The Pilgrim Paths
The Pilgrim Paths in Akershus is one part of the St Olav Way which takes you to Trondheim. In mediaeval time this was the main goal for pilgrimages in the Nordic area with the cathedral Nidarosdomen and St. Olav’s relics.
The Pilgrim Paths in Oslo and Akershus can be reached when arriving in Oslo with boat from either Kiel in Germany or from Denmark, or by air to one of the airports; Oslo Airport, Gardermoen or Rygge Airport in Østfold. You can go straight from the ferry or the plane and start your walk.
When in Oslo you have the choice of an eastern or western path. Are you arriving from the south you will meet the path from the south through Follo at the boarder of county Østfold. It takes you to Gamlebyen in Oslo.
Heading east from Oslo you will soon leave the suburbs and meet the rolling cultivated landscape in Romerike. At the river Nitelva was once the site of the battle between Olav Haraldsson and the local tribe in the petty kingdom of Romerike. The path later takes you past Raknehaugen. This burial mound is the largest barrow in Northern Europe. On your way you will pass many beautiful old churches. In Eidsvoll you have the option of taking the paddle steamer Skibladner to cross Norway’s largest lake, Mjøsa. Accommodation options along the way are in hotels, hostels and in farms.
If you chose the western route from Oslo you will pass the only remaining mediaeval church in Oslo, Gamle Aker church. Here you’ll also find the Oslo Pilgrim Center where you can get advice for your pilgrimage.
The path takes you through the Vigeland Park with all its sculptures. Leaving the urban Oslo you walk through an older residential area on your way to Bærum and the mediaeval Haslum Church. From here you can follow paths through the forest. In Bærum you can stay in cottages at Sæteren gård and later continue across Krokskogen to Bønsnes, where Olav Haraldsson spent his childhood years according to the legend.
Why choose Wild Oslo and what can we offer?
Because we are local, we live here and know the best places, in addition we offer rentals and guided tours. Being guided by us is like being shown around by a friend.
Escape the hordes
We rent out equipment, and have guided tours for small groups. No waiting in line, just nature. We are also family-friendly – on a guided tour, your speed is our speed.
The real Norway – nature experiences just on the doorstep of Oslo
If you are in Oslo, the area is covered by more than asphalt and concrete. Didi you know that we are on the same latitude as the capital of Alaska?
The opportunities with us are many – here is some of what we can offer:
– Rental of kayak and canoe at Langen. Langen is located in a part of Oslomarka called Sørmarka
– Rent a floating tent in Oslomarka
In the wintertime we can offer guided ice skating and skiing for beginners and more experienced guests
Welcome to an exciting activity a short distance from Oslo!
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Smaalensbanen is part of the old railway route from Oslo to Halden, through Vestby municipality. The route extends from Kjenn and Kjennstjernet in the north, through Hølen town over the Hølenviadukten, to Sonsveien station in the south. Like the old railway route, the Smaalensbanen is flat, and therefore accessible to everyone. The area is suitable for walking and cycling, and as a transport artery through Vestby municipality. The entire route is approx. 5 km long.
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Are you looking for a beautiful picture of Drøbak? A stroll up the steps at Bråtan might be just the thing.
Here, Drøbak lies below you, and if you go on an evening with a beautiful sunset, you can see the whole of Vestfjorden as the sun sets over Askerlandet.
You can either go up Tollbodbakken and through Chr. Krohg's way, or the path that goes up from Jørnsebakken directly across from Miramar. Here, you have a great view and excellent photo opportunities.
Bråtan is a cozy cluster of houses a little south of the center.
Many of Drøbak's sailors lived here in the old days, and the narrow paths between the houses show that people lived close together, making good neighborly relations essential for a pleasant daily life.
The buildings also quietly tell the story of a time when people had to struggle to make a living.
We recommend paying a short visit to the locally known ferry woman, Jacobine.
If you find the "steps" that lead you up to Brunskogen east of the house cluster, you'll get a fantastic view over Drøbaksundet. This is where you take out your thermos with something nice in it, before heading back to the center via Badehusgata.
The path from Gullhella is signed with blue path marks. It enters the western part of the hill, named Haugeråsen after the farm below.
At the top of Vardåsen there is some forest and a DNT hut Wentzelhytta as well as a wooden "lavvo" for sleep over or a break. From the top, follow a clear path northeast (currently unmarked) to Jutemyr. From there, follow the red-marked ski trail to the starting point. Other possibilities are walking through the residential areas to a bus stop or to Bondivann st.
Tip: You can explore Vardåsen more by following the paths paths at Vardetjern and Pilgrim Trail on the hillside in the west.
Practical information.
Access by train or car to Gullhella station
By car / bike: Parking space at the end of Gullhellaveien and at Trettesty 36
Easy walk of about 4.9 km. It takes about 1h 15 min each way to walk.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING IN THE VARDÅSEN:
The ridge has large rocky mountains to the west where mountain climbers romp. It is nice to soak up the spring sun with warm granite in the back and wide views.
The wall consists of three large slopes with a height of between 100-150 meters. The climb takes place on traditional moldings and scratches with good friction. The stone quality is very compact and is very suitable for wedge climbing. The Vardåsen climbing field is widely used for course activity, as the cliff is idyllically located in the afternoon sun and the difficulty of the routes has the main weight in the 4-5's.
Arteid vestre – Risebru 30 km
From Arteid you enter Ullensaker municipality, towards Kløfta, through Miklagard golf and up to Ullensaker church. The church site dates back to the Middle Ages, when the church was dedicated to, among others. and Saint Olav. Today's church is designed by Arnstein Arneberg and carries elements of the churches that have stood here before.
Turn right right after the church. The trail now runs in a varied cultural landscape, along the road and through forests to Jessheim center. The trail goes through Storgata. Here there are shops and cafes.
After the city center, the trail goes down Gropaveien, where pilgrims and other travelers have left their mark, the road has been eroded three meters into the terrain of traffic for many hundreds of years.
Raknehaugen is Northern Europe's largest monument from the Iron Age, built up of earth, sand and 75,000 logs, monumental and beautifully situated by Ljøgottjern. This is a nice place for a break. From here, the trail goes around Nordbytjernet.
At Eldstad is a great part through the cultural landscape, before going in the direction of Risebru
Son – Ås 23 km
Vestby Church (1886), a red-brick church in neo-Gothic style, is an excellent place to break your trip and take a rest. After Vestby the Pilgrim Way meanders through rolling fields on its way to Ås. Here the Way cuts through the grounds of the University of Life Sciences, past the Agriculture Museum and up to the church.
Accommodation:
Ås Guest House (c. 2.5 km from the Way, beside the University grounds), Sagaveien 38, 1430 Ås, tel.: +47 951 79 798
Coastal culture, charming bays, an artist paradise and Norway's oldest grave can be found here in beautiful Holmsbu.
Asker has a coastline that stretches from Lier around the Hurum Peninsula up to Holmen. The coastal culture here is linked to both international timber trade, fishing and hunting, leisure and recreation, ice export and more. The beautiful light reflected in the red Drammen granite at the far end of Hurumlandet attracted artists such as Henrik Sørensen to come and live here.
The area by Holmsbu-Rødtangen contains traces of coastal culture all the way back to the Stone Age. Some of Buskerud's oldest grave monuments are located on Rødtangen. Here we find the only preserved Stone Age dolmen (Stone Age tomb) in Norway.
The old farm Holtnes is located on the hill above Rødtangen and is an important part of this cultural environment. Rødtangen also has a number of old buildings that tell about the place's history as a customs place and later a holiday resort. In Holmsbu, the old settlement structure is preserved with many old buildings and small white houses and facilities that tell about the town's history as a charging station for the timber trade, fishing industry and later tourism.
There are good parking opportunities at Rødtangveien in a short distance to Dyssegrava. This is a good starting point for a walk along the coastal path.
In the forest, with a view over the water or on one of the Oslofjord's coziest islands – there are many nice places to spend the night in a hammock in Frogn and near Drøbak.
Right next to the Oscarsborg fortress island is Håøya, with boat connections from Oslo and Drøbak on weekends from April, and daily in the summer. This is an excellent place to camp, with many nice tent pitches and places to hang the hammock.
Frognmarka also offers nice places to spend the night in nature, here the areas around Øvredammen and Oppegårdtjernet are particularly nice. There are also several places along the coast where you can hang your hammock, a favorite is Kjeppestad bay between Skiphelle and Hvitsten. There are many trees near the water here!
Find two tree trunks along one of the coastal paths in Frogn and spend the night with a first-class view where the Oslofjord is at its narrowest.
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