Midtre Gauldal: Pilgrim Trails, Seter Culture and Forollhogna

Forollhogna National Park lies partly in Midtre Gauldal. Forollhogna is an important habitat for wild reindeer. Historic seters, pilgrim trails and cultural landscapes offer further points of interest to help you plan your trip.

Landscape and cultural landscape

The Seterdalen valleys in Budal have protected landscape status and are designated cultural landscapes. Active seter farms let cattle and sheep graze on outlying pastures. The landscape is therefore not just a historic legacy, but continues to be shaped by grazing.

In Blåora, you can experience a large area of traditional haymaking on outlying fields. Another point of reference is the Pilegrimsleia through Østerdalen: within Midtre Gauldal, it is about 70 kilometres long. This approximate figure describes the length of the route in the municipality and may help when planning a longer section of the pilgrimage trail.

Buildings and seter culture

Singsås Church in Midtre Gauldal is a wooden church dating from 1884. In Budal, Storbekkøya museumsseter has seter buildings dating from the early 19th century. Together, these two places offer a glimpse of different historical periods: the early history of seter construction and a church built later.

Storbekkøya museumsseter is a family-friendly destination for a day trip. You can combine its historical interest with activities nearby: from the museum seter, visitors can follow the pilgrim trail uphill through a birch slope to the Rogneskletten viewpoint. The viewpoint is at an elevation of 1,019 metres in Forollhogna National Park.

Pilgrim trails and activities

Singsås Station is on the old Røros Line and is a natural hub along the Østerdalsleden. It is also the starting point for the first stage of the Østerdalsleden towards Trondheim. The station and trail therefore mark a specific starting point for planning this pilgrimage route.

On the Storbekklia cultural trail, you can learn more about trapping, tar burning and iron smelting. These topics offer an insight into the history of past activities in the region. Many people set out from Synnerdalen to climb to the summit of Forollhogna.

Cycling is another way to explore the cultural landscape: in Endalen, visitors can cycle into the landscape from the access points to the Seterdalen valleys. For this trip, it is recommended to park at the valley entrances and continue from there by bicycle.

River, wild salmon and local offerings

Salmon fishing is possible in the Bua River. Støren JFF sells fishing permits to the general public; a fishing permit is required to fish on stretches managed by Støren JFF. On the Gaula, the Gaulakortet must be purchased in accordance with local fishing regulations. Check the applicable permits and regulations before fishing, as they may change seasonally.

The National Wild Salmon Visitor Centre at Gauldalsporten in Støren offers information about wild salmon, its life cycle, river ecosystems, conservation and local value creation. Gauldalsporten at Prestteigen in Støren also sells local food and has its own café. Check the latest information about the café and shop before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Soknedal, Støren, Engan, Rissa, Agdenes, Meldal, Bjugn, Tydal.

Back to the regional travel overview: Sor-Trondelag.