I am studying in Grenoble at the moment and I applied to do a year studying on the Erasmus program in Trondheim, Norway next year… Today I found out I got one of the two places available to go, woohoo!

To be honest I don’t know all that much about the country and have a lot of (probably stereotypical) ideas about what it is going to be like… First off, I know it is gong to be very dark in the winter and there will be some time when I probably wont be able to ride my bike 🙁 but we will survive. Oh and I am not so fussed about drinking alcohol which always seems to be the ‘the country is bloody expensive’ example that gets brought up, I imagine there will be plenty of other things I like that will make me wince at the price though.

But what can people tell me about Norway in general, and more specifically Trondheim. I am evidently looking mostly for information based around mountain biking and the outdoor but I would also be interested in things outside of MTB to visit.

If anyone has any information on things liiiiike….

– Online maps
– Online bike forums or mountain bike websites
– Where is good for riding
– Any riding groups in Trondheim?
– Places you have visited that would be worth it or stories you have from visiting there
– Anyone live there even?

I know some things are a bit of a long shot but still worth asking. Oh and I will be there for a year so a decent amount of time to explore!

Thanks

Bit of input from me. I’ve done two winters in Norway,albeit much further north and it is fantastic.

Definitely invest in a car if you intend to travel, the further north you get, the more spread out it becomes.

Norway is also considerably slower paced than the UK, but is very relaxing in that respect.

Take a camera, the views are breath taking, no matter how often you see them.

Learn to ski / board / XC ski as its massively popular out here.

The general cost of everything is high, not just beer so be prepared to job hunt to supplement yourself.

Everyone speaks English I’ve found but it never hurts to make an effort.

If you like tea, go into any STATOIL petrol station and buy the STATOIL mug, it allows you free tea in any STATOIL petrol station.

Can’t comment on mountain biking I’m afraid as it’s not possible where I am in the winter, but summer time, I can’t help but think it’d be amazing.

Most excellent news. I am envious!

Mu3266 – Where abouts in the country have you been? Will consider a car, but not sure I would be able to afford it, anyway there is always a mate or two with a car… Will definitely have my camera, half the reason I am going is for the incredible landscape! I can ski so thats a plus. Thats exactly the kind of little bits of information I was hoping for haha, free tea!

I’ve been to Målselv, Bardufoss, Tromso, Harstad, Bodo, Narvik, Finnsnes.

Sounds like a lot, but really they’re pretty much all on the same road.

Would you be going to NTNU? I know a few people who went there – it has a good reputation for quite a few things. If you’re in Grenoble I’d imagine there’d be a few Norwegians around to chat to – loads tend to do the Erasmus to get to the Alps, you’re just doing a reverse.

I don’t know Trondheim particularly but spend a bit of time at the other end of the E14, the big road across the hills into Sweden. I have a good friend from near Trondheim and she’s always going on about the local riding scene and generally makes it out to be a great place to live. Certainly I’d give it a go based on her opinion as a biker, skier and climber. Like anywhere in Norway there is masses of potential due to the terrain– and as a big city there seems to be loads of communities/ things going on just based on hearsay and going on the Norwegian magazines.

terrengsykkel.no might be worth a look as an online forum – stick a question in snikksnakk (chit-chat) and you should get a decent response. The site is also pretty useful for other stuff and pretty easy to understand even if you don’t know the language. Not too up on other things but be interested to hear more from some locals…

[edit] mu – what do you do up there? work in the fishing? or ski/climbing bum? 😉

Mu – Nice, quite far north indeed! I spent a month north of Alta away out in the middle of nowehere (Øksfjordjøkelen) a few years back, was pretty damn cool!

Bajsyckel – Thanks for that! will check it out, looks like a good site. You are right I will be at the NTNU, currently at the ‘ENSAG’ in Grenoble and was at RGU in Aberdeen before that, I pretty just follow my nose in terms of what looks good for riding!

You need to watch this first:

bajsyckel, less glamorous than that, I’m in the military.

anus, thats one of the benefits of Norway, you can often find yourself being in the middle of nowhere. Its what has been calling me to move out here.

Mu – I see. I’ve been hankering to do a winter somewhere up north recently, mainly to get out in the mountains up there and thought you might be one of the bums who does that and had made a success of it (seem to be quite a few nowadays).

But if we’re going for films then I’d say it’s more like this…

(you might recognise it anus, set in Øksfjord IIRC)

anyone else able to offer anything? There can’t only be one person that has ever been to Norway

I’ve been to Stavanger a couple of times. Beer’s expensive. Sorry, no help for you whatsoever, but just wanted to show at least two people have been to Norway.

I’ve run a number of training courses in Trondheim over the last 3 years, so have spent maybe eight weeks there in various hotels.

It’s a nice town conveniently located to the airport and is filled with oil men on business and students. The football club is half decent, Rosenborg, and there is an ok supply of restaurants.

Stunning in the summer, lovely when the snow arrives, slightly depressing in the off season.

The bike shop http://www.e11.no is like a dream for roadies, main dealer for Colnago, Cippolini, AX, lightweight………

Spend around six months of the year in Norway and been around a bit Kristiansand Hammerfest and nearly everywhere in between, not so much in Trondheim though, have been to Vassfjellet a couple of times, ski area about 20 mins away, not a large area but usually plenty of snow, good thing about it is back/slack country is very accessible and good like most of the back country in Norway is, so if you ski/board get some AT kit.
Like already said, everything is expensive!
If you were going to Oslo Bergen Stavanger I could have been of more use.

easy drive to Åre

Worked out of Bergen for a couple of seasons. Been on kayaking and climbing trips out there. Beautiful country, language no problem, its expensive yes but that’s just the way it is. Was out in Rjukan 3 weeks ago, great ice climbing. Anyone needs a painter out there I’m available!

hello mate,

I spent 2 months working in Trondheim back in Spring 2004. Really loved it actually, and wanted to stay. there’s quite a lot going on as it’s a uni city so there’s loads of nice cafes, plenty of bars and a few clubs – had a good social life whilst I was there, everyone really friendly, and female norwegian students? marvellous….
also there’s a cinema, sports centre with a good climbing wall, and loads of shops (if that’s of interest). The river that runs through the city is nice, and the fjord is massive. As for things to do, definitely learn to ski, both alpine and cross country. the ski slopes are floodlit so you can go at night, which is a big bonus. I seem to remember there’s one on the outsirts of the city.
can’t help with the biking i’m afraid, as it was still snowy when I was there.
getting around’s really easy via public transport, it’s quite superb.
good luck, make the most of it, you’ll love it. a great outdoorsy country, wish I could go back!