Discover Heiås: Båstad Church and Hiking Areas

Båstad Church and the hiking areas offer two distinct focuses for a stay in Heiås: architecture and church furnishings on one hand, trails and outdoor recreation on the other. National Road 22 from Lillestrøm to Fredrikstad also runs through Heiås, providing an additional road connection for getting your bearings.

Båstad Church: Building and Historic Furnishings

The present-day Båstad Church was built between 1858 and 1860 to plans by the architect Christian Henrik Grosch. Master builder Møller from Moss carried out the construction. Built from timber logs, the cruciform church is the largest church in Indre Østfold. Its construction period, building method, and size give a concrete impression of the building’s significance in the region.

A range of historic details come together inside. The altarpiece is a copy of Adolph Tidemand’s altarpiece in Trefoldighetskirken in Oslo. The organ was built in 1876 by the Austrian company Rieger & Sohn. A brass baptismal dish bears the year 1668. The stone baptismal font is the church’s oldest inventory item; it probably comes from the church demolished in 1860 or from an even older church. A Calvary group can also be seen there. It probably dates from the late 17th century and may have been part of an earlier altarpiece in one of the older churches. The dates show different periods: the church building and organ were created in the 19th century, while the brass baptismal dish bears the year 1668.

The cemetery also has a long history of use. Parts of it are laid out according to the old strip-field system of the farms and have been in continuous use for a very long time. The history of the area can therefore be read not only in the church building and its furnishings, but also in the cemetery’s traditional layout.

Church, Concerts, and Space

The spacious, open layout of the 1860 cruciform church makes it suitable for concerts that require room for equipment. Including the seats in the gallery, the church has space for about 500 people. Its approximate capacity and suitability for concerts describe two different aspects of the building: its size and its potential use for events that require adequate space.

Hiking Areas in Heiås and Båstad

There is access to hiking areas east of Båstad School and the kindergarten. Kirkebyåsen vest is a local hiking area in Båstad/Heiås. These two locations give you specific points of reference if you would also like to include time outdoors in your travel plans.

In the Indre Østfold municipal area, the Båstad skole/lysløypa/Kirkebyåsen area includes woodland and a floodlit trail. People often hike there in both summer and winter; it is the most-used hiking area for the nearby residential neighborhoods. There are several paths in the forest between Kirkebyåsen and Eikåsen, including routes via Mellebyåsen and Eikåsen. These details describe the wider Båstad context within the municipality and complement the hiking areas in Heiås with a larger area.

The remains of the former Store Mellebybakken and Lille Mellebybakken ski jumps have also been preserved in Mellebyåsen within the municipality. There is a swimming area at Stiklatjern; the parking lot has an information board about the hiking area and visitor toilets. Along with trails and woodland, the wider municipal area therefore includes several recreational facilities.

Discover more destinations: Trøgstad

Go to the main travel overview: Trøgstad.