Skiing - winter sports and activities in south west Norway
Norway is the home of some types of skiing, and there are plenty of opportunities
here. There are many downhill, or alpine skiing resorts, many of which are expanding and improving
their facilities. In addition to conventional skiers, you will see many snowboarders, quite a few
telemark skiers - and many children. Norway skiing is family-friendly.
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Sirdal, Sauda and Røldal are the closest alpine ski areas to Stavanger and
Sandnes - all with bus or
boat services to get there. Hovden and Hemsedal are also popular destinations.
Sauda and Røldal are closest, and both have skibuss services from Karmøy
and Haugesund.
Voss is the closest ski resort to Bergen, with Geilo further away. You can get to
both on the train.
Go north on RV9 to Hovden (passing Byglandsfjord along the way). Sirdal and Telemark
are other popular destinations
Go west to Hemsedal or Geilo, south west to Telemark, or north to Lillehammer and many
other skisenters.
From Torp airport, head west into Telemark, or north and west for ski resorts like
Hemsedal.
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing - also called nordic, or langlauf - is very popular here, with
many kilometers of prepared tracks of various difficulty, and quite a few tracks lit
up in the evenings. Expect to see Norwegian families out on skis - including the baby,
in a special covered sledge called a pulk, pulled along by one of the parents.
There are places to go nordic skiing all across south west Norway, not just up in the
mountains but also in or close to the cities - although not everywhere will have
useful snow for the whole winter.
Whether it is for a short day tour on a prepared loop, or a trek from hut to hut across the
Hardangervidda - or the many other upland areas - there are plenty of choices.
cross-country skiing around Sauda
Hovden "Noose" loop
Hovden langrennsarena
Furuasen loops in Sirdal
Giljestolen SE of Stavanger
Brekko SE of Stavanger
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Aalsheia skisenter
Sirdal Alpint - Tjørhomfjellet
Sirdal is the area closest to Stavanger - under
2 hours by car or bus - with 4 skisenters
that are growing fast. The two biggest have now linked together as
Sirdal Fjellheiser to
make one of the biggest ski centres in Norway.
Hotel accommodation is very limited but more hyttes (cabins or cottages) being
built all the time, and there are plans for more hotels.
Stay the weekend in Stavanger and take the ski bus
Ski rental
options include
Tjørhomfjellet and
Ålsheia
Ski school
Sauda
Sauda skisenter is growing. It is about 3 hours from Stavanger by boat and bus - 2 hours
from Haugesund. 3 hotels and some hyttes, but accommodation is limited - so you can also
stay in Stavanger
and take the skibåt service at weekends. Find out
more about Sauda
Hovden
Ski rental
Skiservice Hovden has a full range of
alpine, snowboard, telemark and cross-country ski equipment.
At the top end of Setesdal, Hovden has several hotels and many apartments and hyttes.
Find out more about Hovden
Geilo
On the main Oslo - Bergen railway line in Hallingdal,
Geilo is a popular and
long-established resort with many hotels,
apartments and hyttes
Hemsedal
Sometimes called the scandinavian alps, Hemsedal
is big, has good facilities and a big vertical drop
Telemark
Rauland is the biggest area (3 skisenters), plus Lifjell and Gaustablikk near Rjukan
Røldal
Røldal is the other skisenter with skiboat and skibuss services from Stavanger, and
other places including Haugesund and Odda (Hardanger).
Hardangervidda
This vast nearly inaccessible plateau sits across parts of Buskerud Hordaland Agder and Telemark.
Much loved by kite skiers and cross-country skiers with packs and snow-shovels on their backs
(so that they can dig a hole and hide from bad weather)
Other winter sports and activities
Ice skating - either on indoor or
outside rinks,
or on the lakes
when it is safe to do so.
Kite skiing - especially near
Haugastol on Hardangervidda |
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Skiing and winter