Mjøstråkk

Mjøstråkk
Mjøstråkk is the name of the 250 km long cycling route around Mjøsa, Norway’s greatest lake.
Travelling on two wheels around Mjøsa lets you experience this beautiful cultural landscape with its rolling fields and green hills close up.

A detailed map from 2013 is on sale for NOK 100 from the tourist offices in Gjøvik, Hamar and Lillehammer. The map has information about the route, topography and tips on accommodation, eateries and attractions in Norwegian and English.

Click to see the Mjøstråkk map.

You can download the GPS data:
- Download Mjøstråkk as a .GPX-file

Route
You can choose your own starting point.
If you start in the south and cycle along the western shore of Mjøsa, the route will take you from Minnesund via Hurdal and Totenåsen to Skreia, Kapp and Gjøvik. The route continues north via Biri to Lillehammer at the north end of the lake, and then turns south via Brøttum, Moelv and Brumunddal to Hamar. The final section takes you past Stange and Tanken before you return to your starting point in Minnesund.

You can cycle the entire route or parts of it, and you choose the distance that suits you best. Some sections of the route have steep inclines, for example from Minnesund to Totenåsen, a stretch that is classified as challenging. The reward is the fantastic views of Toten and Mjøsa when you get to the top. The rest of the route varies between fairly easy and fairly demanding. Children over 10 can cycle part of the route, for example between Totenåsen and Gjøvik.

   - Minnesund–Gjøvik 72 km – Demanding
   - Gjøvik–Lillehammer 48 km – Fairly demanding
   - Lillehammer–Hamar 61 km – Fairly easy
   - Hamar–Minnesund 53 km – Fairly easy

Other accommodation
If you want to cycle the entire route there is a wide range of accommodation to choose from along the way. Great hotels and hostels are available in the towns of Gjøvik, Lillehammer og Hamar. If you want the spend the night in charming rural surroundings, you can stay at one of the many farms along the route, such as Stokke Nedre, north of Gjøvik, and Annexstad Gård, south of Gjøvik. We recommend that you book accommodation in advance.

Sight-seeing
If you are looking for additional adventures along the cycling route, there are numerous attractions and sights you can visit. The Peder Balke centre at Kapp is well worth a visit. The centre has an art gallery with various exhibitions, in addition to wonderful murals by Peder Balke. The centre also has a shop selling interiors and a cafe. In Gjøvik, we recommend that you visit Gjøvik Gård, the olympic mountain hall and Norway’s smallest chocolate factory, Gjøvik Chokolade, in the town centre. Many of the sights are marked and described in the “Mjøstråkk” map.

Food
Good food is important. You will find everything from well-known chains like Peppes and Egon to cozy farm cafes which serve food and refreshments along the route. Opening hours vary so it may wise to plan meal stops in advance. There are grocery shops in the towns and villages along the way.

Bicycle hire
If you haven’t brought your own bike you can hire one at the tourist office at Gjøvik station.

Transport
If you wish to combine the cycling trip with a voyage on Skibladner, the white swan of Mjøsa, you can bring you bike on board. Space is limited, so it is important to book in advance. Send an e-mail to Skibladner at skibladner@skibladner.no

Every Saturday from the end of June until the middle of August you can bring your bike aboard the boat “Besta”, which sails between Hamar and Helgøya.
Book a place on tel. +47 944 34 582

If you arrive in the Mjøsa region by train, you can also bring your bike on board. The Gjøvik railway line runs between Oslo S and Gjøvik, while the Dovrebanen line runs from Oslo S to Hamar and Lillehammer. We recommend that you book a space for your bike in advance. Call Vy on +47 815 00 888.

Do you have any questions?
You will find more information about accommodation, sight-seeing and restaurants in the Gjøvik region, Hadeland, Ringerike and Ringsaker (This means the majority of the Western side of Lake Mjøsa) on our website www.visitostnorge.no.

Information about other sections of the route is available from the following websites
www.visitromerike.no,  www.lillehammer.com and www.hamarregionen.no