Skatval: Cultural History and Steinvikholm Castle

Cultural history and archaeological traces shape Skatval as a destination. In Håmmårsbukta, a Bronze Age burial mound and the private Skatval War History Museum represent different periods. Steinvikholm Castle tells the story of the Reformation era; elsewhere on Skatval, there are rock carvings and a presumed burial mound. These different themes may help you decide where to go: wartime history, medieval architecture or older traces in the landscape.

Håmmårsbukta and the War History Museum

The Skatval War History Museum is located in the Håmmårsbukta outdoor recreation area on Skatval. It is housed in the former Steinvik Lager ammunition depot of the Trøndelag Naval Defence District. The Organisation Todt (OT) built the depot during the Second World War. The extensive collection includes objects, uniforms, documents and photographs. It illustrates activities and dramatic events of the Second World War in the inner Trondheimsfjord, especially in the Åsenfjord.

The museum is open to the public on announced days; group tours can be booked outside these days. Check the announced visiting days in advance and book a group tour if needed. From the car park by the gate in Håmmårsbukta, a 500 m footpath leads west, towards Steinvikholm Castle, to the museum. Check this route information again before setting off. Also located in the outdoor recreation area is a Bronze Age burial mound, adding another archaeological dimension to Håmmårsbukta.

Steinvikholm Castle: construction history and dimensions

Steinvikholm Castle was built between 1525 and 1532 by Olav Engelbrektsson, Norway’s last Catholic archbishop. During the turbulent years around the Reformation, the castle was his permanent residence. Today it is considered an important national cultural heritage site. Its walls are 4 m thick; the walls of the largest cannon tower, Bonden, measure 5 m. The comparison gives a sense of the tower’s exceptional strength relative to the castle walls.

The ruins visible today were excavated and conserved between 1894 and 1900. The site’s history therefore includes both its construction in the 16th century and the later preservation of the ruins. Together with its former role as the archbishop’s residence, this gives the site a clear historical focus, distinct from Skatval’s rock carvings and burial mounds.

Rock carvings and a presumed burial mound

Dansarberget has numerous rock carvings, including a particularly large number of cup marks with diameters of 2 to 10 cm. Rock surfaces with carvings are also found on both farms in Opauran on Skatval. Brokhaugen at Vinge is considered a presumed burial mound and one of the largest of its kind in Trøndelag. Its largest diameter is about 35 m, and it is just over 5 m high.

These sites offer different ways to explore older traces: at Dansarberget, the carvings and their small dimensions take centre stage; at Brokhaugen, it is the scale of the structure presumed to be a burial mound. The descriptions highlight the contrast between small-scale rock motifs and a large raised feature. They thus complement the more recent building and wartime history with archaeological themes.

Hiking, cycling and water activities

Håmmårsbukta is suitable for boat trips, as well as kayaking and canoeing. In Stjørdal Municipality, the outdoor recreation area is also an access point to the outer route of St. Olavsleden, one of the pilgrim routes. These connections describe different activities without combining them into a single circular route.

A marked hike runs from Skatval Church via Svartkammen to Vassbygda. After about 2.7 km, it leaves the gravel road for a path through forest and marshland. Check trail conditions before setting out. A longer cycling loop, “Stjørdal rundt”, is described as 59 km long: it runs from Stjørdal via Skatval into the area around Steinvikholm Castle and then back towards Skatval Church. The hiking description gives an approximate point where the surface changes, while the cycling loop gives a total distance. This makes it possible to assess the two routes using different details.

Getting there by train

Skatval station is a stop on the Nordland Line. Trains from here run towards Trondheim, Lerkendal and Steinkjer. As timetables and transport services may change, check train connections before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Hegra, Hell, Stjørdal.

Go to the main travel overview: Stjørdal.