Road trip along the Cultural Route: Bodø – Saltdal – Beiarn – Misvær
River fishing, majestic waterfalls, rural culture and lush national parks awaits!
Duration: 1 – 3 days
Season: Summer and autumn
Transport: Car or rental car
Route: aprox. 300 km (if you stop at all places)
Go on a round trip in Central Salten and experience the inland summer in Saltdal and Beiarn. Swim under icy waterfalls, try river fishing, explore caves, conquer high mountains and hike in the lush and diverse national parks. Drive Kulturveien (The Cultural Route) back to Bodø and visit small places oozing with rural culture and charm. This route offers a treasure trove of cultural heritage, nature-based experiences and local delicacies.
Where do I travel and where do I stop?
This road trip starts in Saltdal, and goes to Beiarn, Misvær and Bodø.
Start: Saltdal
Start after you have crossed the Polar circle. Then you have arrived the national park municipality – Saltdal. With lush forest, endless hiking opportunities, strong rural culture and delicious local food.
The Saltdal River
«The Queen of the North»
The Saltdal river is renowned for good salmon fishing and is a perfect place for fly fishing. One of the best fishing spots is at Storjord, where two rivers, the Junkerdalselva and Lønselva, merge and form the Saltdal river.
We would like to remind you about the importance of good fishing etiquette 🙂
You can buy fishing licences at Nordnes Kro og Camping.
Nordland National Park Center & Adde Zetterquist Art Gallery
At Storjord you can visit the Visitor center for the nine national parks in Nordland. Here there is both an activity garden and a nature guiding. Experience both art and nature exhibitions in beautiful architecture and scenic surroundings.
In addition to being a visitor centre, the building contains an art gallery for Per Addes and Kajsa Zetterquist’s visual art.
In the area around Nordland National Park Centre you will find a climbing area wich is popular with children. The centre is an ideal starting point for various walks and hikes in the area.
Møsbrømlefse – A Local delicacy
While you’re in Saltdal, you MUST try Møsbrømlefsa. This is a real Saltenrett you will love! It is more than just a lefse – it symbolises a sense of belonging and identity for an authentic local of Salten, known as a “Saltenværing”.
You can buy some at Nordnes Kro og Camping, a restaurant and camping ground, which doubles as the tourist information office in Saltdal.
The Bike Path in Saltdal
A bike path has been developed throughout Saltdal municipality – right from Storjord to Rognan or vice versa.
The stretch between Storjord and Nordnes follows an idyllic nature trail through a forest and beautiful nature.
Children love the natural swimming pool beside the path. You will also find benches and a rustic shelter on this route. The stretch from Nordnes to Rognan combines a purpose-built path and parts of the “old road” through Saltdal farmyard and along the banks of the Saltdal river. The path is well marked and signposted.
Tips: At Nordnes Kro & Camping you can pick up a lunch to go with local food!
Rognan
Rognan is the municipal administrative centre in Saltdal. It’s a natural place to stop along the route, with shops, cafés and places to stay. Right in the centre of Rognan, you will find the century-old pier where you can experience one of the last authentic building environments in Norway. If you are lucky, you may meet boat builder Kai Linde, who builds charming Nordland boats.
Ingeborgfossen Waterfalls
Follow the E6 and turn off at the signpost leading to “Botn Krigskirkegård” (war cemetery). Drive on for about 3 km until the road ends. Park at the head of Botnvatn lake, near the suspension bridge. It’s a 30-minute walk from here to the majestic Ingeborgfossen waterfalls. This is a wonderful and easy walk – and we guarantee you will get a good holiday photo!
Experiences in Saltdal
Ljøsenhammeren
Return a short distance on the E6 highway towards Rognan and then turn off onto route no. 812 (The Cultural Road). A little while later, you arrive at the farm café Ljøsenhammeren. Here you can stop for a meal or an ice cream.
NB! Watch out for sheep in the road in summer 😉
The Stave Church at Stavjord
A side trip to Beiarn is a “must” before continuing to Misvær.
The first place to stop in Beiarn is at the stave church. Pensioner Magnus Stensland built his own miniature stave church (completed in 2008) with timber from his own forest and a postcard as a working drawing. More than 7,000 roofing shingles are among the impressive details.
Handicrafts at Laftehytta
More than 80 local producers supply high quality handicrafts made from wool, material, wood, glass and more. This is the place to find the truly authentic holiday gifts!
Salmon fishing in Beiarn River
In Beiarn, you will find the other nationally renowned fishing river on this route! In terms of salmon per kilometre, this is Norway’s best salmon river – so you have a chance of catching a big fish! You can stand in lush natural surroundings with a resting heart rate but as soon as you get a bite you will get your maximum heart rate immediately!
Arctic Cabins
Stop at Arctic Cabins for some outdoor adventures. Get an introduction to bow and arrow, and try rappelling down the mountain side! We promise lots of fun for both kids and adults!
Make room for an overnight stay here as well, in one of their cozy cabins. The restaurant is also open for breakfast and dinner.
Misvær
While driving through Misvær, you will discover many exciting hiking adventures and cultural monuments that can be worth a stop. There is also a camping ground in Misvær if you need to stay overnight.
Saltstraumen – The World´s Strongest Tidal Current
Your first stop is at Saltstraumen, just 33 km from downtown Bodø. This spectacular natural phenomenon thrills visitors from near and far. Every sixth hour, 400 million m³ of water forces its way through a narrow strait at speeds of up to 20 knots, forming enormous whirlpools in the water. However – or consequently – Saltstraumen has a wonderful marine life with abundant stocks of various fish species, shellfish, crustaceans, sea anemones, coral reefs and much more.
Saltstraumen is like a natural fun park. You can go diving, snorkelling, fishing or RIB rafting in the powerful masses of water.
Saltstraumen is like a natural fun park. You can go diving, snorkelling, fishing or RIB rafting in the powerful masses of water.
Saltstraumen is at its strongest twice a day but, as these times vary from day to day, we recommend checking the Saltstraumen tide table and planning you trip accordingly.
If you want to spend longer at Saltstraumen, you will find a café, camping ground and a hotel here. You can also visit the Magic Saltstraumen experience centre to learn more about this natural phenomenon, go on an historic guided walk with Saltstraumen Stories or visit Tuvsjyen, the site of some of Norway’s first Stone Age settlements.
Find your Saltstraumen experience
Music to the road trip?
Finn flere vakre kjøreruter i Bodø & Salten
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