The Route to the North Cape - Norway - page 399

through the exhibits. You're allowed to have a close encounter with large and
small aircraft such as the Spitfire, JU52, and U2. Hands-on demonstrations
reveal to you the dynamics of flight. In addition to the exhibition of aircraft, the
museum shows a collection of photographs about the largest predators in the
Nordic countries, including lynx, bears, wolves, wolverines, and, more surpris-
ingly, humans. The museum was built on the site of a German World War II
airfield.
The museum lies 2km (1 1 ⁄ 4 miles) north of town. Olav V gata. & 75-50-78-50. Admission 70NOK ($9.95)
adults, 50NOK ($7.10) children under 16. June-Aug Sun-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm; Sept-May Mon-Fri
10am-4pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm. Bus: 23 or marked CITY NORD .
ON THE OUTSKIRTS
Blodveimuseet On the southeastern outskirts of the city, at a dis-
tance of 5km (3 miles), you can visit this “Blood Road Museum.” The museum
re-creates those horrible POW days during 1942 to 1945 when the Nazis held
an iron grip on northern Norway before burning it to the ground during their
infamous retreat. Thousands of European prisoners of war labored to build a sys-
tem of road and railroads in the area, and, of course, many lost their lives. In
Saltdal alone there were 15 to 18 different prisoner-of-war camps, with nearly
10,000 Russian, Serbian, and Polish prisoners held captive.
The “Road of Blood” extended for 2km (1 1 ⁄ 4 miles) from Saltnes to Saksenvik
from the center of Rognan. People still walk this horrible road today, noting the
blood-colored cross a prisoner painted on a rock face.
At Saltnes, about 1km ( 1 ⁄ 2 mile) east of Rognan, the Blood Road Museum con-
tains a collection of original rural buildings, the oldest dating from 1750. The
original German barracks are here as well, revealing the harsh life of the prison-
ers. The museum was opened in 1995 as part of Norway's 50th anniversary of
its liberation from the Nazis.
Bygetunet, Saltnes, outside Rognan. & 75-69-06-60. Admission 50NOK ($7.10), free for children under 16.
June 20-Aug 20 Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 1-4pm, Sun 1-6pm; closed rest of year.
ACTIVE SPORTS
If you'd like to go horseback riding under the midnight sun, Bodø Hestecenter,
Soloya Gård ( & 75-51-41-48 ), about 14km (9 miles) southwest of Bodø, rents
horses. Buses go there Monday to Friday mornings and evenings and on Satur-
day morning. For more information, ask at the Bodø Tourist Office (see “Visi-
tor Information,” above). The cost is 100NOK ($14) for a 45-minute ride.
At the visitor center (see above) you can pick up maps detailing the best hik-
ing in the area. The best area is through Bodømarka (Bodø forest) with its
35km (22 miles) of marked hiking and cross-country skiing trails. For detailed
touring, including overnighting in the forest, contact Bodø og Omegn Turist-
forening, the Bodø Mountain Touring Association ( & 75-52-14-13 ), which
operates a dozen cabins in the forest.
The most up-to-date and well-recommended indoor swimming pool in the
region is the Mørkved Badet ( & 75-55-08-90 ), in the hamlet of Mørkved,
about 4km (2 1 ⁄ 2 miles) north of Bodø's center. If you want to use it, know that it
gives priority to local swim teams and school groups, so public hours are limited
to Wednesday from 5 to 10pm, Friday 5 to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm, and
Sunday 9am to 4pm. Admission costs 40NOK ($5.70) for adults, 20NOK
($2.85) for persons under 18.
A popular man-made attraction, Saltstraumen Opplevelsesenter, or adven-
ture center, lies at Saltstraumen, Route 17 ( & 75-56-06-55 ), and is fun for the

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