This video shows additional images from our Walking the Path of the Pilgrims experience, a self-guided hiking tour in Dalsland, West Sweden. For details of Walking the Path of the Pilgrims, please see [ Ссылка ]

In September 2010, Dalslands Tourist Board and Edsleskogs Wärdshus initiated a test weekend with 14 European hikers to test Dalsland's Pilgrimsleden.

The main goal was to invite suggestions/feedback to improve the 40 most interesting kilometres of the trail.

These hikers, guided by Jens Eriksson Sörknatten Vildmarksguide, walked this section in 12 hours and every 10 kilometres they sat down and wrote down their suggestions/feedback.

The next day, they evaluated the trail with members of Dalsland's Tourist Board. During the rest of 2010 and 2011 the trail was renovated following suggestions from the weekend's test. The Dalsland's Pilgrims's Trail will have brand new hiking maps, has been approved by the Swedish Pilgrim's Association and will be marked with the Sankt Olavs mark.

When Nils, the priest of the small village of Edsleskog, ended one of his church services in the year 1220, he met two drunk men behind the port of the church. They followed him, took his coat and his hat and murdered him after three kilometres of struggle and fighting.

The next day, a water well appeared at the place where the priest was killed. All the pilgrims who passed Edsleskog on their way up to Nidaros/Trondheim drank from this water and noticed that the water was very special -- they were revitalised, their journey made easier and blind pilgrims even regained their sight.

All the Pilgrims thanked Archbishop Olaf in Trondheim and because of all this attention for such a small viillage in his area the Archbishop visited Edsleskog in the year 1221. He became convinced of the healing capacity of the water and declared Priest Nils and the water well "holy".

From summer 2010, the path on which Nils fought for his life has been renovated to become a wonderful hiking trail, and a special commemorative mineral water is now served in the area.

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