This board game takes players on a journey along the route of St. Olav's Way pilgrimage from Oslo to Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway. Players roll dice to move their pieces along checkpoints representing significant sites along the route. These include Ringebu Church, Hamar Ruins, Allemannsroysa cairn, and the River Gaula. The game includes educational slides about the history and sites that players land on. The first player to reach the final checkpoint at St. Olav's Shrine in Nidaros Cathedral wins.

1. St Olav’s Way:
Board Game Edition
Gabriella Amato

2. Where the game takes place -
You are about to embark on a journey through
Sweden and Norway. Your destination is the
Nidaros Cathedral In Trondheim, Norway. The
final burial place of St. Olav, a medieval king
who united Norway under christianity.
The starting point for this religious pilgrimage is
Oslo, from there beware of the hardships on the
road and good luck in the search for
enlightenment along the way...

3. Return
to start
START
FINISH
Check
point
Roll
again
Go
back
→ CP3
Roll
again
Check
point
Loss a
turn
Check
point
Check
point
Check
point
Loss a
turn

4. RULES KEY
1. Youngest player starts the pilgrimage first
2. Each player will roll a die to determine the
number of spaces they move on the
board
3. When you land on a space go to the
matching slide
4. First player to make it to Nidaros
Cathedral wins the game
Travelers queries
Discussion questions
Did you know?
Stop and watch

5. Start your
Journey
→

6. Roll a Dice! Online Random Dice!

7. Stop and Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm0Lp91MKuE&t=65s

8. Travelers Queries
Oh no! You’ve realized you don’t have any rain gear and you
will drenched by the time you make it to the next checkpoint.
Move back two spaces to the nearest village and stock up on
supplies...

9. Who am I?
● King of norway in 1015 c.
● Also known as Olaf Haraldsson
● Fought the war for Norway's independence from the
Sweden
Click to know the answer…. St. Olav

10. Did you know?
There are seven different paths that can be taken on Saint Olav’s Way.
1. Gudbrandsdalen Path - 70% of pilgrims take this path
2. St. Olav’s Path - most historically accurate
3. Osterdalen path - through untouched wilderness, experienced hikers
4. North Path - starts at Gloshuag Church
5. Rombo Path - oldest pilgrimage path in Norway
6. Borg path - ideal for cyclists
7. Valldals Path - newest edition, follows Haraldson’s footsteps

11. Checkpoint #1- Ringebu
Church
● 180 km outside of Oslo
● One of the last remaining stave
churches in Norway
○ Wood structure easily burnt/ torn down
by invaders
● Traditional red steeple can be seen
over the hill as you approach

12. Stop and Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgsu7UK7zxE

13. Travelers Queries
Slow poke!
You can’t keep up with ur group. The pace is to fast for you.
Trade spaces with the person behind you...

14. True or False
St. Olav had a liking for mischief… but it is true or false that
the nursery rhythm about the london bridge falling was based
on his raid around northern europe?
Click to know... TRUE

15. Checkpoint #2 -
Hamar Ruins
● Once a medieval
cathedral
● Destroyed in the
Northern Seven
Years war (16th cen)
● Place of worship,
exhibition, &
performance

16. Relics
Pilgrimage routes have relics
scattered throughout their
churches. Often they represent
well known symbols in chritstianity
and the saints the cathedrals are
created upon.
What would be your relic if you
died and became a saint?

17. Stop and Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVfzmuf7WgI

18. Travelers Queries
Guys my feet hurt!
The trip is really getting to you, so you decide to cheat and
take the bus from Hamar to the next checkpoint.
As a penalty you lose your turn the next round...

19. Did you know?
Compared to El Camino de Santiago, with 301,000 visitors a
year, St. Olav’s way only had 1000 pilgrims in 2017.
This is due to the frigid winters that make the path only
walkable from June to September

20. Checkpoint #3 -
Allemannsroysa cairn
● “The cairn for
everybody”
● Stones brought by
pilgrims
○ from a place of
importance/ personal
meaning

21. Travelers Queries
STOP!
One of your traveling partners has fallen ill. The cold
mountain temperatures and elevation are causing them to
have trouble breathing.
Stay on your space for the next round...

22. Stones?
The cairn has a different significance
to everyone. Pause the game and
have each player go around and say
where they would get their stone and
why they are placing it in the cairn.

23. Did you know?
Norway operates under the “right to roam” law: you can walk
anywhere in the country as long as you stay 500 ft from an
occupied dwelling.
Most pilgrims will pitch a tent for the night or sleep under the
stars, as lodging is less frequent along the path. There are
only six official centers along the way.

24. Travelers Queries
ZZZZzzz
You’re almost there the cathedral isn't much further. The trip
is going by so quickly you stop at the dormitories in a local
area to relax and enjoy the culture around you. You feel so
well rested in the morning you walk an extra two miles.
Advance one extra space….

25. Did you know?
The Nidaros Cathedral is the
farthest north Gothic cathedral in all
of Europe.

26. Checkpoint #4
- River Gaula
● Close to Leinstrand
(last major town before Trondheim)
● Provides lifesource
for many villages on
its banks
● Represents
Friluftsliv: love of
nature

27. Travelers Queries
What did you say????
On the last leg of the trip you meet some pilgrims from
France, but you have no idea what they are saying to you.
They asked you what direction the cathedral is?
Pronounce the word “north” in french to move on to the next
round...

28. Would you do it all again?
As you come to the end of your pilgrimage, think back and
reflect on your experience. Would you ever take another
route, like the Santiago de Compostela?
Share your answer with the group...

29. Did you know?
Upon entering Trondheim it is customary to walk around the
Nidaros Cathedral three times before entering.

30. Stop and Watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP1ZBpZlMAI&t=99s

31. Final
Checkpoint -
St Olav’s Shrine
● Altar frontal in
tempera paint on
wood panel and
stucco, c. 1320
● Showing the
opening of Olav’s
tomb (top right)

32. You’ve made it!
So who won???

33. Citations
Catholic Online. “St. Olaf of Norway - Saints & Angels.” Catholic Online, 2021, www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4899.
DaleGudbrands. “St. Olav Ways: The Pilgrim Path through Lillehammer and Gudbrandsdalen.” Norway, 2021,
www.visitnorway.com/listings/st-olav-ways-%7C-the-pilgrim-path-through-lillehammer-and-gudbrandsdalen/7194/.
Enfield, Lizzie. “Sacred Steps: Walking Norway's St Olav Ways.” Subscribe to Read | Financial Times, Financial Times, 12 Oct.
2018, www.ft.com/content/435a02f2-cd2e-11e8-8d0b-a6539b949662.
Faulkes, Anthony, and Richard Perkins. “A History of Norway and the Passion and Miracles of the Blessed Olafr.”
Vsnrweb-Publications.org, University College London, 2001,
www.vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/Text%20Series/Historia%26Passio.pdf.
“Nordic Pilgrimage.” Pilegrimsleden, pilegrimsleden.no/en.
"St. Olaf Haraldson (Catholic Encyclopedia)". Newadvent.org. 1 February 1911. Retrieved 21 May 2012.