The St. Olav Ways to Trondheim
The pilgrim paths in Norway go through beautiful landscapes, cultural heritage sites and historical areas. They all lead in the direction of St. Olav's burial site, Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
Pilegrimsleden is the collective name of nine pilgrim paths in Norway. Pilegrimsleden is also known as St. Olav ways to Trondheim.
You can choose to walk along one of the eight land-based trails or travel by land and sea along the coastal route, Kystpilegrimsleia. It is also possible to cycle or ride horses along certain sections.
The main season for pilgrimage in Norway is from 1st June to 1st September. Some of the routes are also accessible, with open accommodation, in spring and autumn.
What does the name mean?
Pilegrimsleden concists of 9 routes (map) with individual Norwegian names:
- Gudbrandsdalsleden
- St. Olavsleden
- Borgleden
- Kystpilegrimsleia
- Tunsbergleden
- Østerdalsleden
- Valldalsleden
- Romboleden
- Nordleden
The names of the various trails most often originate from place names. Gudbrandsdalsleden, the most poular route, got it's name from Gudbrandsdalen, a great valley it passes through.
Valldalsleden also got it's name from a local area, Valldal, which is the place where the trail starts.
Other pilgrim routes have historical names, such as Borgleden, which got its name from the medieval name of the town Sarpsborg, and Tunsbergleden, named after the Old Norse name of the town Tønsberg, Túnsberg.
Historic trails
The paths follow ancient trails across the country. They will lead you through forrests and villages, and give you spectacular views to mountains and waterfalls. Have a look at the different paths in our interactive map.
You can enjoy local food and sleep in old traditional houses along the trail, and you'll get the chance to learn about the culture and history through information signs and conversations with locals.
Why do a pilgrimage?
In the Middle Ages, most pilgrims were religiously motivated. Today, there are many different reasons for embarking on a pilgrimage, wheter it is to spend time in nature or learn about local history. Some seek silent travel and prefer to walk alone, others wish to spend time with their walking partner, or to meet locals and other pilgrims.
In addition, the pilgrim paths offers an inner journey. Regardless of faith and religious background, many pilgrims feel that they undergo a tranformation during the pilgrimage.
It can be an emotional experience to walk the paths where others have walked for hundreds of years, through sorrow and joy, hope and despair. Reaching the mighty Nidaros Cathedral, after walking for days or weeks, is an unforgettable experience that the pilgrims carry with them on the way home and on through their life.
A European Cultural Route
Since the work on marking the pilgrim trails began in 1994, more than 5000 km of trails through Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway have been marked with the pilgrim logo. The logo concists of a Norwegian landmark symbol combined with a red cross. It's pattern-protected and managed by the National Pilgrim Center.
All approved St. Olav Ways must have Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim as their goal and be linked to the history of St. Olav. The pilgrim routes through Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway have the status as an official European Cultural Route, under the Council of Europe.
