The Wilderness Route is the name of national cycle route 9, Halden - Trondheim. It runs quite close to the Swedish border, and is signposted from Halden to Trysil. It runs in areas with little settlement and service and may be suitable for the cyclist seeking peace and nature experiences. Cycling may be combined with fishing or hiking.

Some facts about the Route:

Safety:

Generally little traffic, very little in the northern part, gradually more further south. Most traffic on a stretch of about one mile north of Tistedalen, to more scattered traffic from Ørje to Aspern. The route runs almost entirely in mixed traffic, there is little pedestrian and bicycle path.

Ascent: The daily stages have from 300 to 700 meters of total elevation gain, as a whole is considered medium demanding. There are many meters of elevation gain in total during the trip, but most of the slopes are gentle and relatively easy to cycle.

Surface: About half asphalt, half gravel road of somewhat varying quality, often some loose gravel on top of a firmer surface. About half a mile of narrower and more uneven gravel road north of Harstadsjøen.

Challenges:

There are sometimes long distances between service offerings such as accommodation, dining and shopping. Cyclists should bring food, or find out where food stores are located in advance.

Accommodation: varies from hotels to camping cabins

Charging options: There are sometimes long distances between charging points, and you should charge at your accommodation. A good tip is to look at the individual daily stages and consider the length against what your own bike can handle. Possibly bring an extra battery.

Map of the Route:

Route description stage 1
Elverum - Wilderness Route 

Length 55.5 km
Difficulty: Medium
Region / Area: Elverum, Våler, Finnskogen National Cycle Route

Time: Approx. 3 hours - Surface: Asphalt and gravel road - Car traffic: Generally very little - Start & finish: Elverum/ Gravberget Marking: No

Description

National Route 9, the "Wilderness Route" lives up to its name! On this stage you cycle from Elverum to the Wilderness Route trail. You are close to nature the whole way, with pine forests, small lakes, large bogs and hills at six to seven hundred meters above sea level, quite close to the Swedish border. After cycling from Elverum, there is minimal settlement on this stage. The Wilderness Route can be found at the crossroads, 3 km past Gravberget Gård. If you want a fun detour just by Gravberget, you can continue the short Haltorpveien down to the south end of Halsjøen. Here you will find a large hut, barbecue area and picnic area. At Haldammen you can visit the old creameries Spritfritt and Fyllerud.

Challenge

This part of the Wilderness Route does not have much climbing or other problems for a cyclist. The highest point is at 488 m. As a cyclist, you must be aware that there are no food stores or other services before you reach Gravberget Gård. There is also no transport other than a bus connection to Elverum. It is recommended to buy a hiking map of Finnskogen Nord for this stage.

Route description stage 2
Elverum - Gravberget Gård

Length 55.5 km
Difficulty: Medium
Region / Area: Elverum, Våler, Finnskogen National Cycle Route

Time: Approx. 5 hours
Surface: Gravel/Asphalt
Car traffic: Generally very little
Start & finish: Gravberget/Finnskogtoppen
Marking: Yes, as national cycle route 9

Description

Another stage with little car traffic, here it generally feels very safe to cycle. The stage has a fairly large proportion of asphalt. From the Flisaelva at Velta and up to Damstjern, the road rises more than two hundred meters in altitude in just over a mile up to just over four hundred meters in altitude. From here to Svullya it is much easier, about two and a half miles, characterized by gentle downhill slopes or flat road. Here you cycle along several of the larger lakes in the areas; Fallsjøen, Rotbergsjøen and Røgden. On the east side of Rotbergsjøen there is a great sandy beach. Finnskogtoppen is located on the south side of Røgden, and is a small detour from the nine kilometer Wilderness Route. Should you wish to interrupt the trip along the Wilderness Route here, it is about 42 kilometers to Kongsvinger.

Challenge

This section of the Wilderness Route has a noticeable uphill climb from Velta to Damstjern, where you climb about 240 meters in altitude in twelve kilometers of cycling. Like stage 1, there is also very little to offer along the trail. At Kilen there is a detour two kilometers west to a Joker grocery store, on Kaptein Dreyers vei.

Finnskogtoppen Hotell & SPA

Finnskogtoppen Hotell & SPA is a place that gives you more energy, increased physical and mental well-being, good and healthy food. The hotel is located in the middle of Finnskogen with a beautiful view of Lake Røgden where you cycled past earlier.

Route description stage 3
Finnskogtoppen - Magnor

Length: 97 km (83 km)
Difficulty: Medium
Region / Area: Sør-Finnskogen

Surface: Asphalt / Gravel road - Car traffic: Varies, generally low, slightly more in the southern part of the stage - Start & finish: Vortungen/ Ørje - Marking: Yes, as national cycle route 9 - NOTE: The stage can be shortened to 83 km by following the E16 from Øyermoen to the north of Austmarka. In Austmarka you will return to the Wilderness Route.

Description

Parts of the trip are still in Finnskogen, and this is another stage dominated by roads with very little car traffic. From Svullrya - the center of Finnskogen with both the Finnskogen Museum, grocery store, cafe, and a village garden - there are initially long stretches on a wide, flat and fast gravel road, over large pine forests, with a gap down to the Rotnavassdraget. From Lebiko to Varaldsjøen the landscape is particularly wild, and there are hardly any buildings.

Several nice viewpoints over the lake. At Osvika, at the north end of the lake, there is a large open area with a beach, lawns, benches and an information board. Nice shelter and campfire site at Abbortjenn, south of Lebiko. The trip further towards Magnor provides contact with a number of lakes. Particularly nice cycling terrain from Austmarka south to Utgardsjøen.

Challenge

Climbs from Nordre Øyersjøen to Svarttjenn, and quite steep up the last few hundred meters to Lebiko. The gravel roads on the stage may have loose and slightly coarser gravel. Otherwise, two noticeable uphills, with about a hundred meters of elevation gain, from Varaldsjøen in the direction of Hærsjøen, and from Utgårdsjøen to Vintertjønnet. The first 25 kilometers of the stage are on gravel roads of slightly varying quality, but from Austmarka there is a good asphalt road.

Magnor

Nice little town with a good bakery and Magnor Glassverk, which is worth a visit. Nearby is The Pluss, the world's most environmentally friendly furniture factory built from wood, and a sight in itself.

Accomodation Montebello Camping & Turistsenter

Route description stage 4
Magnor - Rømskog

Length: 64 km
Difficulty: Medium
Region/Area: Eidskog, Innlandet, Aurskog Høland

Time: Approx. 4 hours - Surface: Mostly asphalt - Recommended equipment: Hybrid bike - Car traffic: generally low - Start & finish: Magnor / Vortungen, Rømskog - Marking: Yes, as national cycle route 9

Description

A stage mostly characterized by a lot of forest and some small hamlets. From Magnor the first half mile is on a separate and safe cycle path along Fv.202. The gravel road is car-free for the last few kilometers down towards Harstadsjøen, where there are also nice picnic areas on the west side of the lake. From Gåsvika to Rømsjøen there is little car traffic. Grocery stores can be found in Magnor, Skotterud, Setskog and Tørnby, just north of Rømsjøen. There is a detour of about three kilometers from Rømsjøen to Rømskog hotell Spa & Resort.

Challenge

On the west side of Stangnessjøen, route 9 runs on a gravel road ("Vektervegen"), which in places is just a wide path. The last few kilometers before reaching Harstadsjøen are on a gravel road of slightly loose quality. The climbs from Harstadsjøen to Gulltjenn give almost a hundred meters of elevation in three kilometers. You will encounter a similar climb from Rømsjøen up Vortungsveien towards Vortungen and Rømskog Hotel Spa & Resort. The traffic from Harstadsjøen to Lake Setten is noticeable, and has some heavy traffic, including timber transport. The road is also partly winding and somewhat confusing. This stage is only for adults who are used to cycling.

Rømskog

Here you will find a Joker shop and a gas station. Rømskog is a small, peaceful town with around 700 inhabitants, formerly the centre of a separate municipality, now part of Aurskog‑Høland in Akershus. The village is located deep in forests with more than 100 lakes, and has a varied terrain with forested hills such as Slavasshøgda (formerly Østfold's highest peak) For those who want a spectacular view, there is a unique wooden fire tower on Haukenesfjellet / walking distance from Rømskog Hotell Spa & Resort– from here you can see vast stretches of forest and water, and even Gaustatoppen on clear days.

Rømskog Unike hotell spa & Resort

Rømskog Hotell Spa & Resort is practically in the water, built on stilts into Lake Vortungen, with panoramic views from the rooms overlooking the lake. Here you will find a saltwater pool, cold plunge pool, steam and traditional sauna, and an outdoor hot bath right at the water's edge. A great place for tired cycling muscles.

Route description stage 5
Rømskog - Ørje

Length: 46.6 km
Difficulty: Medium to somewhat demanding
Region / Area: Aurskog Høland, Marker

Time: Approx. 2.5 - Surface: Asphalt - Car traffic: Varies, generally low, slightly more on the southern part of the stage - Start & finish: Vortungen/ Ørje - Marking: Yes, as national cycle route 9

Description

Bring what you need for food and drink on the trip. There is a Joker shop just north of the exit to Rømskog Spa, which you can stop by. This is a somewhat hilly but attractive stage. You will cycle through forests and open cultural landscapes. Most of the stage is on roads with little traffic. The trip offers good views of Rødenessjøen in the northern part of the Halden Canal. Cyclists will also appreciate the six kilometers of downhill slopes from Kislebergmosen to Rødenessjøen. There is a farm shop, Joval Gård, on highway 125, if you take a small detour from highway 21 at the junction. Joval Gård can also offer various accommodation and canoe rentals. Otherwise, there are no shops or restaurants along the route. From here, you cycle along the Halden Canal down to the lock town of Ørje. The wilderness route runs on the east side of the canal, but if you choose the west side, there is a little less traffic.

Challenges

No major challenges, but the route is quite hilly along Lake Rømsjøen and further south towards Kislebergsmosen, a stretch of around two kilometres. A total of seven hundred metres of elevation gain on this stage.

Ørje

Here you will find many nice niche shops, restaurants, gas stations, hairdressers, fitness centers, sports shops, banks, pharmacies, libraries and more. Every year several activities are organized in the center. An idyllic place, which is becoming more and more popular. Stop by Haldenvassdragets kanalmuseum. There you can learn more about the history of timber rafting and the construction of the canal, and in a separate part of the museum you can learn more about the wildlife around the waterway. Ørje has Norway's largest steamboat community and if you are lucky you will see the boats passing through the locks. There are several restaurants and food shops. Here you will also find Visit Indre Østfold's tourist information.

Route description stage 6
Ørje - Halden

Length: 64 km
Difficulty: Medium
Region/Area: Eidskog, Innlandet, Aurskog Høland

Time: Approx. 5 hours - Surface: Asphalt - Traffic: Varies, generally low, slightly more on the southern part of the stage - Start & finish: Vortungen/ Ørje - Marking: Yes, as national cycle route no. 9

Description

A stage through both forest and cultural landscape and is one of the easiest along the Wilderness Route. It is possible to take a dip in several places along the route. Aremark The small town of Strømfoss (1 km detour from the Wilderness Route), 23 km south of Ørje, is worth a visit. Here there are also locks and lock history, the Strømsfoss Mill gallery, a general store and the Miller's House with clothes, ornaments, jewelry and also a café with simple meals. At Fossby (after 40 km) there are benches, a grocery store and a café.

Challenges

There are no major challenges on this stage, but from Trollnestjern to Tistedal you cycle in mixed traffic with a speed limit of 80 km/h, and there can be periods of traffic of over two thousand cars a day. This stage is best suited for adults who are used to cycling.

Strømsfoss

Strømsfoss – a small treasure trove just a short detour from the FV21. Here is the middle lock in the Halden Canal, surrounded by beautiful nature and living cultural heritage. By the locks you will find the nostalgic Landhandelen, which takes you straight back in time, and the Møllerens hus, filled with everything from clothes and jewelry to cups and vessels – and a very own gnome room. Nearby is Strømsfoss Galleri, located in the old mill, with changing art exhibitions in historic surroundings. A charming stop for both the curious and the nostalgic

Halden

At Krusetertjern there is a 2.5 kilometer detour to Brekke locks, which with a lift height of 27 meters, is Northern Europe's highest lock system. From Tistedal and to the city center, turn off from Fv.21 and follow residential roads for about 2.5 km, before you come to hiking trails over and through Fredriksten fortress. Around the fortress there are various hiking trails and sights, and otherwise very good views of Halden city. Bicycle shop and various accommodation and dining options in Halden. If you want a slightly longer stage, you can choose to cycle on the east side and around Lake Aspern at Fossby.