Archive for category Nature and the great outdoors
Norway: Powered by Nature
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos on March 10, 2010
A great video showcasing Norway’s stunning scenery, courtesy of Visit Norway (www.visitnorway.com)
Norway: Europe’s winter wonderland
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos on March 3, 2010
Did you know? A few facts about snow
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on March 3, 2010
Seen a fair amount of snow this winter? We certainly have here in Norway. Yes, more than usual. This winter has been the coldest for the past 20 years, and many places, including Østfold, have seen record amounts of snow (well over 100cm in several places) for the past two decades. Here are a few snow facts for you:
- Snow flakes are ice crystals joined together. Each snowflake is made up of between 2 and 200 separate crystals. As snow falls, snowflakes connect to make bigger snowflakes. Snow flakes are always hexagonal (6 sides), but they are rarely perfectly symmetrical. No two snowflakes ever have the same shape. The average snowflake has a top speed of 1.7m per second.
- It can get too cold for it to snow! Because snow is basically frozen water, if there is not enough moisture in the air, it won’t snow. This is usually the case when temperatures drop below -30C.
- Many people think of snow as being white, but it is actually transparent. Snow appears white because almost all of the visible light striking its surface is reflected back, without any preference for a single colour within the colour spectrum. Depending on where you find the snow, it can actually appear red, blue, green, pink, yellow, grey or even black.
- Layers of snow accumulated on the ground act like a layer of insulation. In winter, snow keeps plants insulated from sub-zero freezing temperatures.
- The fear of snow is called chionophobia.
- Oslo this year also experienced its worst snowfall since 1987. A record 180 municipal employees have been working round the clock to clear the city streets clogged with snow and snowed-down cars. There was so much of it that dumping grounds were quickly overfilled, and snow had to be dumped into the harbour.
- Not surprisingly maybe, the English words ’ski’ and ’slalom’ both come from Norwegian, where they mean… well yes, ski and slalom (slalåm) 
Listen to the great tit (parus major)
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos on February 13, 2010
A common bird in Norway: The great tit
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on February 13, 2010
The great tit (parus major in Latin, and kjøttmeis in Norwegian) is a common sight in Norway. The birds have a distinctive blue and yellow plumage, with a black crown, nape and throat, and white cheeks. Both sexes have a black stripe running down the middle of the chest, but the male’s one is broader than the female’s. They measure about 14-15cm (the size of a sparrow) and weigh 14-22g.
Habitat includes forest, parks, hedgerows and gardens. They usually forage in trees and on the ground, feeding on insects, seeds, nuts, berries and fruit, as well as on kitchen scraps.
Both parents build the nest, which is made of moss and grass, and lined with hair and feathers. In late April or early May, the female incubates 5-11 eggs for 12-14 days. Eggs are smooth and glossy, and white with purplish-red spots. After the young hatch, they are fed by both parents. The chicks leave the nest after 2-3 weeks, although they are still dependent on their parents for a week or two.
Great tits are generally sedentary, though birds that breed in upland areas move to lowlands (altitudinal migration) for the winter. They are not considered to be globally threatened – indeed it is estimated that there are between 500.000 and 1 million pairs of great tits in Norway alone.
Østfold in Pictures: Haukenesfjellet, Rømskog
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos on February 8, 2010
Haukenesfjellet Tower, Rømskog
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on February 8, 2010
A few kilometres south of Rømskog village in the Rømskog municipality, Haukenesfjellet former fire tower is Østfold’s highest vantage point, 333m above sea level. The view from the platform at the top of the 12m high tower is impressive, particularly in winter – with snow-covered forest stretching as far as the eye can see, and the white surface of frozen Romsjøen reflecting the winter sunshine. If you look straight ahead of you when you come out on the observation platform you will spot a red wooden church by the bank of the lake – this is Rømskog Church, one of the oldest in the county. A marked trail leads to the tower, and makes for a pleasant walk, while in winter you can use the prepared cross-country skiing tracks to get there (different departure point, see below).
How to get there: Follow signs for Rømskog along Rv21 coming from Ørje in the south.
In summer: When you get to Rømskog, follow the signs to Zen Resort & Spa. After about 70m turn left. Follow the dirt road through the quarry (on your left). Take the first left, just before the top of the hill. Drive to the roundabout and park. Then follow the marked trail to the tower.
In winter: A few kilometers before you reach Rømskog, you’ll see a bus holding place on your left. Take it left here and drive a few hundred meters to the end of the road. There is a small car park here, and the ski tracks start some 100m to the north.
Østfold in Pictures: Skihytta, Fredrikstad
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos, Sport on January 27, 2010
Where to go cross-country skiing in Østfold
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Sport on January 27, 2010
There are many places one can go cross-country skiing in Østfold, but these are my favourites.
- Fredrikstad Marka: A popular spot within easy reach of Fredrikstad. It can get a little bit crowded at times near Skihytta (the place to go for coffee and a waffle after your foray into the woods), but you’ll find a good choice of tracks in a varied terrain.
- Rakkestadfjella: Fewer people come here, which means you might ski for hours on end and only meet a handful of locals. Pack a picnic, and make it a day outing. Great scenery, and who knows, with a bit of luck you might even spot some wildlife.
- Harehjellhytta: This is a good choice in the Sarpsborg area, with the possibility of going skiing after dark as some of the tracks are lit up at night. Artificial snow is used when required, and the tracks are in good condition.
- Halden: There are many tracks to choose from in Høiåsmarka just outside Halden. Høiåshytta, which lies 236m over sea level, is open Thursdays 1700-2030 and Sundays 1000-1500 from September to Easter.
Check also http://www.elusivemoose.eu/2009/12/where-to-go-alpine-skiing-in-østfold/ for info on where to go downhill skiing in Østfold.
Østfold in Pictures: Elgåfossen, Halden
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos on January 19, 2010
