Skjækerfossen waterfall

Skjækerfossen is a beautiful waterfall along FV757 in Helgådalen valley in Verdal municipality. The waterfall is a popular place to take photos for many.

A few years back the picnic area at Skjækerfossen waterfall was improved with new seating groups and information boards, and this is a great place to stop whether you are coming by bike or car.

Mining history

There is a lot of history associated with this place and on the information boards we can read about what has happened here and in the area around the waterfall.

In 1881, a smelting hut was set up here with two furnaces. In order to provide energy to power the cabin's blower, a water wheel was built in Skjækerfossen.

The smelting process took place around the clock and there was hectic activity both inside and outside of the cabin. The mining at Malså and the operations at the smelting hut was discontinued in 1892. The finished product from the smelter hut was nickel stone with 50% pure nickel and 14% copper. A total of 475 tonnes of nickel stone was transported from Skjækerfossen to Skånes in Sweden.

We can still see the remains of this operation at Skjækerfossen. 1.9 km from Skjækerfossen you can see Malså mines, the largest mining operation in Verdal the one that was in operation for the longest time.

WWII

Henry Rinnan (war criminal) was held in detention here after his arrest at Flyvollen in May 1945 and the house he was held in is still here near Skjækerfossen.

In 2006, a memorial stone was erected here for those who were border guides* during World War II - as a thank you for their efforts. Much of the refugee traffic over to Sweden during the war went here.

*Border Guide (Grenseloser) - a person helping war refugees navigate over the border from Norway to Sweden during World War II. Sweden was a neutral country during the war.

Gateway to Blåfjella - Skjækerfjella National Park

There is a trail into the Blåfjella - Skjækerfjella National Park from here.

Directions

Take off from the E6 at Verdal, and follow Fv 757 for 36 kilometers east towards Vuku.

Alternatively, you can follow Fv 72 east towards Sweden, turn left at Gropa Kiosk and the petrol station towards Vuku, and continue straight ahead, cross the river and then east to Skjækerfossen.