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Morning all.
so I should be heading off to Bergen for a couple of weeks with work. Does anyone have any knowledge of what the local area trails are like? Is it worth taking my bike / are there ticks/midges like Scotland…..and unlike Scotland are there actual bears in the woods to be concerned about?
M
Take your bike.
It's easy to jump on a train and head to Voss for the weekend. That opens up the hills and mountain huts.
Not sure on bike trails as I only used to spend Friday night Saturday mornings there and stuck to cycling when out in the fjords in the week. Great walking trails up above the city, it's a great place to hang out.No bears, yes can be expensive to go out but so what enjoy it while you're there. I had a fantastic bonk in the main courthouse but that's a whole different story 😂
can be expensive to go out
Can? CAN????
Absolutely is very expensive! A lovely place though - I've done the now-defunct Newcastle>Bergen ferry trip several times and the views as you travel through the fjords are astounding.
Not massively so I'd say, bought a pint in any trendy city bar lately it's getting expensive.
I mourn the loss of the ferry, it put an end to my job out there and some great adventures.
I mourn the loss of the ferry, it put an end to my job out there and some great adventures.
Yeah it used to be an annual lads trip for us back in the day - my brother even had his Stag Do on one such trip.
Hospital stays don't have such good views or trails, MIL went on post-retirement Norway cruise with her sister last weekend, fell and broke her hip... Been is Haugesund hospital since Monday, SIL flown out there Weds and still no idea when and how MIL will get back home to Southampton after having a quick double-screw operation that has no guarantees of being a long term hip fix!
Weather may inprove by time OP goes, but earlier this week the Norway west coast was dropping to "feels like -1C" overnight, with bitter strong northerly wind and a daytime high of approx "feels like 8C."
If you don't end up taking a bike, and need some activity one weekend, then see if there's rafting on the Raundalselva. It's an absolute mega classic river.
I really don't find Norway expensive anymore. Our own inflation has made us catch up. Beer in supermarkets and wine in restaurants are probably the only exception to that.
@n0b0dy0ftheg0at hope you MiL gets sorted. There's not much in Haugesund, but Norwegian health provision is excellent (I may be biased).
I really don’t find Norway expensive anymore. Our own inflation has made us catch up. Beer in supermarkets and wine in restaurants are probably the only exception to that.
Fair enough - it is quite some time since I went (the ferry stopped running in 2008) but I do remember beer costing around £7 a pint back then.
Really weirdly my sister is there this week and sent pictures of the hills above Bergen piled up with snow. Myrdal Station if that means anything. No idea of the geography or the area but might be worth a check how far the snow extends.
I had a fantastic bonk in the main courthouse but that’s a whole different story 😂
So far this is the most interesting aspect.
Lots and lots of trail goodness very close to town. Google Bergen stisykling and take it from there. It will be light to nearly midnight, and you'll be finishing 4 or so , so you'll have a great time. It's also likely to be the closest thing to a dry season , but , take your thermals and a good waterproof or two as the rain in Bergen is not a fairy story. There's also good trail running, and a lot of very good climbing outdoors (sport, trad, bouldering), and one of the biggest climbing walls in Europe tho' you'll need to get a bratkort (google it) to use it properly.
That ferry is a thing of myth now, ditto the Stavanger one. When I go to the UK now I'm surprised by how expensive it is - alsohol is still expensive in Norway, but most things are pretty comparable, especially wen you account for quality.
I’d say beer in supermarkets is on a par (around £3.50 a can of decent craft beer, 400ml), everywhere else is expensive. Drinking out is around £11-13 a pint, restaurants similarly priced (I.e roughly double.) bloody fantastic place though, even better on work expenses. 😉
Also, still not much of a booze selection in supermarkets. You need to visit the state run offie, Vinmonopolet.
stay off the spuds:
Hello! Mountain bike guide based in Norway at your service.
Take your bike! Snow in Myrdal is miles away and Bergen is by the sea so it loses snow way quicker than further inland. You'll find some great but technical, trails near Bergen.
When are you going?
You'll likley not find much on Trailforks because everyone seems to use an app called Trailguide here (Norwegian app made by some Norwegians that live just up the road form me 😉 ). I used to live and run a guiding company in Hardangerfjord about 2hrs from Bergen and guided sometimes in Bergen, we live about 2hrs east now though, in a place called Nesbyen.
A couple recommendations
https://trailguide.net/447
https://trailguide.net/178
https://trailguide.net/178
It is particularly rocky around Bergen so I hope you like your 'Lake District tech' type riding and yeah, it can be pretty rainy. But the scenery and landscape is incredible so I think even if you go for a little ride you'll just have a great time being like 'look where I'm riding my bike!' kind of feeling.
If you have time, then head out to Hardangerfjord or even better, Sogndal! Or EVEN better come visit us in Hallingdal and we'll show you some trails. You can take the train from Bergen direct to Nesbyen.
To be honest I wouldn't bother with going to Voss, the riding is a bit naff in my opinion, you'll have more fun near Bergen itself and if you have the time for a weekend out the city then just figure out how to get to Sogndal or Hallingdal!
Just write me a message somehow if you have any questions, you'll find all methods of contacting me here - Any Excuse to Ride (not an ad, I'll happily give you advice for riding or touristing even if you don't come anywhere near our place 🙂 )
What kind of work are you doing?
Also, the Norwegian Kroner pooped its pants in the last month so you're ££ will go pretty far at the moment.
I reckon a fairly bog standard pint would cost you about 80-90kr in a pub which is about £6-£6.50 just now