Oslo Off The Beaten Path

Sognsvann is a natural area north of Oslo, reachable by subway line number 3, the stop with the same name, in fact it's the last stop, so it's difficult to miss it.

On winter the lake frozes and gets covered with a pretty thick layer of snow. Lots of people go there to cross-country skying, trekking, going for a walk. I tell you snow it's no a handicap. We even has a barbecue on it!

Personally, I didn't realise I was wolking on a lake until someone told me and I saw people making holes to fish with canes.

The pictur shows the lake, you'll see just for how flat it is, and the group of people I was with.

Sognsvann is a natural area north of Oslo, reachable by subway line number 3, the stop with the same name, in fact it's the last stop, so it's difficult to miss it.

On winter the lake frozes and gets covered with a pretty thick layer of snow. Lots of people go there to cross-country skying, trekking, going for a walk. I tell you snow it's no a handicap. We even has a barbecue on it!

Personally, I didn't realise I was wolking on a lake until someone told me and I saw people making holes to fish with canes.

Kavringen is a little islet outside of our main
island in the oslo fjord. on the island there's a red light house from 1892. Kavringen is preserved as a reservation for sea birds

as an indication of our 1000 celebration of Oslo, all people in Oslo had an opportunity to send a letter to the future. All those salutations are being held for 1000 years in a receptacle which is kept in Kavringen light house. Each year 15th of May visitors are able to visit Kavringen to ensure that the receptacle is still there.

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This island is an interesting relaxing place for the inhabitants of Oslo. From Vippetangen you can take the ferry all year long. On the island you'll find hiking routes, old ruins from the monastery and great bathing places.

One of the places I visited while in Oslo was Bislett Stadium. The stadium hosts the Bislett Games, an elite track and field meet, each June. Being a track fan coupled with the fairly central location of the stadium led me to take a visit. I am guessing I am one of the few tourists to Oslo who have visiting a track as something on there itinerary! While the outside of the stadium was in pretty rough shape, I managed to find an open gate and walked in. The track itself was great. Quite a few world records were set on the Bislett track.

They have been rebuilding the stadium this past year and are also putting in a new track.

If you get a transport card to move around the city, and if my memroy is correct, that allows you to take the ferries to the islands. There are several of them and are not very big, but when there's good weather, it's a nice place to relax.

I remember going to the "island of the rabbits" (no idea of the name in norwegian) where I was told long ago there used to be a monastery or some religious constructions, now all ruined.

And besides frion the ferry you can catch a different view of the city.

When I was there in the middle of autumn and I couldn't say that the weather was pretty good then. It was rainy and cold. Too cold... And that rain... Brrrr... So, don't forget to take warm clothes with you.

This historic mill on the Akerselva river is not far from the Norsk Technical Museum and Maridalsvannet. Waterpower from streams like this one propelled Norway's industrialization in the late 19th and 20th century. Nowadays, it's possible to look at mills like this one with fond nostalgia, but I'm sure that they were unpleasant and unhealthy places to work.