Oslo - Norway - page 131

matches. There is an Iron Age heritage path through the woods, and for a piece of archi-
tectural history don't miss the Ekeberg Restaurant ( Offline map ) , one of the earliest ex-
amplesoffunctionalism.Onthewaydown,stopatthe Valhall Curve ( Offline map )tosee
the view that inspired Edvard Munch to paint The Scream .
Avid hikers may want to stop by the DNT office Offline map ( 40 00 18 68;
www.turistforeningen.no ; Youngstorget 1; 10am-4pm Mon-Wed & Fri, 10am-6pm
Thu, 10am-2pm Sat, open 1hr earlier May-Sep) ,whichmaintainsseveralmountainhuts
in the Nordmarka region and can provide information and maps covering longer-distance
hiking routes throughout Norway.
Ice-Skating
At the Narvisen outdoor ice rink Offline map Google map ( Karl Johans gate) you
can skate for free whenever it's cold enough to freeze over (around November to March).
Skates can be hired from the ice rink for around Nkr50.
Skiing
Oslo's ski season is roughly from December to March. There are over 2400km of prepared
Nordic tracks (1000km in Nordmarka alone), many of them floodlit, as well as a ski
resort within the city limits. Easy-access tracks begin at the end of T-bane lines 1 and
5. The Skiservice Centre ( 22 13 95 04; www.skiservice.no ; Tryvannsveien 2) ,
at Voksenkollen station, one T-bane stop before Frognerseteren, hires out snowboards
and Nordic skis. The downhill slopes at Tryvann Vinterpark ( 40 46 27 00) are
open in the ski season. Skiforeningen (Ski Society; Click here ; 22 92 32 00;
www.skiforeningen.no ; Kongeveien 5) canprovidefurtherinformationonskiingoptions,
or check out www.holmenkollen.com .
Swimming
ISLANDS & BEACHES
When (or perhaps, if) the weather heats up, there are a few reasonable beaches within
striking distance of central Oslo. Ferries to half a dozen islands in the Oslofjord region
leave from Vippetangen Quay, southeast of Akershus Fortress. Boats to Hovedøya and
Langøyene are relatively frequent in summer (running at least hourly), while other islands
are served less often. The last ferry leaves Vippetangen at 6.45pm in winter and 9.05pm in
summer.