Ski Holidays in Norway

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Norway and Britain have a long history of friendship – the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree is famously donated from the people of Norway each year as thanks for our support of their country during the Second World War – and relatively few Britons cross the North Sea to ski there each year.
There are a few good reasons as to why this state of affairs persists, the main ones being the very limited amounts of downhill skiing, a bizarre après ski atmosphere and no good mountain restaurants. Norway, on the face of it, is not a great destination for your ski trip but it does have a number of redeeming qualities!

Excellent cross-country skiing
Any look at Eurosport during the winter months will show you just how seriously the Scandinavians take their cross country skiing – it is the national winter sport! There are huge numbers of tracks specifically marked out and regular races in all the major resorts (Hemsedal, for example,) so if you’re into this slightly niche sport then Norway is the place to go!

Reliable snow conditions
With a massive portion of Norway sitting within the Arctic Circle there is snow on the ground for a large proportion of the year, and very low temperatures too. So once the snow has fallen it really doesn’t tend to go anywhere! No queues There are very few queues in Norway, mainly because so many people prefer to get around under their own steam rather than use lifts. Those lifts that do exist are also very different to their southern European counterparts. Pushing in is unheard of and most fellow skiers are more than happy to give up their seat so you can sit next to your child!

Excellent snow parks and race facilities
Having a limited amount of downhill skiing means that what there is tends to get used in the most efficient manner possible. Those freestyle skiers, boarders and slalom skiers who just want to go up and down the same slope all day are well catered for! One thing to bear in mind is that Norway has a huge tax on alcohol, so drinking there is very expensive. This tax has been imposed as a response to a continuing problem with alcohol in the country, so be prepared to see a few drunken locals in some of the bars.