An ancient pilgrimage route is being reopened as a hiking trail after 500 years of disuse. St Olav’s Way (or St Olavsleden) is a 580km-long route between Selånger in Sweden and Trondheim in Norway.A week-long hiking festival is being held to mark the opening of the trail between 1-7 September 2013. It will culminate in an opening ceremony at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
‘Our vision is for St Olavsleden to become the Scandinavian equivalent to El Camino, Santiago de Compostela,’ said Putte Eby, project manager for St Olav’s Way. ‘I hope many people will join us on the inaugural hiking trip to celebrate the opening of this ancient pilgrimage route.’
The route stretches from the Baltic Sea on the east coast of Sweden to the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of Norway. During medieval times, the route was one of the big four pilgrimages, together with the roads to Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
In September St Olav’s Way will be brought back to life with two simultaneous hikes – one in Sweden and one in Norway – culminating in a joint grand ceremony in Trondheim. Hikers can plan their own trip or book a package, which includes a guide, food and accommodation.
For more information on the route and the opening event, visit the website www.stolavsleden.com
