Misty morning at Skjærsjøen

From Hammeren to Skjærsjøen

I've been bit by the nature adventure bug. Most of my free time is spent walking around the city or forests surrounding Oslo. By foot you can see so many places you otherwise would miss if you were riding in a car, bus, train, etc.

Skjærsjøen lake.

A couple of weekends ago, I braved the clouds, and cool, misty air, to take advantage of my day off from uni. Even though the weather wasn't ideal, it still made for a great daytime hike.

The shore of Skjærsjøen.

I took bus #51 to Hammeren, and then headed north along the forest paths. Eventually I ended up around Skjærsjødammen which is a dam from the 1890s. The dam carries water from Skjærsjøen lake via the Skjærsjøelva, down through the Hammeren hydroelectric power station, and out to Maridalsvannet.  

Looking north across Skjærsjøen.

The paths were so flooded, but I slowly made my way along the lakeside. Looking across the lake I fell in love with Norway all over again. If only I could just get a job hiking around this beautiful country. I feel so happy and at peace when I'm out in nature.

Trail marker.

Since it was a cold, damp day, there were very few hikers out and about. It was kind of nice having the trails to myself, although it was definitely slow going because most of the paths had literally become streams after days of constant rainfall.

Trail back down to Hammeren.

I wouldn't say I got lost, but I had never been in this part of Nordmarka before, so as time passed I began feeling anxious to see trail signs. Soon the sun would be setting and I was becoming slightly more desperate to get back to Hammeren and out of the dense, soggy forests before darkness fell.

A pathway of water.

After trekking through forests, fields, and some valleys where trees had been cut down, I felt relieved when I finally emerged near the Hammeren hydroelectric power station. Fortunately, the main paths in Nordmarka are clearly defined by blue or red markers to help guide through the forests.

Downed tree along the path with its roots growing through the rock.

I didn't take many photos since it was such a wet day and I didn't want to wreck my camera. Yet, despite having my shoes soaked on multiple occasions, I had a great hike and enjoyed getting to explore a new area. Tusen takk!

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.

Ui

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! 

Vettakollen: The Best View of Oslo!

An Uphill Trek to Vettakollen Viewpoint

The pathway ascending up to Vettakollen.

Beginning Adventures

During our first week of uni, also known as, "buddy week," we went on a short hike to Vettakollen, which is known for its great views of Oslo.  Reaching the trail is easy by taking the T-bane (metro) line #1 towards Frognerseteren and getting off at the stop named "Vettakollen."  From there you can access many different hiking trails.  The hike up to the Vettakollen viewpoint wasn't too long, only 1.2 km or 0.75 miles, but it took awhile because the trail is somewhat steep.  

Looking towards the ski jumps in Holmenkollen, Oslo.

To the Top!

On our hike up, we passed by the ski jumps of Holmenkollen peaking out in the distance. Holmenkollen has hosted many past competitions, including the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup and the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. Today there is also a ski museum and the possibility to go atop the ski towers. 

At the top of Vettakollen.

What a View
Vettakollen is located between Sognsvann and Holmenkollen and has a great view of the city and Oslo Fjord. After reaching the top, we rested and took in the views of Oslo.

Looking towards Oslo.

Snack Time
Normally in Norway there are lots of berries during this time of year, however, it has been an unusually hot and dry summer (many days were 80+ F or 27+ C). Sadly, there were no refreshing berries we could eat, but we did get to rest at the top and try the Norwegian version of a Kit Kat called a Kvikk Lunsj (which translates to "Quick Lunch"). The Kvikk Lunsj's chocolate is slightly less sweet than a Kit Kat's and tasted delicious. I can see why people would want to eat it for lunch!

View of Oslo from Vettakollen.

The Oslo Expanse
Though I wasn't familiar with Oslo to point out where my neighborhood was or see many buildings in the city center, it was great to look out and see the entire expanse of the city and fjord below.

Looking out at the Oslo Fjord.

Great Hiking & Views!

Easy to get to, the viewpoint at Vettakollen is well worth the trek. It's a beautiful place to take in the sunset, or simply enjoy the views of Oslo and the surrounding nature.