilla families, the number of people and these tours control efforts, create a better experience for those that do go and it helps to keep the fragile environments from becoming trampled upon and degraded.

Our guest is going to tell us about a stunningly beautiful pilgrimage trail that hardly they anybody knows about. Longtime readers, we recall that back in episode six. We covered the El Camino in Spain which is one of the most popular pilgrimage routes in the world. For those of you unfamiliar with the El Camino, it’s a series of pilgrimage pass of which there are many in Europe. The most popular of which is in France and they all lead to the shrine of St. James in Santiago de Compostela. It is a wonderful adventure. I encourage you to do it. I encourage you to read back to that was episode. I encourage you to read to that and do it but I would encourage you to do it in the off season, in the shoulder season then you’d be more welcomed.

It won’t be so crowded, the weather will be better as well and you’d have a more enjoyable time and help spread the “wealth of the masses of tourists†over some of these destinations, but if you want to go in the summertime and have that same kind of a feeling of a pilgrimage walk, of a meditative walk, it doesn’t have to necessarily be religious based although often it is. Often these pilgrimage trails are to get to know yourself better, understand yourself better maybe work through some problems as well as doing it for penance reasons, asking for blessings and all the traditional reasons that people do in Camino.

We are going to Norway where another Saint has been revered and there have been pilgrimage trails since the Middle Ages. Unlike the Spanish El Camino which gets over 200,000 pilgrims a year, this gets around a thousand and that spread out over seven pass even though the most popular one gets 70% of the pilgrim traffic. You’re still talking about 700 people over the course of a year. It’s ridiculously underpopulated and gives you a wonderful experience to be out in the Norwegian countryside and checking out the villages. One of them is even around the fjords and it’s a marvelous adventure that we’ve got covered for you. You can always go to the website, ActiveTravelAdventures.com/norway. You’ll see the photos, get more detailed information, you can download the free travel planner etc. Let’s get on with interview about St. Olav’s Way in Norway. Can we start by introducing yourself and perhaps telling us your age?

I’m Sherry Ott and I’m 48 years old, nearly 49. I located to Denver, Colorado. Prior to that, I had been nomadic for eleven years without a home and I finally decided it was time to settle down. I used Denver as my home base. It offers a lot of great outdoor adventures and then I travel from here about 50% of the time I would say.

One of the things I like that I follow you is you’re big on Adventure Travel which is the focus of this program so your hiking. Tell us a little bit of how you got into Adventure Travel to start with.

I started when I was 36 and at that time, I was a runner. I was running marathons. I was a driven person. I used to do all this adventure stuff for the pure adrenaline of it and the challenge. However, I’ve gotten older so I’ve come to realize that the best thing you can do is keep moving as you get older. I also see that in my parents, they’re both still alive at 82 and quite active. The cool thing is that Adventure Travel allows you to do that but also see all kinds of new places. It allows you to combine these two things that I love. I would say it’s a huge source of accomplishment and self-confidence to anyone who has completed something. They questioned whether they could do whether that’s a hike or a bike or even a hot air balloon ride because people are scared of heights.

You finish that and once you’re done with it that sense of accomplishment and confidence that comes with it and you can’t beat it. It is a high like no other. We all need that, we all need those wins. There are so many different reasons, it’s also my therapy in a way. I love long distance hiking and because it gives me a chance to think and that’s important to slow down and be able to process things. For all those reasons, I love Adventure Travel and I think on top of it I love trying new things, new types of adventures and stuff like that are important to me, it’s one of the reasons why I’ve traveled for so long. I think I’m addicted to the new in the world so having new experiences every day and that’s what kept me on the road and kept me doing all these things.

Speaking of new, you introduced me to what we’re going to be talking about, St. Olav’s Way in Norway which I wasn’t familiar with it all. I’ve heard of Norway and the fjords and all that but you did an adventure there that is unique and so few people are doing it. Can you give us a brief overview about what we are going to be talking about?

St. Olav’s Way is a long-distance pilgrimage similar to that of the Camino de Santiago which I’m sure many people have heard of but quite opposite. No one’s heard of St. Olav’s Way. It is relatively new and the reason why I even learned about it is because I was invited on a press trip. I do blogging for a living. I was invited on a press trip from Visit Norway to come and walk parts of the trail. They’re looking for some more publicity. As soon as I heard about it, I changed all of my travel plans to make sure I this could happen.

Overall, there are seven different pilgrimage routes. They start in various places but they all end in Trondheim, Norway what they used to call Nidaros at the Cathedral there and in the same vein as the Camino de Santiago and other pilgrimages, there is a Christianity element to this. At the Cathedral in Trondheim, it is said that their revered St. Olav, a Scandinavian Saint, is buried there but it hasn’t been proven. He’s there and so from ancient times people have made this pilgrimage from different parts of Scandinavia to Trondheim to this Nidaros Cathedral to once again to be relieved of their sins or ailments or whatever. The standard pilgrimage story in a way but this is in a place where very few people know about.

You don’t have to necessarily do this in a pilgrimage mental way, you can do this for all sorts of different ways. Can you talk a little bit about that?

As you get older, the best thing you can do is keep moving. Share on X

I completed the Camino de Santiago in 2012. I did do that whole thing. That’s when I learned about pilgrimages. In general, I am not necessarily a religious person at all but I find the whole thing fascinating. The same thing here in St. Olav’s Way, you can walk it for religious reasons, definitely. There are many beautiful churches and stops along the way, you can have that whole spiritual experience or you can just walk it and as you said you don’t have to walk the entire thing at once. The most frequented path is the Gudbrandsdalen path which is the path that I did portions of. That’s a four-week, nearly 400-mile path so not everyone has to do that.

You can easily do day hikes, you can do three or four days, you can do a week and then you can split it up into a number of different trips and do the whole thing eventually but I walked it mainly for that adventurous challenge as well as this idea of taking time off to meditate and think while I walk. You can have people have all kinds of different reasons why they walk. I will say most of the people I met on this trail which you will not meet many because it’s new. We’re walking it because they were just avid hikers. I don’t know that it was a huge religious element for them but it is fun to be involved in something like that and to follow that ancient path.

You tailor your trip to what you want to get out of it. You can make it a spiritual quest if you’d like or you can make it a mental health quest if you just need to work out some issues in your own mind and have some peace and quiet, a chance to think or the way you put it in your blog as considering a wellness trip or the ultimate adventure for health and fitness plus the fact that there’s not going to be many other people out there particularly of Americans who gives a little extra twist as well.

There’s not that many people on it at all. If you like solo hiking or not to have crowded trails, this is the place for you. You will run into people in the evenings at the different pilgrimages where people stay but the week I was on the path, I ran into a couple of hikers a day. It’s not well known and for that, yes it makes it a great wellness path and meditative type walk. You can get away from things.

If you are going solo you should realize that you will be solo, for the most part, unlike some of the more sociable hikes like the El Camino, there are what 300,000 people a year doing the El Camino versus I think you said a thousand for this one?

Yes, the stats they had on it when I was there in the middle of summer was 1,000 people in 2017 finished it. Those are a thousand people that checked in at the end, got their credentials. You have to walk 100 kilometers to get your credentials or to get your certificate. There could also be other people and I’m sure there’s probably at least a thousand or more that are doing like short little day hikes on the trails because they’re well marked and groomed. There could be much more than that, but a thousand who finished the entire pilgrimage in 2017.

I love the idea that you can be yourself and at the end of each day you’re ending up either in a lodge or a town. The lodging is a bit different there too because the infrastructure is not in place. Can you talk a little bit about the places that you stayed?

It is different than the Camino. If you’ve done in the Camino and you’re looking for something exactly like that, this isn’t going to be but it is close. The beautiful thing about this is and I had even said once that this is like the Camino twenty years ago or probably even more than that. This is the beginnings of a pilgrimage trail that’s gaining in popularity. That means that along with creating this trail, the tourism of Norway also had to encourage people to have lodgings and stuff like that to support the trail. That’s all getting in place, which is why I say one big difference than the Camino is you can get up and walk and wherever you stop, you stop.

You don’t need reservations, you don’t need a plan. On the St. Olav’s Way you do need a plan. You do need to plan ahead and know where you are going to be staying because the place is to say can sometimes be few and far between. It’s not like the Camino where you just keep on walking for another hour and there’s another place. That’s important to note but yes, the lodging at the end of the night it can range into anything. If you’ve planned it out, there are nice hotels. I certainly stayed in a couple of those.

There are your standard hotels maybe if you end in a village but the stuff that I loved about it was that there are a whole bunch of farmhouses and old farms that house pilgrims. The new thing is these were farmers. They farm still regularly, lots of them and this was a side thing once the path came through their property, they decided, “We can put up some pilgrims.†They either use one of their existing buildings or we did some stuff but it was a secondary thing it’s not their main business. That makes it even more personal if you ask me.

You can stay in some beautiful ancient farmhouses, intimate and get to meet the locals. Also, is another alternative along the paths and especially the Gudbrandsdalen path which is the most popular, there are six and they call them Pilgrim Centers along that path. One is at the end at the Cathedral but the other ones are kind of placed out and those Pilgrim Centers offer places to stay. You do need to let them know ahead of time that you’re arriving but they also offer a whole bunch of resources on the hike. That was also different than the Camino.

I loved that they had these centers where you could regroup, plan, meet other people and it was just there for the pilgrims. There are all of those options for lodging then there’s also camping. You can camp anywhere in Norway. I think you have to be at 500 feet away from the building. You can easily carry your tent and just pitch a tent wherever you want in Norway. I certainly see people doing that along the path so you could do that for a couple of days and then maybe stay in a farmhouse or in a nicer hotel or whatever you like. There are lots of options but it does need to be planned ahead of time and reserved ahead of time.

Another important difference too is there’s no luggage transfer service. You do need to be prepared to take all of your stuff with you at all times.

They are trying to put that in place. They created these trails so they’ve kind of launched them in the late 90s and so they’ve been building everything up, the signage, the infrastructure and luggage is certainly on their list. I learned but it is not there yet.

That’s definitely something to keep in mind because at this point, you might be carrying around 30 pounds.

The challenge of hiking in Norway from June to September is you have fewer hours of daylight. Share on X

A little bit more than you would the Camino because. You have a lot more different of weather to contend with. You also probably have more food that you may be carrying because lots of times it’s further distances between the towns and where you can get food plus all of these farmhouses and stuff like that, some of them do offer dinners. It’s not as prevalent as the pilgrims’ dinners for the Camino. Sometimes they all do offer access to a kitchen so lots of people have to carry a few days’ worth of food and then they cook their own meals or something in the kitchen. I would say 30 pounds is probably a good estimate.

To compare that, you are probably carrying 10 to 20 pounds on a day hike with luggage transfer. There are seven different paths, you can’t generalize, you need to carry your water or you don’t. Each night you need to check with your lodging to see how much water you need to take to your next water station, whether it’s a stream that you need to purify or not if it’s as pure as Iceland or a village where you can pick up some water. The water situation is a delicate balancing act. Water is heavy, it weighs 8 pounds per gallon so you want to try to gauge so that you bring enough water that you don’t get dehydrated. You don’t want to be getting to the next weigh station where if you can get the water and have a half a gallon still left in your tank.

I also recommend taking one of those water bladders like the platypus. These have a little mouthpiece tube that hooks onto the shoulder side of your backpack. You can get water constantly as often as you want it without having to stop and reach into your pack to get a water bottle. It makes it super easy to stay hydrated and you’re more likely to do so because you don’t have to go through any effort. Check with the locals or at the Pilgrim Centers. They’ll be able to guide you. This sounds a lot harder than the El Camino. You’re carrying more weight so what are we looking at in addition to having that mindfulness and the wellness and the pilgrimage, what’s the landscape look like? Is it pretty?

It is different. It is more difficult. The trail itself is more difficult than the Camino I would say. It is more what I would call proper hiking and Norway is full of hills. However, the highest point you get is just a little bit over 4,000 feet which isn’t that crazy and I say that only because I’m coming to you from Colorado probably. Even that point is not super steep or scramble or anything like that. In fact, it is a gradual up and you’re kind of exposed to up above. There are no trees and stuff like that but it ranges from typical rolling farmland where you’re walking even on farm roads, gravel roads, and it is pleasant, too.

There was a day we spend a whole day walking in a river, canyon or valley. We were up on the side so it was beautiful views and there were all these farmhouses and stuff built on the inclines. You look down onto the river, everything is always very lush and green and then the day we went over the big pass there that was also a lot of farm and a lot of gradual up. In fact that day it started out so hot. I remember that and then we ran into rain and then it even hailed at the top so you did a little bit of everything. You do have to be prepared for that, which also makes the trail a little bit muddier but it’s what I would call proper hiking. You would want hiking boots to do this.

How about hiking sticks?

Yes, I don’t go anywhere without my hiking sticks.

I don’t go anywhere without sticks. For those that don’t use sticks, would you still recommend sticks?

If they don’t use them at all, you probably don’t need them. It’s not a scramble, it’s nothing super steep or big tight inclines or ledges or anything like that. You could probably get away with it if you don’t like to use them.

We are far north in, this is a summer activity.

Yes. They say the best hiking is normally between May and August. You could push it June to September but you couldn’t do it much beyond that. I was there at mid-July and we had hail up at 4,000 feet. It was also warm when we got there, which was unusual. I was expecting it to be cooler but the other thing you have to know is that you are going to also lose daylight fast. If you start June or if you’re hiking in September you have fewer hours of daylight. You need to take that into account because the other thing is you need to plan ahead. On average to get this for if you are going to do the whole thing and you are going to do the whole 400 miles on the Gudbrandsdalen path then you’re going to have to average a solid fifteen to seventeen or so miles a day. This is a little bit more challenging hiking than the Camino. There’s some good exertion there and you need all that daylight time to get through those fifteen to seventeen miles sometimes.

How is the navigation there? Is it well signed?

Yes, that is one thing that they created. The paths were there but they made them so that it was something people from anywhere to come and do back in the late ‘90s. The signage is quite good along the route that I was on. They’re also always building new paths they just opened up a new one that comes from the fjords. That one’s probably even more a little bit more challenging so I can imagine that you’re going to have more hills. It comes from the fjords and then drops into Trondheim. That was probably the newest. I don’t know what the signage is on that but the one that we were on was quite well done.

That hooks up at the end to the path that you were on and so all roads lead to, but a couple of them hook up with the Gudbrandsdalen. Two of the trails the number six and number seven hook up with the Gudbrandsdalen path. What about if you can’t speak anything but English and you don’t speak a word of Norwegian, how are you going to fare there?

It’ll be a breeze, no worries there. If you’ve ever been in Norway before or any of Scandinavia, they all speak great English, never was that even a remote issue for me. Everyone was great and also the other thing to know is that because this is relatively new and keep in mind Norway has a huge tourism industry. They have millions of people coming to visit a year but when you think of Norway, people go to the fjords and yes there’s brilliant hiking out by the fjords. It’s beautiful but not many people come into the middle of the country, this rural part of the country. The heart is what I would call it. When you are walking through there and there are so few people, the people who are hosting pilgrims and the little restaurants that are along the path, they’re super eager to talk to you. They love it. I brought tourism to them and that’s another important thing when we talk about and lately there’s been a lot of stuff around over tourism. I’m sensitive to that and I always like to try to get people to go to new places. That’s another reason why I love this path.

Travel is about exploring. It is so much fulfilling when you visit relatively unknown places. Share on X

I like to because like you’re saying in the heavily tourist areas the locals contend to get jaded by you. It doesn’t sound like they’re like that at all here. Not only are they getting the money, it’s probably fun for them to meet people from around the world because it’s still a new thing.

A lot of these places, especially where you’re staying at night, these are farmers and farmhouses and its simplicity. They don’t have that many tourists coming through. It’s fun and they all speak English so it can be authentic local experiences. That’s what anyone tries to have on their holidays these days.

Tell us a bit about some of the people that you met along the trail, you said there are lots of Germans because they’re always big hikers anyway.

Yes, the other walkers so you got to be ready to meet a lot of Germans because that is mainly who dominates the trail which also tells you that it’s a new trail. The Germans are always first to find these things it seems like. You’ll also meet some Norwegians but not many, some Swedes, a few French but as far as Americans, very few and far between. You also find some Brits, it’s close and easy for them but at the Pilgrim Center at the end behind the Cathedral, where you go check in and you get your paperwork, they have a big map at the end. They have little pins in where people are from who have finished it, those were a thousand people. At the time when I was there for the year of 2018 in July so it had been a couple about halfway through the season, there were four pins in America and that was it. I thought it made me so happy because it’s rare to find such great things like this that haven’t been discovered yet, it’s exciting.

Tell us about the end town, say the name of that town again where the cathedral is and what kinds of things you’ll see there and should we spend extra time there or just give us a little detail on that.

Trondheim is the end town. Off the top my head I don’t know how big it is, but it’s one and probably the top five biggest cities in Norway or something like that. It’s not huge at all, but it is beautiful. Most of Gudbrandsdalen path takes you right through the center of the country. What you’re doing is angling over to the coast so by the time you get to Trondheim, Trondheim is on the water. You get that beautiful water views. The town is lovely, they’ve got a pretty river that runs through it. We did some fishing because I did stay an extra day. I did some fishing. I did some more walking around the town and learning about the history. It’s up and coming but it’s small and manageable. You can also get out on boats and get into that Fjords system a little bit. They’ve got a bunch of islands around there that you can go visit. You can kayak, you can continue the adventures certainly. It would be easy.

For those that like the water and also some of these other paths other than the one you did, one goes from coast to coast. You go through Sweden and into Norway and two other ones. One or two of them also started in Sweden and in over in Norway so you get to do two countries, which is cool.

That is the second most popular path. It’s called St. Olav’s path.

St. Olav’s path is the coast to coast?

Yes, that is the second most popular path and it’s called St. Olav’s path and it moves from Sweden into Norway. That one is interesting because when you’re going to do a couple countries that way which is always fun but you are following this history of St. Olav. As you walk any of these paths are going to learn more and more about St. Olav and the history there. That path in particular takes you through where he died which was in something called the Battle of Stiklestad. That’s where he died and that was where the history says that there were all these miracles that happened in that battle. That was one of the things that led to him being canonized as a saint. It’s a special place for all of Scandinavia because as I said St. Olav is not only a big historical figure and important figure for Norway but all of Scandinavia.

He was a king.

He was a regular person but he started as a Viking as a young boy on a ship. He was a Viking. I believe he got enough people behind him that he became king. He united Norway in many ways and he introduced Christianity to the entire country. He was also a great traveler as I recall. He also spent a bunch of time over in Russia and other areas but Norway was his home.

I’m sure they have markers and informative plaques or something along the way to give you a little feel for the history.

Along the way much like the Camino there are a number of churches and cathedrals and stuff that you can go along the way that are beautiful. We went to some that were all wood, we went to one that was all encased in glass some beautiful sights that have a lot of history behind them too. There you’ll learn more and more about even just Christianity and how it was introduced. The goods and bads and all of that stuff, it’s fascinating.

He died in 1030, we’re talking ages and ages ago. There’s a king in the 1120s who wanted this pilgrimage route to be established. He encouraged the farmers and all that to start doing some shelters so these paths have been walked in a pilgrimage way for centuries.

Prepare to have four seasons in one day when you travel. Share on X

The king who did make sure that there were a bunch of pilgrim shelters built way back when that is a part of the Gudbrandsdalen path. You will see shared markers sometimes. You will see the regular St. Olav’s Way markers and then there’s also something called the Kings Way. It’s a little shorter, it’s not the whole pilgrimage but you will see things that reference also called the Kings Way that is a part of that Gudbrandsdalen path.

There was also an interesting tradition that you did when you came to a cairn. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Camino is this idea that the cairns are the piles of rocks at the top and this was happen to be at the top of the Dovrefjell pass. The idea is you put your own rock onto the pile, add to it and you’re leaving your burdens behind. It’s a cleansing ritual I suppose in a way so it’s fun. They had a ritual when you get to the Cathedral in Trondheim. That’s where they have mile marker zero. You are supposed to walk around the cathedral three times before going in. I’m not sure why exactly but that is the tradition then you can go into the cathedral. You can go as far back as you can to see where they believe St. Olav is buried in the cathedral. The cathedral itself is also beautiful. It’s a great stop in Trondheim and you could do some crypt tours where you go underneath it. It is crazy. It is fascinating.

What are some of your favorite memories are stories from your trip?

For me the thing that it’s the most special about it is the fact that it’s relatively unknown yet. Travel is about exploring. I have to feel like I am exploring and discovering things. This was one of these times, everytime I put on my boots and I got out there and started walking that’s what it was like. I have some special memories I suppose of going over the Dovrefjell pass and leaving a rock on the cairn. It was a rough weather day that day but when you get done you feel so good. The other thing that I think was special that sticks with me is there happened to be one particular farmhouse that we stayed at. That had an old pilgrim barn where pilgrims used to say. It was one of the oldest.

It was along that Kings Way path too. The family was so lovely. It was still a working farm but they served a whole dinner that was lovely. Everything from the dinner was from their farm. Everything from the berries that they brought in. They even had a fish pond. We have fish, we have lamb and it was just special to know that absolutely everything came for them. They made their own wine and beers. It was a special night. We all sat around and had this berry cake at the end of the night in their house. One of their sons played violin for us, it was a beautiful situation that that makes you love travel. Those are the reasons where I love to travel, it’s that stuff.

What do you wish you had known before you’d gone?

I didn’t know a lot about it before I went. There are lots of things. The big thing to keep in mind is that even though it is a similar vein to the community Santiago, it is a harder hiking trail. This is one where I feel like training is necessary if you’re going to do the whole thing. If you’re just going to go and do a week or three days you’re probably going to be okay. When you’re putting out fifteen to seventeen miles a day every day on these trails it takes a toll on your feet and stuff like that. Training would be necessary that’s one of the things I would say. For me, it happen to be a very hot summer for most of Europe and especially in Norway. That one took me by surprise. I was not expecting it to be that hot but it was up in the 80s many days when we were walking and I found it to be quite hard because of that. That was unusual though, but check the weather before you go. You’re going to need to course pack in layers but know that it’s Norway that it can get hot. That’s an important thing to know too, so be prepared.

I always tell people to be prepared for all four seasons particularly when you’re getting up that far north. All four seasons in one day. It was like Scotland too beautiful freezing, beautiful hot rainy everything. You just have to have all like you said all the different layers so you are prepared for whatever the weather throws at you. You are a huge traveler because you’ve been nomadic for a while. How does this trip rate compared to some of the other trips that you’ve taken?

If I rate it against other like hiking oriented trips, I’d have to say it’s probably in the top three. I would put it ahead of the Camino de Santiago mainly because I love the newness of it. I think you’ve also done something on the Annapurna Circuit. That has a lot of special memories for me too. This definitely is in probably the top three of these like longer distance hikes or multi-day hiking trips that I’ve done.

Why don’t you tell us a bit about your blog? What you’ve got going on and if people want to follow you? How they can reach out to you and your favorite social mediums and stuff like that and give us an overview of Sherry Ott?

My blog is OttsWorld.com. I’ve had it since 2006. There are thousands of articles out there and I lost count. I’ve been to around 70 or so countries I’ve been to all continents. There are a lot of information out there and I try to mix informative information on how to’s and stuff like that with narrative stories the best that I can. You can also find me on social media. I’m active on social media, especially when I travel, I’m doing live updates all the time especially on Instagram stories, do keep that in mind if you want to see what a hike is like. Follow me when I’m on it like these hikes because I will be doing updates from the road or from the trail every day and I try to answer everyone’s questions as I go. Instagram, I’m @OttsWorld and Facebook, I am @OttsWorldTravel. As far as I what I have coming up, it talk about adventure, a lot of adventure coming up and I’m so excited. I’m just working on my 2019 plans but I am going to be doing some surfing. A surf camp in Panama, a little adventure cruise in Panama and Costa Rica.

I do like to try to do these all kind of all over the world to give people alternatives to the Camino. This is definitely one of these, it’s called the Kumano Kodo and I’ll be doing that. It’s not nearly as long I’ll be doing a portion but it should be interesting. It looks quite challenging and I did this already but I haven’t written about it yet but another cool one to keep your eye on is the Maine Hut-to-Hut system and I traveled to Maine in the fall, which was beautiful and they have this incredible Hut-to-Hut system. It is four huts, you can easily hike between the huts. It is beautiful hiking. In the autumn, the colors are incredible. The huts are more like eco-lodges and it is such a cool experience of me.

Which trail was that?

It’s not a trail, it’s called the Maine Hudson Trail Association. It’s a non-profit group that started this and have built the trails and the huts and it is phenomenal. It is like the standard of European hiking in a way things but in the States. I personally think we’re going to be seeing more of this all the time. Colorado has a Hut-to-Hut system but it’s not nearly this nice. You don’t have to pack in food, they’ve got luggage transfer. It is ideal. I’ll be writing about that in detail but definitely something to check out for the people who like to do multi-day hikes out there. That’s some of the stuff I have coming up some more Colorado stuff to course hiking, some South Africa stuff some Morocco stuff. I’m always on the move.

Thanks for coming on the program. I’m going to have you come back after your Japan trip. That sounds cool.

I would be happy too. Thank you for having me.

—

It’s been great having share in the program especially like learning about a new trail system that takes us away from the crowds. Over tourism is becoming a real problem and this episode, we cover an area that only 1,000 people a year are doing at the time of this recording, which is amazing for a hugely popular highly visited country and Norway as most Scandinavian countries is fairly expensive. This would also be a little bit easier on your budget and be a great way to get up close and personal at seeing the stunning landscape that attracts so many people each year. Long distance trails like this St. Olav’s Way in Norway or the El Camino which is episode number six, Kungsleden, Sweden, episode number five, Annapurna in Nepal, episode number 28.            They are grand. They are beautiful but they are not just fun. They are a lot of work and it’s not something you just show up and do it. These are something you must train for. In fact, I’ve got a training expert on the program that will help guide us and what we should be doing to prepare for these trips. Also remember, nothing says you have to do the entire trail. You can always do a portion or perhaps do sections each year if you want to do the whole thing, but just don’t want to tackle at all at one time.

These hikes don’t have to be just for pilgrimage reasons, for religious reasons but they’re also a great way to clear your head out and think and perhaps work through some things that you don’t have time in the everyday life to take time to think because we’re getting bombarded by so many things throughout the course of the day. Whatever your motivation for doing these long-distance hikes, be sure you train. If you need the training information before that episode is out, be sure to write me at Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com and I can send you some information. In fact, write me anyway, I love to hear from you, I like to know where you’re going. If the show has inspired you in any way, I particularly would like to hear from you. If you wouldn’t mind, put your phone number in there and I’ll give you a call. I’d like to hear how and what I can do to make this show better.

I’m thinking about also maybe featuring little snippets too of my conversations at the end of the program. If you’re open for it, send me an email and let’s talk. Be sure to put in your time zone so I know what time would be a good time to call you. If you want to get the travel planners automatically I send out a once a month and notice a once a month newsletter. I don’t spam you or don’t sell your emails or anything like that, it’s just be sitting in my home office. I send out the newsletter with the travel planners and whatever downloads that are available for whatever we’ve covered in the month before. Usually it comes out the first week of the month. I hope you enjoy this episode. I’ll be back with another great adventure. Until then, this is Kit Parks. Adventure on.

Important Links:

• 15 Benefits of Adventure Travel
• Episode six – previous episode
• Sherry Ott
• OttsWorld.com
• @OttsWorld on Instagram
• @OttsWorldTravel on Instagram
• Maine Hudson Trail Association
• Episode number five – previous episode
• Episode number 28 – previous episode
• Kit@ActiveTravelAdventures.com

• Here’s How »

• activetraveladventures.com
• Active Travel Adventures Facebook Page
• Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group
• Active Travel Adventures Twitter
• Active Travel Adventures Instagram
• Active Travel Adventures YouTube
• Kit Parks LinkedIn