Discover Varteig: Ingaleden, the Glomma and local history

Varteig combines a distinctive hiking route with insights into the area’s history. Ingaleden passes through hilly, partly wild terrain along the Glomma; local history can be discovered at the local history museum and around the community centre. You can tailor your stay to whether you mainly want to spend time outdoors or learn about Varteig’s history.

Explore Ingaleden on foot or by bicycle

Ingaleden is 33 km long in total. The route starts at the Inga monument by the community centre in Varteig and continues to Folkenborg. In Varteig, it passes through hilly and partly wild terrain along the Glomma. Take the 33 km distance into account when planning your day.

Ingaleden can also be explored by bicycle. However, on three sections in Varteig, you will need to walk your bike; these sections are about 1.5 km long altogether. If you plan to tackle the route by bicycle, factor in this restriction. On foot and by bike, you experience the same route in different ways, but the sections where you must walk your bike are an explicit part of the cycling option.

When looking for holiday accommodation, the starting point by the community centre and the route’s destination at Folkenborg can be useful reference points if Ingaleden is to be the main focus of your stay. First decide whether you plan to do the route on foot or by bicycle; the three sections where you must walk your bike are especially relevant when planning a cycling trip.

Farm life and timber rafting at the local history museum

The Varteig local history museum is housed in the old main building at Brunsby farm, built in 1812. The museum’s objects relate to agriculture and farm work. It also has equipment used for timber rafting, including items from the Furuholmen log boom. This brings together different aspects of local work: activities on the farm and the handling of timber on the water.

These subjects offer a different focus from walking along Ingaleden. If you are interested in farming life or timber rafting, the museum’s tangible objects offer a way to explore these areas of work. The old main building adds a historical dimension to the visit: built in 1812, it now houses the museum.

Inga of Varteig and the church

Ingaleden starts at the Inga monument by the community centre. The memorial to Inga of Varteig, the mother of Håkon Håkonsson, stands right next to the community centre. Here, a local memorial and the starting point of the route meet. This connection offers a distinctive point of interest for anyone who wants to combine their tour with an interest in Varteig’s history.

Varteig Church also recalls a specific historical event: Provost Bassøe consecrated it on 25 November 1859. The exact date and the name of the person who consecrated it make the church’s construction a tangible part of local history. Along with the museum and the memorial, the church is another focus of cultural history, whether you devote your stay mainly to the route or to historical subjects.

Discover more places

If you would also like to explore other destinations, find pages about Skjeberg, Sarpsborg and Ise.

Back to the main travel overview: Sarpsborg.