People walk pilgrimage routes for variegated reasons; religion, looking for change, outdoor adventure, or healing from a personal crisis. Sometimes, it’s all of them at once. That’s what it was like for me when I walked withal the Gudbrandsdalsleden path in Norway. I didn’t have a very heavy pack on the trail, but I unchangingly have some pretty heavy burdens that I siphon in my mind.

I thought well-nigh my rocky relationship and my next trip with my niece. Then I thought well-nigh my career, well-nigh what to write (and wondered if I would overly be strong unbearable to write it), and thought well-nigh happiness, the horrible process of aging, and stuff alone. My mind was full of burdens weighing lanugo my every step.

After getting a taste of what this Nordic pilgrimage is all about, I offer some other reasons why you should consider taking on the Gudbransdalsleden Path.

Where Is the Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail?

Stretching from the vibrant wanted municipality of Oslo to Trondheim, a picturesque municipality in inside Norway, this trail winds through some of the most iconic and diverse regions in the country.

Gudbrandsdalsleden Map

It takes trekkers on a remarkable journey through lush forests, mannerly villages, rolling hills, and past crystal-clear lakes, providing a true immersion into the natural eyeful and cultural heritage of Norway. Withal the way, hikers can enjoy the tranquility of unspoiled wilderness, encounter historic sites, and wits the warm hospitality of the local communities that dot this weird route.

The Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail is not just a walk; it’s a unique adventure, offering a glimpse into Norway’s rich history, stunning scenery, and the voodoo of a remarkable cross-country journey.

Reasons Why You Should Walk the Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail

Here are five irresistible reasons why you should walk the Gudbrandsdalsleden Path, the warmed-over pilgrim path in Norway.

1. It’s an Infant Trail

This is the Camino de Santiago of 20 years ago. It’s in its infancy, and that makes it exciting.

The businesses and resources withal the route are less ripened than the Camino de Santiago since it has only existed formally as a tourism worriedness since 1998. The path is well-marked and maintained like the Camino, but you will not find businesses created specifically for Saint Olav Ways. Instead, you’ll find people who have converted their sublet buildings to unbend the pilgrims.

This pilgrimage is increasingly well-nigh small merchantry and is just good rural hospitality. Because of that lack of commercialism, you can get the most out of this travel wits by traveling slowly and ‘close to the ground,’ getting to know the locals and the culture.

Note: If comparing it to the Camino de Santiago – Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail walk is increasingly of a hike and increasingly challenging than the Camino overall.

Remember to train for this hike! It’s important to train for a big hike gradually and thoughtfully. So if you want to get ready for a Bucket List hiking trip, here’s how to get started training and proceeds momentum toward your hiking goal.

2. You (Americans) Will Be In the Minority

You’ll be in the minority unless you happen to be German! So far, the only country that has seemed to discover this trappy walk has been Germany. Seventy percent of pilgrims are from abroad, with Germany topping the list at 32%. The Dutch were next at 9%, Swedish at 4%, and the US wasn’t plane on the list!

There’s a map at the Pilgrim Part-way in Trondheim that pins where pilgrims are from who have completed the walk or a portion of the walk. I only saw 4 pins in the US in 2018!

Even though plenty of Americans travel to Norway, no one makes it to the part-way of the country to hike. Those 4 pins excited me vastitude belief! To me, travel is well-nigh discovering something new, and that’s what this felt like – a secret still waiting for Americans to discover.

3. Cultural Immersion

You will most definitely see a variegated side of Norway on this hike. The path is full of interactions with locals who will happily teach you well-nigh the history and their culture. In our ‘sampling’ of the trail, we stopped and stayed at several historic sublet homes (one dating when to the 1300s!) that had been updated for pilgrims coming through on the trail. Staying at these farms was a unconfined way to learn well-nigh the local culture and rural history. The owners were eager to share their knowledge of the zone and learn well-nigh you.

Some places, like Pilgrim Sublet Budsjord, have roots when to the Middle Ages and were, in its time, a bishop sublet under Nidaros. Today, the sublet has seventeen houses, and the owners have spent wide-stretching time and money to develop the old site. Their goal was to rebuild the sublet keeping to its original heritage, and have it serve as a meeting place for travelers and local people – a place for dialogue and contemplation.

In wing to the simple, historic lodging, you could moreover immerse in the local food. At the Sygard Grytting Farm, they served a 3-course meal made with foods solely from their working farm. Fish unprotected in their pond, lamb they raised, and fresh berries for a cake. I never felt the experiences were manufactured, but they felt very special and pure to me. Something that is nonflexible to find in travel these days.

4. It’s the Ultimate Wellness Travel Experience

Who doesn’t want to take a unravel from everyday life? Long-distance walks like Saint Olav Ways are perfect for breaking lanugo all of our external distractions and simply honing our focus into walking, eating, and sleeping… and treating the occasional blister!

“Modern pilgrimage can moreover be one of the strongest self transformative and therapeutic processes that we as human beings can use ourselves, without depending on modern professional helpers in psychology or psychiatry.” — lungariuswalk.wordpress.com

These days Forest Bathing is the latest wellness craze. Forest Bathing is a marketing term for taking a walk in the woods and argues that it has therapeutic benefits. So, suppose a simple walk in the woods is therapeutic. In that case, a 400-mile trek wideness a country must be uber-therapeutic!

How It Helped Me

I think stepping yonder into the outdoors for a week (or four) to do a pilgrimage like this is essential to our well-being. When I walk, I slow lanugo and have time to think, mull things over, make decisions, and connect the dots… all while making it to my next bed for the night.

As I slowly and steadily climbed up the Dovre mountain plateau (Dovrefjell plateau), and stopped at a tombstone at the top of the pass, I imagined what it would be like to be self-ruling of the mental burdens I brought onto this trail. Then I entertained the idea of wearing off my right pinky toe and leaving that as my ultimate undersong on the sacred pile of rocks.

It was throbbing that morning when I put it in my boot, thanks to a poorly placed scar that had decided to form 2 days earlier. I had popped the blister, tuckered and dressed it, but my toe was still unhappy.

Realizing that would only be a short-term proceeds in reducing my pain, I chose a small, marbled waddle and placed it on the cairn. I looked virtually at the waterless high-altitude landscape, took a deep vapor of Norwegian fresh air, and kept walking.

Placing that waddle was like a personal therapy session at 3000 feet while huffing and puffing my way up the stark, treeless pass. This is exactly why I think long loftiness walks and pilgrimages are sometimes increasingly wellness travel than venture travel.

5. Wits the Middle of Norway

Another goody of hiking this route is getting to see a part of Norway that is rarely seen. So many people who go to Norway stick to traveling the popular Fjords, leaving the middle of the country rather unexplored by tourists.

Of course, this is why I loved my short time on the Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail so much. It’s undiscovered by tourists as of now. And that ways you get these beautiful, pure experiences with locals and some much-needed vacated time to swizzle your surroundings. This combination will make you fall in love with Norway!

I didn’t leave my severed pinky toe on the pile of rocks on the Dovre pass. Instead, I left my little rock. It felt like I left a few of those burdens behind, feeling lighter than overly as I descended the mountain. This little ‘sampling’ of Saint Olav Ways was all I needed; I will be when to conquer the unshortened thing. After all, I have increasingly burdens to leave on that mountain.

Resources to Plan your Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail Walk

You don’t have to do the unshortened thing at once. You can slice it and dice it however you’d like. In fact, the Pilegrimsleden site has many shorter 3 and 5-day itineraries that are the perfect way to get started on the trail!

Resources in English:

Pilegrimsleden Website – has information on how to plan your trip, from where to stay to downloadable maps. It’s run by the people who manage the trail, so it’s thorough and has tons of information.

Guidebooks – There are few guidebooks in English, but this is one that was recommended:

The Pilgrim Road to Trondheim

$39.00

The typesetting is primarily aimed at the "long-haul" pilgrim, who walks in a single journey, vacated or with few companions. It provides step-by-step walking instructions from one place to the next, plus a list of the facilities available, and history of places of interest. Perfect for planning!

Buy Now

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02/21/2024 09:47 pm GMT

And don’t forget to read my increasingly detailed post well-nigh Everything You Need to Know to Walk Norway’s Saint Olav’s Way. You’ll be ready to hit the trail in Norway in no time!

5 Essential Items for your Gudbrandsdalsleden Trail Walk

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