Sunshine & Lakes: Trekking in Nordmarka

A Sunny Sunday Adventure 

Øyungsdammen.

It feels like ages since I've seen blue skies. Yet, today the sun was out and shining; making it the perfect day to be out hiking.

Water flowing from Øyungsdammen.

This morning after breakfast I caught bus #51 in the direction of Maridalen and rode up to Skar, which is the last stop on the line.

Øyungen.

At the end of August, I visited Øyungen lake with some classmates. However, we just had a short hike to the lake and rested by the shore. So, this time I wanted to walk around the lake and explore the forest paths.

Photo-op by the lake.

It was pretty chilly this morning, only 37F or about 3C. Despite the cold, lots of people were out taking advantage of the nice weather. It was actually a bit strange to see so many people, because I had been in the area last Sunday when it was misty, yet slightly warmer, and it was just about deserted on the paths, minus several bikers.

Øyungen.

Fortunately, it's easy to get away from crowds and far enough away from the noises of the city. In the summertime, I think it would be nice to camp along the lake. Many still camp around it now, but at this time of year it's important to be strategic with packing since the nights are cold, and I don't have the camping gear for that.

Eastern side of Øyungen.

The hike along the lake was absolutely beautiful. Sometimes it's a bit slow going because the paths tend to be a bit flooded, but the views are definitely worth the time and occasional soggy shoe.

View of the lake. 

I hiked north along the eastern side of Øyungen following the trail along the side of lake. There are lots of trails heading in the same direction, but I prefer to take the narrow paths with the water views rather than taking the wider, main trails which zigzag through the forests.

Wetland area near the eastern edge of the lake.

As I hiked on, the pathway drew away from the main part of the lake, and went along a smaller channel. Here the lake became smaller and wetlands started to emerge.

Ice and wetlands.

This small portion of the lake was more closed off, making it shadier and colder. Already some of the water near the shoreline had turned frozen over.

The fields of Liggeren gård.

After hiking around the eastern half of Øyungen, the path led up through the forests and past the fields of Liggeren gård.

Trail sign outside Liggeren gård.

When I got to the top of the farm I took a look at the trail sign and decided to head towards Gåslungen gård (1,5km away).

My shadow waving to the camera.

When I go hiking I usually have no plan where I'm going. I just like to walk and see new places. However, on these short days there is one thing I keep in mind; which direction I'm heading.

Frozen pond.

I always try to make sure I make a loop of some sort so that I can head back to Skar or Hammeren, where I know there are bus stops.

Frost around the leaves.

With the sun now setting by 15:40, it's important to have an idea where I am so I can leave enough time to get out to safety. There are no lights along the paths, so when the sun sets, it gets very dark very fast.

Dam made of logs near Gåslungen.

With tree roots and flooded paths, poor lighting definitely doesn't make for safe travel. Plus, as the day went on, it got visibly colder. The more north I hiked the more frost there was on the plants and ground.

River flowing from Gåslungen.

Near Gåslungen gård there was an old wooden dam made of logs, along with a bridge to cross the water flowing down from Gåslungen lake.

Trail sign by Gåslungen gård.

Upon arriving at the farm I took a look at the trail sign to see where I was, and headed in the direction of Hammeren (7.5km away).

Looking out over Gåslungen.

There are several types of paths in the forests of Nordmarka. Paths going along the water, through the forests, and also wide roads for bicyclists and the occasional farmer's car.

Looking north across Gåslungen.

Normally every time I come to the forests things are mostly silent. Just a few birds, but nothing more. 

Gåslungen.

Today, I actually saw a couple of horseback riders, and glimpsed a woodpecker before it flew away. Still no moose, no deer, no fish, and very few birds.

Little island in Gåslungen.

Rain or shine, the lakes are so peaceful and flawless. Oslo is a nice city, but being out in the nature is where I am most happy.

Small island in Rottungen.

Following the trail from Gåslungen, I joined with the main path and headed towards Rottungen. I wish I had time to walk further along Rottungen, but it was about an hour away from sunset and I still had quite a trek down to Hammeren.

Sun setting over Skjærsjøen.

Heading south along the wider bike road to save time, I finally arrived at place I knew. A spot I had ended up in last week when I was exploring Nordmarka. I felt a bit relieved to know where I was since night was coming.

View of Skjærsjøen from the dam.

I passed Skjærsjøen just as it was coming up on 15:30 and took some quick photos before continuing my journey down to Hammeren.

The river flowing from Skjærsjøen down to Maridalvannet.

The walk was getting colder, and it was quickly getting darker, yet lots of bikers and hikers were still out and about.

The moon rising over the forests.

Through the soft pink glow of sunset, the moon arrived high in the sky over the eastern forests of Oslo. At last I made it down to Hammeren right across from Maridalvannet, and waited to catch the bus back home.

Looking towards the southeast side of Maridalsvannet.

It was such a lovely day, and I had a great hike enjoying many new places in Nordmarka!

Map of the hiking route I made.

Tusen takk for a nice Sunday adventure!

Øyungen: A Lake in the Forest

A New Hiking Tradition?

Trail sign pointing towards Øyungsdammen (Øyungen Dam).

Perfect Day for a Hike

Today the sun was shining and the forests were beckoning. After many hours of sitting and studying it feels great to get outside, walk, and be in nature. A short ride from Nydalen on bus #51 to Maridalen; Øyungen Lake is easily accessible. 

A little cottage at the beginning of the trail.

The hike to the lake is 2.5 km (about 1.5 miles), through a wide, easy to navigate forest trail.  Nearby there are also plenty of other hiking trails going through different parts of the forest.

My classmates ahead on the trail.

Seven of my fellow classmates from SUM (Centre for Development and the Environment) came to our inaugural hiking afternoon.  Every week we are hoping to go hiking at a different spot.  Hiking is a great way to get some exercise and take a much needed break from studies.  Oslo has many accessible trails and parks a short distance away via public transportation, which makes it nice to easily get out and explore new places.

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The Skarselva river flowing from Øyungsdammen.

On our hike to the lake we passed by the Skarselva river. The river flows down to Maridalsvannet, where Oslo gets its drinking water.  My Norwegian friend was so proud of how clean the water is that she poured out the water in her bottle and excitedly re-filled it with river water.

The Skarselva river.

The Skarselva river flows from Øyungen Lake and over the Øyungsdammen. It runs alongside nearly half of the trail to the lake before disappearing behind trees, and is really nice to stop beside or look at while walking.

 Øyungen Lake

Emerging from the forests at the lakeside we found a nice place to sit down by a fire pit.  There are many different picnic tables and fire pits around the lake. Currently though, Oslo has a no open fire policy that has been running since April and ends later this September.  It has been such an unusually dry summer, that campfires haven't been allowed.

Photo-op in front of the lake.

 Everyone was all smiles at the lake shore. We sat gazing out at the lake, chatting, and taking in the nature for quite some time.

 Øyungen Lake.

Just like in Finland, Norway allows everyone to roam freely across the land. This means that you are able to go hiking or camping anywhere, as long as you aren't camped right behind someone's house or in a military training zone.

Shoreline of Øyungen Lake.

Living in the city there is always some noise, but everything is so silent out in nature. Even with the rustle of the wind and the rippling water, it was very quiet and calm. Across the lake someone was even laying in a hammock, really taking in the peacefulness of the place.

Duck swimming in the lake. 

The water didn't feel all that cold, but the only ones taking a dip today were a few ducks swimming near the shore.

Another view of Øyungen Lake.

There is a 5.1 km (about 3 miles) trail that goes along the lake. We didn't walk around it today, but in the future it may be nice to take the full trek around to view the lake from all angles. At the southern portion of the lake is the dam which feeds water to the Skarselva river.

A distant bench along the side of the trail.

Today was terrific, and the hike to Øyungen Lake was absolutely lovely.  Hopefully in the future we can continue this hiking tradition and check out even more beautiful places around Oslo!