How about a visit to Hell, Norway?

Photo: Peter Leong / Unsplash

A draw and big source of amusement to non-Norwegians and tourists is the country’s village named “Hell”. If you’re interested in visiting Norway’s Hell yourself, we’ve got you covered.

A range of images might come to mind when you think of the word “hell”. But what is the village that bears the name actually like? Read on to discover Hell in Norway.

What to do in Hell

A visit to the village is in reality anything but hellish – and there are plenty of pleasant things to do in Hell, Norway.

While most visitors come for the train station or the Blues in Hell festival, guests are quick to fine Hell dotted with handfuls of cool attractions, such as rock carvings and a historic bridge, to name a few.

With Hell as your base, you can also venture out to nearby villages and eye the historic churches of Lånke and Værnes.

Hell Train Station

Hell Train Station is surrounded by forested, lush hills, and it’s the pit stop for photo-seeking visitors. Most Hell passersby pose for a picture by the railway’s sign, which reads: “Hell Station – God’s Expedition.”

In order to understand the hype over the sign, let’s dive a little bit into the town’s history.

When the train station was still regularly used, godsekspedisjon, meaning “goods inspection” or “cargo handling” in Norwegian, would be written on the sign, in order to alert engineers, conductors, and other persons. Over time, the phrase “God’s Expedition” was adapted.

When visiting the sign today, both Norwegians and tourists can ponder the interesting historical tidbit – and its even more interesting (seeming) connection to the village’s name today.

Hell Train Station. Photo: Peter Leong / Unsplash

While there’s not much else to do at the station, you can always take a peaceful walk-through as you picture the once-bustling train station as it was in the past, or wait for the occasional train to pop through on signal.

Trains that do stop here are either part of the regional line from nearby Trondheim (these are part of the Nordland Line, which heads towards Northern Norway), or part of the Meråker Line, which connects to the Swedish railway network.

Blues in Hell festival

This annual Hell music festival usually takes place in early September. It’s hosted at the Scandic Hell hotel, located only two minutes from Trondheim Airport.

The festival was first established in 1992 in an effort to promote Norway’s blues music scene.

In less than 30 years, the festival has expanded to include 100-plus concerts over 4 stages, and over 30 Norwegian, international, and up-and-coming artists to partake in a musical mesh.

Here, you can groove to acoustic blues, next-generation blues, blues rock, and swing. Food and drink stands are included onsite.

Stay at the Scandic Hell Hotel

Book an overnight at the award-winning Scandic Hell Hotel. Located in Stjørdal, right across from Hell and less than a kilometer away from the Trondheim Airport, this hotel is classy, comfortable, and has a superb location.

Choose from any of the hotel’s standard rooms (fitting up to three people), standard family (fitting up to four people), or opt for a junior suite, presidential suite, or superior best view.

The standard room types include amenities such as free Wi-Fi, a TV, armchairs, and some include a view. The suites, on the other hand, provide amenities such as balconies, fjord views, separate living areas, slippers, and toiletries.

Beyond your room, indulge at the hotel’s bar and restaurant. Vertigo Bar serves light snacks and finger food alongside cocktails and a variety of beverages. The hotel’s Restaurant Amelia serves breakfast, lunch, and an à la carte menu featuring locally grown products. Norwegian desserts and pastries are also provided to satiate your sweet tooth.

When you’re not rejuvenating in your room, enjoy walks around the village center – and all the interesting sights and signs you’ll find on the way.

Hell post office sign. Photo: Wordshore / Flickr (CC)

Rock carvings of Hell

Continue your immersion into Hell’s history by hiking 0.5 km to the Helleristninger, a site featuring reindeer and smaller animal carvings from the Stone Age.

Rock art carvings in Hell. Photo: Trondheim byarkiv, The Municipal Archives of Trondheim / Flickr (CC)

Discovered in 1895, Hell’s collection of rock carvings is among the most famous in Norway, alongside the UNESCO-protected rock art in Alta.

Hell Grill

You don’t have to travel beyond the village in search of finger-licking food.

Hell Grill is a small fast-food joint off the side of the road which serves barbecue and burgers with a Norwegian twist. 

This delightfully greasy grub will satiate barbecue lovers from near and far.

Trondheim to Hell train ride

If you’re visiting Hell from Trondheim, it may be worth it to journey by train rather than by car.

The entire half-hour train ride is scenic and relaxing, but the last five minutes add a bit of excitement into the mix, too.

You’ll enter a somewhat ominous-looking and dark tunnel that finally stops by the Hell Station’s famous “God’s Expedition” sign.

A return train ticket connecting Trondheim and Hell from the 1960s. Photo: Aslak Raanes / Flickr

Sandfærhus Shopping Center

While this shopping center isn’t located right in Hell (it’s right across the river), its close proximity to the village and popularity among residents makes it feel as if it’s part of the village. 

The shopping center, also called Hellsenteret, includes a supermarket, gym, sports shop, and café.

The mall sells postcards that say “Hell frozen over”, and other fun souvenirs to take some and remember the time you spent in Hell.

The Hell Bru Bridge

Hell Bru was first built in 1959 with the intention of connecting Trondheim Airport and other important landmarks on the mainland to Hell.

The bridge crosses the Stjørdalselva river and offers a direct connection to the village.

You can opt for a nice drive or walk along the bridge – both of which offer a fun photo opportunity.

The Lånke and Værnes Churches

The Værnes Church is a Romanesque-style parish church, located in Stjørdal municipality across the Stjørdalselva river. The church’s establishment dates back to around 1080-1100 AD, thus making it one of the oldest stone churches in Norway.

Near the Værnes Church is an open-air museum that offers insights on old building methods, antique furniture, and the nearby rock art.

Located in Lånke village, just east of Hell sits the long, characteristically white Lånke Church. This church’s history is a little more modern than Værnes, as Lånke was constructed in 1901 by Norwegian architect O. Røising

Where in the world is Hell, Norway?

With just under 2,000 inhabitants, Hell, Norway’s population isn’t among Norway’s largest. However, tourists regularly flock to it the unique village year-round.

If you wish to drive from some of Norway’s major cities to Hell, we’ve got you covered.

The distance from Hell to Oslo is 521 kilometers, from Hell to Bergen 656 kilometers, from Hell to Bodø 673 kilometers, and from Hell to Tromsø 1100 kilometers. 

For non-roadway trips, the Trondheim Airport has your back.

It’s internationally connected to the following cities: Alicante, Spain; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Copenhagen, Denmark; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Gdansk, Poland; Krakow, Poland; London, United Kingdom; Malaga, Spain; Murcia, Spain; Nice, France; Riga, Latvia; Split, Croatia; and Stockholm, Sweden.

The airport also has domestic flights to and from Bergen, Bodø, Bronnoysund, Harstad/Narvik, Kristiansand, Kristiansund, Mo i Rana, Mosjøen, Namsos, Oslo, Rørvik, Sandefjord, Sandnessjøen, Stavanger, Tromsø, and Ålesund.

Hell, Norway is too far south to see the aurora borealis and the midnight sun, but its other on-ground attractions should keep you occupied.

A satellite Hell, Norway map. Photo: Google Maps / Terrametrics

January is the village’s coldest month, with temperatures ranging from -4 to 2 degrees Celsius. The January sun rises around 9:35 AM and sets around 3:20 PM, making for just under six hours of sunlight per day. In short – anyone who has ever used a certain icy-hot idiom to get out of a date or an apology, or to keep a grudge, should stay away from the Hell, Norway winter.

July is Hell’s warmest month, with temperatures averaging from 11 to 19 degrees Celsius. Sunrise is around 3:35 AM, while sunset is around 11:00 PM, making for almost 20 hours of sunlight per day. Hell, Norway’s temperatures and weather are attributed to the region’s cool and temperate climate.

Wondering what the coordinates of Hell are? Hell, Norway sits on the 63rd latitude north and 11th latitude east.

Happy travels to Hell!

Source: Norway Today

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