Ever since I moved away from Norway I find there is something magical about returning to the fjords and the mountains. After spending time in the â€concrete jungle†or in small green spots in the city it is liberating to go walking for hours and get some fresh mountain-air. Sometimes you can also find a nice spot to take a (freezing) bath.
When I go back to visit my family, I normally try to get a few hiking trips up in the mountains. Some of my favourite spots are up in “Tafjordfjella†and “Sunnmørsalpane†, where you find yourself staring hundreds of meters down into a fjord.
When you go hiking in the mountain there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Say hello to everybody, when you’re hiking in Norway everyone you meet is your friend.
- Bring your own food. Norwegians love their “matpakke†(food package) which normally consists of bread with cheese or salami, wrapped in brown paper. And you should bring the Norwegian chocolate “Kvikk Lunsj” – this is basic knowledge among Norwegians.
- You can drink the water from most brooks and rivers in the mountains. As a kid, I drank the water close to an outdoor toilet though, and would not recommend anyone to do the same..
- Wear good hiking shoes and bring some blister plasters, as you are sure to get sore feet.
- Follow the red T’s! These are official paths prepared by the Norwegian Trekking Association.
- Sign the small book when you get to a peek, it is normally in some wooden box or hidden in small box in one of the stone piles on the top. This is mostly because you can brag about getting top and have some proof for it later.
- I would also recommend you to go together with someone, as even the most experienced hiker can face some problems when she goes into the wild..
The Norwegian Trekking Association have offices in most cities and can tell you the best hiking routes in addition to providing you with hiking maps. If you buy a membership, which costs a bit more than 30 euros for students and around 60 for others you also get access to their self-service cabins. A week of hiking in the mountain and staying at these cabins is a great way of seeing as much as possible without having to carry the extra weight of a tent. The membership also supports the nature conservation and helps the association maintain the marked paths and cabins in the mountains.
Kathrine Opshaug Bakke, editor at Travelettes from 2009 to 2013, wrote this post. Originating from Norway, she has been living in Berlin, Lisbon, and Stockholm the past 6 years. She loves cities with imperfect facades, photography, traveling by bike, vintage hunting, and everything that comes with cheese. Follow her visual diary at anchoredpaperplane.com.
Happy hiking and make sure you say hallo when we meet!
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