Beitstadfjorden rundt – experience the fjord from land and the bike saddle

The Skarnsundbrua bridge – The Cathedral of the Trondheimfjord

Detour to Mosvik

After Skarnsund Bridge, you can take a detour to Mosvik. Drive along the fjord with beautiful views all the way to Mosvik centre, an old trading hub dating back to the 18th century. Stop at Mosvik Brygge for local food and stories from the area – the hostess is happy to share her knowledge.

At Mosvik Museum, it’s like stepping into local history. The museum showcases the village’s past through exhibitions, heritage trails and historic buildings such as Grande School, the smithy and the crofter’s cottage Nesstu. Nearby, you’ll find the theatre boat Survikjekta from Martin Kvennavika and cultural heritage trails in both Mosvik and Framverran. Open during the summer season and by appointment at other times.

Return to Skarnsund Bridge and continue along the fjord to Framverran – a gem with genuine Trøndelag charm.

Verrabotn and mussel farming

The route continues towards Verrabotn, either via Meltingvatnet or the narrow but beautiful road through Framverran and Trongsundet. In Verreasundet, you’ll see rows of blue barrels. This is where mussels are farmed. Under the barrels hang ropes where mussels grow in abundance. You may well have eaten mussels from here – Beitstadfjorden is one of Norway’s most fertile areas for mussel cultivation.

Follafoss – industry

From Verrabotn, the road runs along the shore to Verrastranda, Follafoss and Malm. When you reach Follafoss, you’ll see piles of timber and wood chips by the fjord. This is where FollaCell is located – Norway’s only producer of chemical thermo-mechanical pulp, a key component in newspaper and magazine paper.
SalMar also has a large smolt facility here, which heats its production water using heat exchange from wastewater from the nearby wood-processing industry.

For hiking enthusiasts who love dizzying views, we recommend a trip up to Follaheia – 644 moh. From here, you’ll enjoy a fantastic view over the entire Innherred region. The hike is best done from May to September and is about 3 km long. It’s a moderately demanding walk, starting from a car park at the top of a small residential area in Follafoss. The trail is marked all the way to the summit and runs through forest, marsh and mountain terrain.

Malm – Mining history

Next stop is Malm, the centre of the former Verran municipality. The village is best known for its 90-year mining history and once had Norway’s second-largest iron ore mines, operated by Fosdalen Bergverks from 1904 to 1997. Here you’ll find workers’ housing and remnants of the mining industry. The Malm mine is the deepest in Northern Europe.

Every other year, the outdoor play Eplene i Messehagen is staged – a powerful story of class divides and love.

You’ll also find Malm hotel – a small hotel that reflects the village and its history. It’s a meeting place for locals and visitors alike, with a café open daily serving local food.

Take a stroll through mining history along the Malmåra cultural trail, starting at the mine shaft in Malm town centre. This combined fitness and cultural route is about 2.5 km long. It was originally built for transporting equipment to the Malm and Ny mines. The highest point, about 130 metres above sea level, is marked by Malm mine and lies close to the discovery site of Fosdal ore.

To Steinkjer via Beitstad

From Malm, the route continues to Beitstad and back to Steinkjer. The new road with its bridge across the fjord provides a beautiful finale to the trip. Here you pass through a landscape marked by traces of ancient settlements.

Along the way, you can stop at the Bardal rock carvings and take a hike up to Elnanslottet hillfort in Sør-Beitstad.