NORWAY
Norway is of course The Number 1 for cross country skiing. There are hundreds of kilometres of løipe throughout the country and the excellent website Skisporet lists all the tracks and when they were last groomed. There is also information available at https://loyper.net
On the edge of the beautiful Jotunheimen National Park, Beitostølen offers 320 kilometres of groomed cross country trails in the forest and mountains. There is early snow from November most years and a well groomed stadium to start your skiing.
You may be surprised to hear that there are tracks near Oslo city that you can access during a short stop over, or weekend break. There are several areas apart from the one we have put here which will be researched.
Trains from Oslo run regularly to Lillehammer, and from there Sjusjøen is only 18 kms, and about 20 minutes by bus. There are some 350 kms of XC trails, with tracks that connect to Nordseter and Lillehammer. This is another resort that gets snow early.
Located on the Venabygdsfjellet plateau, on the edge of the Rondane National Park. It has excellent scenery and a good snow record with a ski season from December to April. At 950 m altitude, and 140 kms of prepared trails, to the north you can join the Troll ski train that connects the Rondane National Park to Lillehammer.
Nordseter
Nordseter is a 15 minute drive from Lillehammer city centre. You can also catch the regular daily bus. It's a tranquil destination that offers more than 350 kms of cut ski tracks for both classic and skate. There are a great variety of tracks in the area, and it's possible to ski from there to Sjusjøen and get the bus back from there.
Geilo "Yay-low"
Close to the Hardangervidda, this is a great area for cross country skiing, and is the largest mountain plateau in Northern Europe. It boasts a 500 km network of groomed cross country trails ranging from beginner-friendly lakeside routes to long-distance tracks through the mountain wilderness. The resort centre is compact and walkable, with free ski bus network and a train connection to Oslo.
Peer Gynt Trail
This 100 km cross country ski trail runs along the remote Peer Gynt Mountain Road. The region has a natural beauty with wildlife of elk, fox and birds of prey, as well as great views of the Jotunheimen and Rondane mountain ranges.
Beautifully situated at the top of the mountain valley of Espedalen at 930 meters above sea level, Dalseter has wonderful views of the valley and the mountains in the Jotunheimen National Park.