WINTER SPORTS GUIDE > NORWAY
Guaranteed snow and great Telemarking country
-,' ti >5 \‘Ct-fl"
.11.
"wt;
i 1'5
,m ' :r
' ' titi‘ii.‘ We" at
Norse code
It may be more famed for its off piste offerings, but Morag Bruce reckons the slopes in Norway have just as much to offer.
pparently there are rock caryings in Rotloy'. Norway. which depict lltosc plucky Scandinay'ians skiing SIKX) years ago. 'I'hey'ye been at it a while then. So it‘s not really surprising that there‘s a wealth oI' resorts across the nation and that skiing. particularly the
cross—country yariety l'I‘eIcmarkingl. is part oI
ey'eryday Iil'e I‘or many Norwegian lamilies. This is not a country ol’ mega—resorts: it's less abottt pistes and more about acres ol‘ mountains and woodland to explore once you haye mastered the art ol"I‘elemarking.
The stories abottt the gobsmacking beauty ol'
this place are all true. The mighty l:iol‘ds and mountains will haye you pressing your nose up against the window I'or most ol‘ any car journey. It‘s also trite about Norway being a little bit on the pricey side. but not perhaps when compared with the tnore expensiy'c resorts oI' I-‘rancc and Swit/erland.
Thanks to Norway ‘s many glaciers. there's plenty of scope I'or comedy skiing in bikinis and shorts during the summer months. But when winter comes round. it‘s probably wise to dress a bit warmer as temperatures plummet to spine- chilling Ieyels. Norwegian mountains can be lacking in y'crtical descent and challenge. but IIemsedal lnorth west of Oslo. in the Ilallingdal Valley) with its craggy terrain. has some genuine stecps and double black graded runs. plus a brand spanking new eight-seater chairlilt. It also has one ol‘ the highest and most consistent
24 THE LIST -1 ‘:4
snowlalls in Iiurope. and a super long season lasting I'rom Noy'cmber to early May.
There are 42km ol‘ piste and lelkm ol~
'l‘elcmark trails. so there‘s plenty here to ensure you are kept busy ski-wise. while sey'eral popular hotels in the Village ol‘ llemsedal allow you to
join those cra/y Norwegians in some Iiycly' apres
ski. Ilaliiell. I5 minutes by ski bus Irom W‘M winter ()lympics host I.i|lehammer. is home to 30km ol pistes and 450an iii 'I‘elcmark trails. This is the stul‘li oi gentle pistes. bttt l‘or a real
jaw—dropping experience. be here in March 2005
when I.illehammer hosts the World Ski-jumping ('ltampionships.
Hi you can stray a little I'urlher alield. there are many little resorts dotted all oyer the place which are just a car park. some lills and a restaurant. One such place is Strandaliiellet. This Is a destination that requires some dedication to reach but is well worth it tor the tranquility you’ll lind. (iiy'en the right conditions. this resort claims to be the only place you can ski down to the banks ol' a Ijord. But men it you can‘t. the Views from the top are pretty spectacular. although trying to take a picture can be tricky when it's too cold to remoye your gloyes.
'I‘he on-piste skiing is I'airly limited. but it there has been a big snowl'all. there are plenty ol‘ gullies and tree runs to keep you occupied. The few hits might be crowded at weekends with daytripping Norwegian families. but during the week you could be tnaking l'resh tracks all day.
A rsa\
www.riso.com
HEMSEDAL
Do it yourself With mam” «A, .. .,
G'aS€IO‘-'~'l. you land at (isms tum. K, H to Oslo bus station lIOrkagDrcSw,., CatCll 8 DUB t‘llltkj'. It? llOndedl ., “A” Let
them do it for you t‘xysta t‘l‘.‘ it'fm as Ski McNelll iskimcneillcemt, New ~ :9 (nerlson.r:o.ukl. Sis!-Il()".‘y’il\'.(itl.tm Lift pass price
(SIX (lays‘l: €118 Tourist info .‘t - . wwbomsodal.(tom
HATJELL I LILLEHAMMER
Do it yourself AS above. ll.}ll‘ I “I l'.:" .M' Oslo and go to the main train :;l.i‘. law .- (nor waynor to Lillohammor. what It l.:"i"~ .it ‘2' three hours. Let them do it for you t 7". it : (Crystalskt.(:o.tlk;. lizll'tblotti (ramblersholldz’iystm.uki. Ski lVllTN“ isklrncnetll.(tonil Lift pass lsrs l.l.l‘.f» : “ " Tourist info: Hetioll 00.1." tit >-~‘ wwwlillohamnlorttuist.no
STRANDAFJELLET
Do it yourself Hy to ()s‘lo ism .lt v .i‘l "‘ .l
flight to Alesund (braathcnsno). I u flll l l' wt 1 car at the airport. or take a bin; Illill H t: ,l 78 00) to Slrantlallellet. Lift pass no il.l\,'~; NOK (€68 aproxl. vwrwstrantlallt>ll:;t i~
MAKING
.),« 'Il .,
YOUR TELEM
ARK
p,” 0...,{‘,._, I,_:' I", r,
According to legend, in the 18305 in the secluded village of Morgedal, Telemark, there lived a man called Sondre Nordheim. Other villages were amazed by his skiing skills, and when he engineered a new binding, with a loose heel, they thought he was bonkers. But he had invented a fast way of getting about during the depths of winter when no other methods of transport worked. But it wasn’t until the late 19805 that the Telemark way of skiing was brought back into major use and, today, the legend of Sondre still influences a whole world of skiing.
The idea is still the same. Your heel is unattached from the binding, so you can travel along flat tracks by lunging forward. The skis are much more lightweight than regular skis, and the boots are generally made of leather. If you think you are fit, Telemarking will be a good test: prepare for thighs of steel.
It also gives the rider an amazing freedom. You've no need to stick to marked trails - whole new terrains open up to you. If you’re feeling adventurous there are plenty Telemark tricks to practise or take a tour on a glacier, many of which would be inaccessible by any other way.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH TISO AND THE NORTH FACE