Skiing in Norway

[MinkyWinky]

I'm looking at a ski trip with my DD in February. Has anyone been? Any recommendations of where to go? She is a complete beginner, I haven't skied for 10 years...

Hemsedal is lovely - plenty of easy runs for beginners and all the instructors speak English. A very chilled place, but it can be colder than in the Alps.

It is also different from the Alps in other ways:

Much of the accommodation is self-catering, and food in the shops is expensive. (it is hugely popular with Danish families who drive up with a car-load of provisions for the week).

Speaking of Danes, the Danish school holidays are Week 7 (from Sat 8th Feb) and Week 8, so these will be the busier, more expensive weeks.

It is not a "party" destination - which with a small child is probably not an issue, but be aware that after 4pm the place gets very quiet. Apres ski isn't a thing and people go back to their accommodation, not to emerge until next morning.

It also doesn't have the cosy mountain restaurants or huts with terraces that you find in the Alps - the food in the main restaurant at the base station is very good (great fish stew) and there are tables where you can sit with your own lunch-pack which helps to keep the cost down.

Oslo Airport is stunning - you look at it and think "why the can't Stansted or Manchester or Birmingham look like this (instead of looking like glitzy shopping malls with a shitty airport attached).

Thanks @Havanananana , that's really helpful insight. Sounds like if we go self-catering we need to pack food😁

Be aware that if you're travelling from the UK there are restrictions on the food that you're allowed to take into Norway. No meat, no dairy, no vegetables - and if you're flying you won't have room for much anyway.

Driving to Norway from the UK is not really an option. It would take at least 2-3 days there and the same back - and you'd still have the restrictions on taking food into the EU as you'd travel via the Netherlands.

I would recommend Trysil as its bigger than Hemsedal and an hour closer to Oslo (2 hours compared to Hemsedal's 3). The food in the supermarkets is a bit more expensive, but the accommodation is much cheaper than the Alps so Norway is definitely cheaper overall, especially as the kroner is weak against the pound right now.

The only thing to remember is that the days will be quite short in February as it's a lot further north than the Alps.

An alternative would be to stay in Oslo, and do day trips to local ski areas. Lots of frequent public transport. Plenty of choice and you can spend an afternoon doing the Korketrekkeren which is the most awesome 2km toboggan run at the end of the Frognerseteren train line.

For a complete beginner that would be a good respite from the relentless skiing. But obviously staying in Oslo you wouldn't get the 'resort' experience. You would get cheaper hotels, and some amazing restaurants, and lots of non ski activities if it's all a bit too much.

We stayed in lillehammer and got the bus to Hafjell.

We loved it. There are heated huts in the mountain where families take enormous packed lunches and dump them there in the morning ready for lunch. There are also BBQs so we bought packs of sausages and queued up to cook them for lunch.

If we'd been at full fitness the area wouldn't have been enough for us, we'd skied it all within a couple of days. So might not be enough if you're all very good skiers.

It was pretty cold but was fine as long as you are prepared. Take hand warmers and make sure you have a hot drink at lunch. The one day I didn't I felt much colder.

An alternative is Finland. We've been a couple of times and going back in Feb. Nice skiing, plenty of other things to do plus saunas.

Thank you everyone! Lots of food for thought :-) Good to know how much colder it is and the difference in day light hours.

We had a great trip to Beitostolen (sp?) with two beginners. Stayed in a Radisson literally opposite the bottom.of the slopes. It was cold but totally dealable with. The meals at the hotel were great. Lovely lunch options on the slope and at the bottom of the slope. Side trips to go husky sledding and zooming down a slope in a dinghy. Brilliant, brilliant trip.

I think we went to Hemesedal when I was a teenager. The name sounds right.

I absolutely loved it. My skiing came on enormously. The instructors were so much better than ESF, and the snow was gorgeous.

It was ages ago, and organised by my Dad, so I've no idea if this is still possible but we stayed in a hotel which provided food. It was delicious.

In short, I may be out of date, but I highly, highly recommend it. 🙂