If you’re into sports and activities, don’t let the winter weather get you down. There’s plenty of fun to be had during the cold winter months if you know where to find it! I hope this article gives some tips for making the most of winter activities – and if you have any other experiences please feel free to share in the comments below.
Skiing
For downhill skiing and boarding, check out Lani’s article ‘Where the slopes are’ for a great overview of where to get your downhill fix.
But to stay closer to home, you can always try your hand at cross country skiing. Norwegians have a notorious record of success as cross country skiers, and as you may have noticed in the recent snowy weeks we’ve had, its probably due to the fact that they start so young! I had my first experience of cross country skiing last weekend, and thoroughly enjoyed it (despite ending up with a VERY bruised rear end!).
To give you an idea of a weekend skiing itinerary, here’s what we did:
Saturday: we took E39 to Ålgård to hire equipment from Magneten Sport. Boots, skis and poles cost around 250NOK for 2 days. We then continued to Brekko Friomrade, which is signposted left off the E39 directly after the turn for Sirdal. The drive is approx 45km from Stavanger, and takes under an hour (road conditions dependent). The ski trails here were being used by everyone from families to more athletic types doing serious training. Benefits for beginners are that the trails are really easy to follow, and you’re never very far from the car if you decide to call it a day! Drawbacks are that weekends can get very busy.
Sunday: we drove 1.5hrs to Hunnedalen, on the RV45 towards Sirdal. You’ll notice many hyttes on the left of the road, and the Red Cross house on the right – directly after this there are free public car parks on the right. After parking, cross the road and follow the trail into the glacial valley to the left. Personally as a beginner I found the skiing a lot more challenging here, as there were many more hills to climb…but the scenery is really beautiful, and I was assured that this was the traditional Norwegian skiing experience. Picnic, flask of coffee and a Kvikk Lunsj are essentials!
If you know somebody who can help you master the basics or you’re an experienced downhill skier, I’m sure you’ll love trying cross country. It’s very reasonable to hire equipment and a fantastic way to experience the highlights of winter in Norway.
Ice Hockey
Photo credit: www.oilers.no
I’ve never really experienced ice hockey before coming to Norway, so I interviewed Pål Higson of Stavanger Oilers, our local ice hockey team, to find out more…
Can you tell me a bit about The Oilers and how you’re doing this season?
The Oilers are now in their 8th season in the Norwegian elite league, named Get-liga. We are the reigning Norwegian Champions after successful playoffs last year, where we won the finals against the powerhouse Vålerenga. So far we’ve had a good start to this season and will be battling it out for the Championship this year too.
Is the ice hockey league in Norway a professional league? Is most of the team Norwegian or do you have some expats like us?
Get-ligaen is a semi-pro league where approx 50% of the players are full time hockey players. Some teams have a very hard time raising enough money to employ more full time players, but the league is working towards becoming a 100% pro league. All foreign players playing in Norway are pro’s. Every team can employ up to 7 imports.
Can people follow the team easily? How can people buy tickets?
The team is very easy to find. We play our games at the only hockey rink in Stavanger, Siddishallen. The easiest way to get tickets is online by going to www.oilers.no. Our homepage is brand new and unfortunately we have not yet published an English info page, but we are working on that. Our games are popular, but it’s always possible to get in to our games. So one can also just show up for games and buy a ticket at the rink.
Do you run any training academies or holiday activity groups for kids to get involved in?
We only run hockey camps for kids that already play hockey. The Oilers are an elite team and the youth programs in Stavanger are organized under two different clubs, Viking and Siddis. They run icehockey practice through the week for all ages and all levels. More info can be found at www.viking-hockey.no and www.siddishockey2000.no
Are there any events that the players do where people can meet them?
The team will from time to time organize fan relation activities where our fans get to meet the players. More info about this can be found at our homepage.
What advice would you give to somebody wanting to start playing ice hockey? Are there any amateur teams training in Stavanger?
Anyone who wants to play hockey are welcome to join the activities in Siddishallen. Parents should look up contact information through Viking and Siddis (websites above). If any adults want to play amateur hockey there are several teams to join. Most of these teams practice from 7.00am to 8.00am during the weekdays. The best idea would be to show up one day and talk to the people in charge of the teams.
Thanks Pål and good luck to The Oilers! I’d recommend going and watching The Oilers play – it’s a great family-friendly atmosphere and also really fun to take visitors to.
Ice skating
There are 2 ice rinks in Stavanger – Stavanger Siddishallen on Madlaveien and the Sørmarka Arena, Sørmarkveien 20. You can hire ice skates at both places.
Opening times and more information about Siddishallen can be found at their website www.stavanger-ishall.no
Speed-skating at Sørmarka Arena
The Sørmarka Arena offers an array of skating activities, and also a climbing wall. They have a ‘Penguin Railway’ for kids to learn to skate whilst holding onto giant penguins, a speed skating arena and 6 curling rinks. You can book kids birthday packages, and they run a range of courses in climbing, skating and curling. There is also a cafe (you can enter without purchasing a ticket to skate) which overlooks the rinks, so you can enjoy watching the speed skaters whizzing round from a safe distance. For public skating opening times and more information, visit www.sormarka-arena.com
Of course, you can still enjoy your regular activities of hiking, running, cycling etc in the winter. Just make sure you have some reflector clothing on so motorists can see you after dark, and if it’s icy think about investing in some ice grips for your shoes. They’re available in many of the sports and Apotek stores – ask the assistant if you will be wearing them for a specific activity to ensure they are suitable. Brands like YakTrax are popular. For some tips on how to keep warm and dry, check out Lani’s article on winter clothing.
Sports in Stavanger
Part 1 – Individual Sports
Part 2 – Team Sports
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About Sadie Ramm
Sadie is English and moved to Stavanger in May 2010 with her boyfriend who works in the oil industry. After leaving her career in marketing to relocate to Norway, she's currently freelancing as a marketing consultant, specialising in helping small businesses with strategy and planning, website design and copywriting. She is making the most of the great outdoors that Norway has to offer, and has taken up cycling since moving here. She loves making stuff - knitting, sewing and cooking in particular. She's most often found out walking with her Manchester Terrier puppy, Nero.
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