Pilegrimsvegen til Røldal

About

From the Middle Ages until the 1850’s, there was an annual pilgrimage from Telemark to Røldal. The destination was the crucifix in the Stave Church in Røldal. The legend tells us that every Midsummer day the crucifix would start to sweat, and that the sweat had a healing effect. People came in great numbers, from the whole country and abroad, to become healed. Røldal was at that time one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the country. Only Nidaros (today known as Trondheim) was bigger. The journeys to Nidaros stopped during the reformation, while they continued to Røldal for another 300 years.

The pilgrimage in our time follows the pilgrims’ footsteps along the old roads between Western Telemark and Røldal. We will be walking in a landscape with great variation, through villages and up in the mountains. Representatives from the local history organisations know the area and will be our guides during the journey. They will not only take the participants through the physical landscape, but also through the culture and history along the way. Minor events are held by the churches the pilgrims pass on their way Westward.

The pilgrimage is a wandering for both the body and the mind; a quiet journey with a place for peace and reflection. It is not only an encounter with beautiful nature and interesting stories, but also with people you might not have met elsewhere.

Nature and culture will go hand in hand, and the wandering is for everyone, whether the purpose of their journey is an inner journey, or a cultural and a historic one.

THE DAILY STAGES:

The terrain varies from day to day. We begin in the lowlands, walk across the moors, and climb up in the mountains, until we finally pass down the valleys towards Røldal.

The heaviest stages will probably be the ones from Morgedal to Øyfjell (hilly terrain) from Edland to Vågsli across Haukeliheii (moor with a steep climb from the valley) and from Vågsli to Ulevå across Haukelifjell (beautiful mountain terrain, but a long day’s journey). This part of the pilgrims road is 1190 metres above the sea level.

A transport up the steep climb in Morgedal will be arranged, but those who wish to walk these hills are welcome to do so. We will talk more about this when we meet.

In Vågsli / Haukelifjell area, we will have to be transported back and forth to Haukelifjell Skisenter each day. This is due to the fact that there are no other places to spend the night in the areas we are passing.