Coming to Oslo and want to do as the Oslonians do? Then you should consider skiing in the winter or walking or hiking in the summer season in the forests of Oslo. There are lots of places around the city to do so and I will share with you my favorite. Instead of following the tourist buses up Holmenkollen, I prefer to dig deep into my Norwegian heritage and explore the reasons why people would voluntarily fasten the skis after work and set the course out into the dark forest. Let me share with you Solemskogen.

Solemskogen is a great entry point to the Oslo forest named Lillomarka and is only a 25-minute drive from the central station, and just 12 minutes from Storo. I normally get there by car or you can take the bus 56 Solemskogen from Nydalen or Storo. There is a parking lot at the end before you will be entering the forest. There is a network of tracks and paths to follow, often well marked with signs. There are specific lit tracks for the winter and evenings, and I both walk and ski to specific cabins like Lilloseter and Sinober where they have simple food and beverage service on the weekends. It’s a highlight of the trip. You will feel like a true Norwegian immediately. Be aware of the distances as you need to come back or plan a different exit point. You can get detailed maps and information at dnt.no and skiforeningen.no.