Customer Reviews

Walking in Norway (Cicerone Guides)

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"Walking in Norway" is a compact guide to long distance hiking in the mountains and high plateaus of Norway. Norway is blessed with some exceptionally beautiful national parks featuring mountains, lakes, and huge open areas above treeline. Connie Roos has provided planning information to take advantage of 20 selected routes located in the Hardanger, Jotunheimen, Rondane, Dovre, Trollheimen, and northern Norway regions. Her focus is on multi-day hikes, although hikers may choose to do only segments of the routes described. Her information includes a sketch map for each area, terrain profile, and narrative description of the distance and conditions of each major path segment. There is also a small selection of photographs that provide some sense of scale. Roos has provided some valuable information on how to reach the various hiking regions, whether by car, bus, or train, and on how the distinctive Norwegian mountain hut system works.

Hikers should pay close attention to Roos' comments on clothing. The Norwegian mountain regions are subject to highly variable weather conditions. The isolation of many of these areas means hikers will be thrown on their resources in the event of bad weather.

Hikers should also expect to invest in maps of the areas where they plan to hike. The sketch maps in the book are not sufficiently detailed for routefinding.

This book is highly recommended to the dedicated hiker looking for opportunities in the still mostly wild interior of Norway.

... facts without rhapsodies, about "hut to hut" long-distance walking in Norway. The few pictures in the book will not convince you of the beauty of the country, but the directions for preparation will serve you well. The book is small enough to carry in your shirt pocket, by intention. It's already more than a decade old, but 'such things' change slowly in Norway, the least populated country of Europe. Hiking in Norway is not, on the whole, a wilderness experience, however, not much like back-packing in the American Rockies or in Alaska. Though sparsely settled, upland Norway has been criss-crossed by farmers and herders for millennia; its trails are deeply etched in the soil. Just when you think you've left humanity behind, you'll come upon a Norse or Samii family homestead.

Before succumbing to the allure of the Northern Lights, however, you must take note of the two very terse passages in this little guide concerning weather gear and mosquitoes. It rains a lot in Norway. From a Swedish perspective, the whole country is perpetually sopping wet. You'll want a full head-to-ankle rain suit. As for the mosquitoes, I have a recommendation. Before you plan your trek, read the novel "Beyond Sleep" by the Dutch writer Willem Frederik Hermans. After that, if you still have the urge, well, "bon voyage!"

I was dissapointed that this guide didn't contain more information. What it has is excellent and useful but it needs much more. Important information like temperature is missing, and it says none of the walks are for the inexperienced person. However as it appears to be the best there is on walking in Norway, it's worth buying.