Although the main purpose of our trip to Norway was to watch football, we still left plenty of time to take in the sights. First up on the list was the Holmenkollen Ski Jump.
History
The ski jump and arena have been used for ski events from the late 1800s and was used for the winter Olympics in 1952, as well as many ski world championships in between. The arena has a capacity for over 70k people, so as you can imagine, it’s a pretty big place. Pictures are deceiving and you only notice the scale when you’re standing at the bottom.
More history about the ski jump can be found here.
Getting There
Getting to Holmenkollen was easy. We took metro line no 1 in the direction of Frogneseteran from Central Station.
There are different ticket options for the metro; a single journey pass which is 35 NOK (£3.26); or a 24 hour pass which is 105 NOK (£9.80). The 24 hour pass is definitely better value and covers all the lines in the Oslo area.
On arrival, there are plenty of sign posts on the walk from Holmenkollen station to the ski jump, making it easy to find. The uphill walk took us about 15-20 mins.
What To See And Do
Museum & Observation deck
The museum was brilliant and covered the history of the ski jump, and other Norwegian winter sports in great detail.
If you’re braver than I am, I really recommend you go to the observation deck at the top of the jump. I don’t like heights. Therefore I didn’t venture up. However, friends who did said the views were spectacular. It’s my one regret of the trip!!!
Half Way Up
The mid way point was high enough for me!! We sat on the seats beside the jump, and had a walk up and down the extremely steep steps along the side of the jump.
Zip line
Again, ziplining from the top of the jump was never going to be an option. Heights just aren’t my thing. Instead, we sat and watched other much braver, richer people doing it!!! I have to admit it looked pretty fun, if that’s what you’re into.
More information on the zipline can be found here.
Coffee Shop
The sun may have been out but, it was still pretty chilly. To warm up we called into the coffee shop for a hot chocolate. Inside is really cool, with loads of cosy places to sit and relax. If you fancy sitting outside, there are blankets to wrap yourself up in to keep warm.
Kids Park
At the bottom of the ski jump, we found a lovely adventure park for Megan to play on, ropes to climb and balance beams to cross. All the things a parent needs half way up a mountain!
Have a Beer
On the way back we found the beautiful Holmenkollen restaurant and sat outside with a beer. The views of the countryside and the Fjords in the distance, was a lovely way to end the day!
More information can be found here.
Top Tips
- Layer up, while it can be sunny and get warm on the walk up to the ski jump, it can also be bitterly cold.
- Go to the Observation Deck. Don’t make the same mistake as us! I really regret not going to the top so if you’re able to, give it a go.
- If you have time, check out some of the walks around the ski jump they looked beautiful.
Thanks for taking the time to read our post.
The Lewis Family.