Discover Frosta: Thing history, church art and coastal paths

Discover Frosta through its historic Thing site, church art and paths through the cultural landscape. Its history stretches from the Frostating at Tinghaugen to Bronze Age rock carvings. There are also cycling routes, hiking trails and local produce. To start planning your holiday, consider whether history, outdoor activities or shared discoveries will be your main focus – these interests can also help guide your search for a suitable holiday apartment in Frosta.

Churches and Thing history

In the municipality of Frosta, Logtun Church is located near Tinghaugen at Logtun. From around 940 until after the Reformation, the Frostating met there every summer on the eve of St. Botolph’s Day, which falls on 16 June. A total of 485 delegates from the districts of Trøndelag gathered to make laws and regulations, and to administer justice and pass judgment according to them. Logtun Church also served as the Thing church; the last Lagting on Frosta took place at the end of the 16th century.

A standing stone stands on Tinghaugen, surrounded by twelve smaller stones. They mark the districts in Trøndelag that sent delegates to the Frostating. The site is considered Norway’s oldest Thing site. The Frostating on the Frosta Peninsula was probably one of Norway’s oldest Things; Norway’s first law, the Frosta Law, was also passed there.

The present building of Logtun Church was probably built around 1500. Its distinctive altarpiece was made later: it was carved in 1652 and painted in 1655. Another church in Frosta is the wooden cruciform church built in 1866, which has the Norwegian “listeført” protected status for buildings dating from after 1850. The two churches offer different historical points of interest for a stay focused particularly on the local cultural history.

Rock art and paths through the landscape

At Evenhus, six rock faces with rock carvings from the Early Bronze Age lie in a small grove. Around 100 figures have been discovered there in total, including more than 40 motifs, mostly depicting boats. The rock carvings are easy to reach from the car park in front of the Solvang community centre. The car park is also a suitable starting point for the outer section of the Frostastien.

The Frostastien is a developed 22-kilometre hiking trail. It runs through the cultural landscape around Neset at the southern end of Frosta and follows the coast north to Fånes. Along the route, information boards cover local history, archaeological finds, cultural heritage sites, biodiversity and wildlife. Direction signs, marker posts and overview maps help visitors find their way; there are also benches for taking a break. On Frosta, the outer section of the St. Olav’s Way also runs from Fånes via the Frostastien and Småland, continuing through the centre of Frosta to Tinghaugen and Logtun Church.

Cycling routes, family activities and local produce

The three cycling routes of Sykkeltur i Matfatet Frosta start and finish in the centre at Frostasenteret. Parking is available in front of Rema 1000 or at Frostasenteret. The routes mostly pass through easy terrain between restaurants, sales outlets and farms; possible detours lead to beaches or historic sights. Individual businesses may vary seasonally. The cycling routes are intended for everyone, but only the family route is described as having a usable walking and cycling path.

Sentrumsparken, where children can spend time and be active after a bike ride, is located at the start and finish area of the cycling routes. Another place for activities is in the forest between Småland and Breivika: there is an activity trail for children and a spacious shelter with room for children and adults. These stops can be considered as separate interests alongside the historic sights.

Local produce is also part of what Frosta has to offer. Producers offer a wide range of locally made products, including vegetables, baked goods, bacon and other meats, honey, breakfast cereals, juice and beer. This gives you a specific selection of products to keep in mind when planning your holiday, without having to centre your trip on a single activity.

Tautra as a separate day-trip destination

Tautra is near the destination of Frosta. A 2.3-kilometre causeway connects the island to the mainland at Frosta. A Cistercian monastery was founded there in 1207, as a daughter house of Lyse near Bergen. The abbey church among the ruins on Tautra was 36.5 metres long and 13.5 metres wide; its ridge height is estimated at about 14 metres. The island is also home to Tautra Mariakloster, a Catholic women’s monastery in the Trondheimsfjord belonging to the Cistercian Order, specifically the Trappist Order.

Tautra is considered one of the most important and best places in Norway for birdwatching. Since 2000, 269 different species have been observed there; this number may continue to rise. When visiting, note that all traffic in the nature and bird protection area on Tautra is prohibited from 1 April to 15 July because birds are nesting. Check local notices before you travel.

Your choice of accommodation in Frosta can reflect the experiences you want to prioritise: the centre is the starting and finishing point for the cycling routes, while Solvang is the stated starting point for the rock carvings and the outer section of the Frostastien. If you also include Tautra, you can take this regional day-trip destination into account when planning. This makes it possible to combine your search for a holiday apartment or holiday home with your preferred mix of cultural history, walking routes and wildlife watching.

For the overall travel overview: Frosta.