Travelling the length of Norway is often associated with mountains and fjords, but there is a completely different route through the country. Along the border with Sweden, you’ll find forests, large lakes, rivers and vast mountain areas – and far fewer tourists.
In this article, we drive from Halden near the Swedish border in the south to Trondheim in the north.
Halden – Ørje
As you drive north from Halden, you follow National Road 21 and the Halden Waterway with its canals and locks. Just north of Halden, there are several opportunities to turn off the road and stay overnight. We camped our first night by Stora Le, a large lake that is mostly in Sweden, but with one arm extending into Norway.
West of Lake Aremarksjøen lies the Vestfjella Nature Reserve, with countless fishing lakes and hiking opportunities. Here you can catch both perch and trout. You can drive up there via a toll road just south of Strømsfoss.
If you turn off at Vestre Otteid and follow the gravel road across to Otteid, you will come down to a marina with a large open area where you can camp for free right by the water. There are even toilets.
Engebret Soot’s house stands on a promontory jutting out into the water. Soot was a famous canal builder, and farther north, near Ørje, you will come across Soot’s Canal. There was also a small canal from Otteid to the Halden watercourse. Traces of it can be clearly seen south of the campsite. Timber was hauled up from Stora Le by means of an inclined timber hoist, floated on through the canal, and down into the Halden watercourse.
Finnskogen – Forest Finns and slash-and-burn farming
At Skotterud, we take Route 202 and enter Finnskogen, which gets its name from immigration from Finland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Many Finns emigrated at that time, first moving to Sweden and then to Norway because of a shortage of land in Finland. Right up until the early 20th century, they retained their culture and were “Finns,” not quite like other Norwegians.
The Finns practised a special form of agriculture: they burned the undergrowth and sowed rye, known as slash-and-burn farming. Hence the name Rye Finns. Many traces of the Finns can still be found in the form of small abandoned settlements deep in the forest, and not least in place names such as Rotberget, Gravberget, etc.
Today, there are no “Finns” left, but Finnskogen offers immensely beautiful hiking experiences. Since Finnskogen is one of Southern Norway’s most sparsely populated areas, with few tourists, you can experience peace and quiet in the wilderness here.
Countless hidden gems
Finnskogen is dotted with lakes large and small. There are plenty of forest roads, but many are toll roads, so it can be difficult to get down to the lakes. The exception is areas where Statskog owns the forest, where the roads are open. In some places, you have to pay a modest toll to drive in, and facilities such as toilets and picnic tables are provided, for example on the eastern side of Lake Møkeren.
Enchanting hikes
If you enjoy hiking, this area is a paradise. There are many marked trails, cabins and simple shelters where you can stay overnight. In addition to the Norwegian Trekking Association’s cabins, private hiking associations have cabins and lean-tos, and Statskog also has many cabins. The terrain consists of gently rolling woodland with easy trails through enchanting old-growth forest, where, as you round a bend, you may suddenly find yourself in the yard of an old Finnish homestead.
At the DNT cabin Lebiko, east of Varaldskogen, an interesting circular hike begins, taking you through old-growth forest to seven old Forest Finn crofts, partly in Norway and partly in Sweden. Read about the hike and the Forest Finns here:The 7-Torp Trail. Hiking in Finnskogen
From the south, you can get here by turning off at Austmarka towards Sweden, and then onto a gravel road. From the north, turn off at Dragonmoen.
Svullrya in the heart of Finnskogen
Svullrya is in the heart of Finnskogen and has a small Forest Finn museum with old buildings, smoke ovens and information about Finnskogen. A visit is recommended, and we were certainly charmed by the dedicated and knowledgeable museum guide. Svullrya is also a starting point for hikes through old-growth forest.
North of Svullrya, there are more forests and fewer lakes. After Gravberget, it becomes harder to find campsites by the water, but there are plenty of opportunities in the forest.
If you’re driving through Gravberget, stop by Gravberget Church. It is a truly unique church in the middle of the forest. It is actually listed among the world’s 10 most unique church buildings. The church was built in 1954 and draws on the stave church style. It was designed by Magnus Poulsson, the architect of Oslo City Hall. The interior is richly decorated.
A popular place for wild camping is by Lake Halsjøen, near the island of Kompassen. Turn off at Salongen, a little south of Gravberget.
Femunden – wilderness and mountains
Follow Route 26 and you will reach Trysil, Norway’s coldest place, with a record low of minus 44 degrees. Continue towards Femunden, Norway’s third-largest lake, where you will drive into sparse pine forest.
Wild camping is great, but sometimes a hot shower is welcome. Near Femundsenden, there is a campsite that feels like wild camping. We arrived early and found a spot all to ourselves down by the lake. It was quite cold, with unsettled showers, so we spent quite a bit of time indoors in the lovely timber-built lounge with a fireplace, where they served the most delicious dishes.
There are plenty of hiking opportunities around Femunden. The lake lies 660 metres above sea level, in typical low-mountain terrain and vegetation. To the east of the lake is Femundsmarka National Park, or you can head south from Femundsenden through a distinctive moraine landscape carpeted with enchanting amounts of reindeer lichen and scattered pine trees. There is a maze of trails here, and you can hike for hours or days.
There are many free camping spots along the eastern side of Lake Femunden, but there are no continuous roads on that side, so you need to take Route 28 on the western side towards Røros.
Røros
But there is no downside to stopping by the UNESCO city of Røros. Røros is a unique old mining town where copper has been mined since the 17th century.
Stop by the large, octagonal wooden church from 1784, and be sure to visit Olavsgruva, where you are taken back to 300-year-old mining operations. At the Røros Museum, you can learn more about mining and how the mining community functioned.
Or simply strolling among the intact wooden buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries is an experience in itself.
The beautiful detour to Trondheim
From Røros, you can take the Gauldalen valley to Støren and then on to Trondheim, but I would recommend the slightly longer County Road 705 via Tydal and Selbu. This route takes you through a beautiful, remote mountain area with many lakes and hiking trails.
Once you reach the mountains, you’ll have spectacular views of snow-covered peaks and plateaus, with plenty of places to pull off the road and stay overnight.
If you simply want to get from Halden to Trondheim, there are faster routes. But the point of this trip is precisely to take your time. Along the way, you’ll find forests, mountains, lakes, history, and opportunities to find your own little campsite—often without encountering many other people.
We’re driving a Land Cruiser, but the places mentioned here are accessible by regular motorhomes.
More road trips in : Norway
