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Rondablikk is a quiet and beautifully situated hotel in the stunning Rondane National park (about 300 kms north of Oslo). Get your cross country ski's or snow shoes on for fabulous loyper trails through the breathtaking park, woodland and mountains, stopping to snack in the occasional Sami shelters. If you fancy a bit of dog sledding for light relief, they do that too. Great for beginners in the above sports and Rondablikk is a lovely little find if you want a swim, sauna, a smorgasbord of tasty food and a bit of peace in front of the fire after the day's exertions. Wouldn't hesitate to rebook a third time....if only to re visit the lady in the log hut that makes the best hot chocolate in the world!
www.rondablikk.no
Rondablikk Høyfjellshotell
2642 Kvam
+47 61 29 49 40
Google map: bit.ly/UyMP8n
Several years ago my brother instigated the concept of the cultural snowboarding trip. The idea: don't hole up in one resort and only see hotel, slopes and bar - get out, travel and soak up the real culture while you're there. A trip to Granada and the magnificent Alhambra, combined with skiing in the Sierra Nevada in 28 degree heat, is one example, but checking out the museums and galleries of Oslo and the fantastic scenery that abounds across that nation and its neighbour, Sweden, while travelling by day and night-sleeper train is my personal favourite. Hafjell near Lillehammer, site of the slalom races for the '94 Winter Olympics, is just great in Springtime, or try nearby Kvitfjell if you're more daring. At Narvik you feel like you are skiing into the sea and can also visit a museum which celebrates the allied forces' earliest victory of WWII. In Riksgransen you can ski late into the night in the Spring. And then there is Are, which is a match for many of the best resorts in the Alps. Add a few days in Stockholm at the end of the trip and the whole experience is life-enhancing. Travel with a few mates and you could have the time of your life.
Travel by RyanAir from Stansted, Liverpool or Edinburgh to Oslo Torp and take the bus into the city. Then take a day train to Lillehammer for Hafjell. Sleeper trains take you north to Trondheim and then onto Fauske and a fantastic bus and ferry journey will take you to Narvik. Take the majestic Ofoten line to Riksgransen and finally the Norrlandståget sleeper train to Stockholm. Are can be reached easily from Stockholm or from Trondheim in Norway.
Google map: bit.ly/yOlOaP
Back in the 60s I learned to ski in Geilo. We used long wooden skis, leather boots, and elasticated safety bindings permanently attached to our skis. You never lost your skis when you fell over, but you were occasionally bashed on the head as you crashed to a stop. The equipment has improved, but Geilo still guarantees off-piste powder and deep-packed snow on your ski runs. You won't find ice or patchy slopes in the land that invented cross-country skiing.
www.geilo.no/en/winter/
Google map: bit.ly/zBv9L3
Both alpine and cross country skiing in Geilo are brilliant. The slopes are generally much quieter than the Alps but just as good. Plenty of things to do aside from skiing and very child friendly.
Lots of accommodation ranging from youth hostels to hotels to suit all budgets.
www.geilo.no/en/winter/
Geilo is one of the stations on the spectacular train journey between Bergen and Oslo.
Google map: bit.ly/wRxFXW
Cross the Hardanger Vidda plateau on telemark skis before Easter, travelling hut to hut. Take a guide or experienced friend(s) as there is the risk of severe weather (shovel for snow hole essential).
Info: bit.ly/yGe4tO
www.turistforeningen.no/english/
Google map: bit.ly/zUMHNE
Marken Gjestehus is an award winning hostel in the heart of Bergen (only 250 meters from the train and bus station). I have stayed there twice myself, and can definitely recommend this place. I stayed in the dorms, but they also have private rooms. In dorms you also get a locker with a key, so you can safely store luggage. Everything is very clean and nice. Great kitchen, fully equipped with everything you need. The staff are very helpful and nice. I will definitely stay here again next time I go to Bergen.
www.marken-gjestehus.com
Kong Oscars Gate 45, 5017 Bergen
+47 55 31 44 04
Google map: bit.ly/xBUdjW
In summer, absolute heaven! Wild flowers make the most of their short season, all trying to out-compete each other. Sitting by the sea at midnight, watching white tailed sea eagles and reading your book by the light of the sun you may even experience an algal bloom turning the warm sea to an unbelievably brilliant turquoise.
In winter, a wonderful place to see the Northern Lights with (relatively!) mild temperatures due to the Gulf Stream. From February to May you may find the smell of drying cod, ‘Stockfish’ somewhat overpowering.
The down side: you’ll always suffer from the urge to go back there!
www.lofoten-info.no/
From Oslo or Trondheim, take the train or drive to Bodø, and catch the ferry from Bodø to Moskenes.
Google map: bit.ly/sF9V2j
Visit Svartisen Glacier from Holandsfjord to an arm called Engabreen, which appears to reach down and tickle the fjord with its icy fingers. The second largest in Europe covering 370 square kilometers. Researchers study the growth and retreat from their unique laboratory 200m below. Walk around the green lake, which is the prettiest route with a swinging bridge and rivers to ford or use the rock route, crossing moraine and rust coloured striated rock formations. Painted arrows direct you. The magical blue ice draws you nearer but the screeching and groaning reminds you of the hidden dangers. Ice caves and deep fissures abound so book a guide if you wish to explore further. They'll equip you with rope, ice picks and crampons for your unforgettable hike. Wear lots of layers even in the middle of Summer and don't forget your sunnies. The walk lasts about 5 hours and should be booked a few days in advance.
Take the train from Oslo, fly in from Trondheim or Bodø or take a boat up to the head of Holandsfjord and walk from there.
North of the Arctic Circle 66°42.4’N 13° 42.5’E
www.visitnorway.com/en/Product/?pid=128588
Google map: bit.ly/uF3Blw
Visit Svartisen Glacier from Holandsfjord to an arm called Engabreen, which appears to reach down and tickle the fjord with its icy fingers. The second largest in Europe covering 370 square kilometers. Researchers study the growth and retreat from their unique laboratory 200m below. Walk around the green lake, which is the prettiest route with a swinging bridge and rivers to ford or use the rock route, crossing moraine and rust coloured striated rock formations. Painted arrows direct you. The magical blue ice draws you nearer but the screeching and groaning reminds you of the hidden dangers. Ice caves and deep fissures abound so book a guide if you wish to explore further. They'll equip you with rope, ice picks and crampons for your unforgettable hike. Wear lots of layers even in the middle of summer and don't forget your sunnies. The walk lasts about five hours and should be booked a few days in advance.
Take the train from Oslo, fly in from Trondheim or Bodø or take a boat up to the head of Holandsfjord and walk from there.
North of the Arctic Circle 66°42.4’N 13° 42.5’E
www.visitnorway.com/en/Product/?pid=128588
Google map: bit.ly/uF3Blw
An amazing place, a real gem just across the border from Finland North of the Arctic Circle - the owner Sven is a real pro, 11 time winner of Europe's longest sled dog race, and he built and designed all the wood huts himself, with lovely attention to detail. The dog sled trips with Sven and the huskies are legendary and truly challenging - every trip is a great adventure! On one of our trips my glasses froze and I had to steer blind - Sven jumped onto my sled and managed to stop the dogs. Unbelievable!
There is also a great hot tub and the food is a real treat.
www.engholm.no/
Engholm Husky
Gnr 11 Bnr 24, 9730 Karasjok, Norway
(+47)91586625
Google map: bit.ly/uhtBhg
Norway hosted the Winter Olympics in 1994 in Lillehammer and it's well worth a visit, not least because you can still have a go at honing your bobsleigh skills! In winter, you can go down the icy run and in summer, which is when we visited, you can ride down on a wheeled cart! The climb up the run is the arduous bit, but you are rewarded with five minutes of pure exhilaration!!
Perfect fun for the whole family.
www.olympiaparken.no
Håkons Hall, Postboks 183, 2601 Lillehammer
+47 6127 7550
Google map: bit.ly/oH9fhM
Norway is a great country for walking, whether it’s for an hour, a day or a week. And you don’t have to go far from the big towns to find a delightful route of any length. Above Oslo for instance, you have Nordmarka – a vast, forested terrain with a huge number of walking trails in the summer and cross country ski trails in the winter.
Buy a good map, pack your rucksack and take the T-bane up past Holmenkollen Ski Jump to Frognerseteren (perhaps stopping on the way to admire the jumpers’ daring). Then set off in your chosen direction. We decided to make a three day trip of it, staying at Kikutstua (www.kikutstua.no) for two nights' half board with lunch pack. DNT (www.turistforeningen.no) has accommodation up there too.
In summer enjoy the fruits of the forest – wild strawberries in late June or bilberries in July. In autumn enjoy the wild fungus - if you dare. And if the weather is hot, as it is surprisingly often in the Scandinavian summer, take frequent dips in the many lakes you pass en route. We must have swum seven or eight times on our short trip, and we scarcely saw a soul. That’s why we love the Nordic countries.
Norway - a smorgasbord of mountain and fjord, excellent railways and beautiful cruise ships can be experienced in one day. 'Norway in a Nutshell' incorporates a railway line that drops 2,800 feet in 55 minutes at Flam, a meandering boat cruise up the steep-sided Sognefjord, ending with either an evening on the historic harbour front at Bergen or back for dinner in one of Oslo's Michelin-starred restaurants.
Every morning the 8.00 am train leaves for Bergen, then on to Myrdal and Flam where you join a boat for the next leg on the Sognefjord, then shuttle bus to Voss where your train takes you back to Oslo or Bergen for the evening.
www.norwayinanutshell.com
The old roads over the passes are usually well surfaced and the views of fjords, glaciers and mountains are magnificent and it is much cheaper than paying tunnel tolls!
Fjord area
Normally, the thought of a seven-hour train journey would be enough to make me pop a sleeping pill, but the spectacular Oslo to Bergen railway had me glued to the window, camera in hand. Bridging the gap between two of Norway’s must-see cities, this unique train journey climbs an astonishing 1222m above sea level, taking in picturesque pine forests, plunging waterfalls, narrow gorges and small villages dotted with gingerbread-style houses. The most stunning stretch comes over the Hardangervidda, Europe's highest mountainous plateau and national park. Jaws dropped as the train rolled through beautiful, barren snowscapes, resembling what you may only expect to see on another planet (I later found out it was used to film parts of Star Wars). It is not surprising that it is recognised by many as the most exciting and beautiful train ride in the world.
www.nsb.no
Departs from Oslo S railway station
For a truly delightful Norwegian experience visit the Utne Hotel in the Hardanger region. From your first glimpse of the hotel with its quaint clapboard exterior and white picket fence you will be enchanted. The hotel dates from 1722 and the interior is furnished in traditional Norwegian style with painted woodwork, antique furniture and old paintings. Sitting in the drawing room is like visiting a private house. Then complete the experience with afternoon tea served in miniature teapots with chocolate and apple cake accompanied by ice cream and starfruit. It is almost impossible to choose between the beautiful views of the fjords, the exquisite furnishings of the room and the presentation of the cake, an art work in itself. A gem in a beautiful country! While there also visit the Hardanger Folk Museum to learn all about the area and its customs and music.
www.utnehotel.no/
Utne Hotel, NO-5779 Utne
+47 53 66 64 00
Google map: bit.ly/oyUGZF
A 14 hour round trip from Oslo to Bergen, taking in all Norway has to offer. During the initial five hour train journey from Oslo to Myrdal the scene from the window gets whiter and whiter as the journey takes you high through the Langfjellene and Hardangervidda mountains. By the time you reach Myrdal station, it’s so snowy icicles have formed the length of the ticket offices. The Flam railway then descends down the Norwegian landscape, stopping briefly by the (often frozen) Kjosfossen waterfall allowing passengers to get out and take photographs. From Flam you take a boat through the breathtaking Aurlandsfjord before a bus takes you the final length of your journey from Gudvangen to Bergen, just in time for dinner. Bergen has one of the world’s most famous fish markets, so trying the local produce is highly recommended. If you still haven’t quite got enough of a snowy mountain fix, Bergen’s funicular railway takes you to the top of Mount Floyan for some outstanding views and vast walking opportunities. Completing the round trip is a direct train journey from Bergen back to Oslo, including a stop at Finse with an altitude of 1,222 meters, it’s the highest station on the journey.
www.norwaynutshell.com/en/explore-the-fjords/norway-in-a-nutshell/
Between mid-May and the end of July, you can take the cable car to the top of the mountain for stunning views all over Tromso and the midnight sun. There is even a cafe up there!
www.fjellheisen.no/
Fjellheisen, Solliveien 12, N-9020 Tromsdalen
+47 776 38737
Google map: bit.ly/rm0FEA
The “Norway in a Nutshell Tour” takes you through the most beautiful scenery in Fjord Norway. Scale the mountains by rail, the fjords by boat, and take in the incredible view on the bus journey up the steepest road in Northern Europe, the Stalheimskleiva! You can experience the scenic Bergen Railway, the breath-taking Flam Railway, the Aurlandsfjord, the narrow Naeroyfjord (now included on UNESCOs World Heritage List) and the steep Stalheimskleiva.
For more information visit ACP Rail International for rail pass information: booking.acprail.com/index.action?urlType=Norway_in_a_Nutshell_Tour&info=true
The setting for the Norwegian Wood rock festival in Oslo, Norway is absolutely perfect for live music. It takes place in a natural amphitheatre in parkland in Frognerbadet ("the Frogner Baths"). Only 8000 tickets are sold for each day of the festival, and thanks to the grassy slopes of the amphitheatre, every person has a tremendous view of the stage. Even up the back you feel like you're at an intimate show. The lineup is often conservative - this year it's Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and The Eagles, with the lone rebellious figure of Patti Smith. Past highlights have included Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, the Foo Fighters and Iggy Pop. Frognerbadet is also right next to the astounding Vigeland's park - 80 acres of amazing sculpture by Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland.
www.norwegianwood.no/
(+47) 815 33 133
Google map: bit.ly/jx5XuP
Metro/tram stop: Majorstuen
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