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- Written by: James Forrest
If you're planning an active holiday in Europe, Norway should be high on your list. From hiking and wild camping to kayaking, trail running and hut-to-hut trekking, Norway's fjords and forests provide the perfect playground for folks who prefer their holidays on the adventurous side.
It's also a fantastic option for an active family holiday, with well-marked routes, great infrastructure and wild swimming spots around every corner.
"From hiking and wild camping to kayaking, trail running and hut-to-hut trekking, Norway's fjords and forests provide the perfect playground for folks who prefer their holidays on the adventurous side."
In this feature, James Forrest explores Western Norway with outdoor brand Helly Hansen and their team of mountain professionals – from trail running on Oslo’s coastal peninsula to scrambling above fjords on Osterøy island.
If this whets your appetite for more, don’t miss our guide to the 10 best walking holidays in Europe, or check out our pick of the best activity holidays in Europe – all tried, tested and packed with adventure potential.
- Day 1 - Trail Running and Field Testing Helly Hansen’s Rescue Tech in Oslo
- Day 2 - Hiking in Western Norway: Climbing Bruviknipa
- Top 5: Adventures In Oslo – As Recommend by Helly Hansen’s Staff and Professional Guides
- Top 5: Adventures In Bergen - As Recommend by Helly Hansen’s Staff and Professional Guides
Day 1 - Trail Running and Field Testing Helly Hansen’s Rescue Tech in Oslo
"Look, I see it - there - that's the casualty among the trees."
I’m flying high above the remote Norwegian island of Osterøy, just north-east of Bergen, on a helicopter search-and-rescue mission for a lost hiker. Above me the blades spin with a Thor-like power and brutality. Below me, the landscape is vast and rugged – isle-dotted fjords slicing through shapely ridges, wind-battered shrubland clinging to exposed coastlines, and towering hills rolling endlessly towards the quintessentially Scandinavian horizon. But thankfully, this isn’t a real emergency. No lives are at stake. No tragedy is imminent. This is just a drill.
The ‘casualty’ in question? A metallic RECCO reflector plate, hidden beneath the pines.
I’m out with Helly Hansen and their partners from RECCO, learning how mountain rescue teams use cutting-edge technology to save lives. Suspended beneath our helicopter is a colossal RECCO detector, swinging on a winch like something from a sci-fi film. It’s capable of scanning a 100m wide corridor at speeds of up to 100km/hr – or an entire square kilometre in just six minutes. The idea is simple: if you’re lost or injured in the wild and you’re wearing outdoor gear embedded with a RECCO reflector – like many of Helly Hansen’s waterproofs or backpacks – you’re exponentially easier to find. It’s the kind of technology you hope you’ll never need. But if you do, you’ll be glad you had it.
Rewind 48 hours, and I’m trail running along the wooded trails of Oslo’s Bygdøy Peninsula just after dawn, clocking in some early morning kilometres before a day at Helly Hansen HQ. It’s the kind of run that makes you fall in love with a city instantly – golden light through tall forest pines, sea views around every bend, and a steady flow of smiling Norwegians already out walking, running or swimming. The camaraderie is quietly energising. It doesn’t feel like a capital city at all – more like a giant outdoor gym wrapped in serenity.
This is the city of friluftsliv after all. Literally meaning ‘free air life’, this philosophy is a cornerstone of Scandinavian culture, rooted in the belief that true well-being, both physical and spiritual, comes from immersing yourself in nature and embracing life in the great outdoors.
Later that morning, I find myself deep inside Helly Hansen’s Oslo headquarters – not exactly the friluftsliv playground I had in mind – but I still enjoy geeking out on the kit tech, new product releases and stories of survival. The one key message I leave with? That this brand pits its near 150-year reputation on one key pledge – that it helps you both stay and feel alive.
Day 2 - Hiking in Western Norway: Climbing Bruviknipa
The following day, I know my Norwegian adventure will only really be about the latter – feeling joyously alive. I strike gold. Not in the literal, Viking sense – no hidden treasure hoards were uncovered on this trip – but instead in the form of a Norwegian weather miracle: cloudless skies, blazing sunshine and temperatures pushing 25C. A full-blown heatwave has gripped the region, ruining my plans to test out Helly’s kit in the gnarliest of northern squalls. But I’m certainly not complaining – if regular Norway is idyllic, then tropical Norway is something else.
I’m now in Osterøy, this time with hiking boots on, climbing towards the peak of Bruviknipa, a jagged 822m summit towering above the Sørfjorden fjord.
Far from the regular tourist haunts, this feels like our own private slice of authentic Norway – raw, untouched and wild. The fjords stretch into the distance like polished glass, with scattered islands drifting through the haze like Viking longships. All around the mountains rise steeply, carved by millennia of ice and weather – the kind of place where myths are born – and I wonder whether Odin himself journeyed through here on his pilgrimage across the Nine Worlds?
Our route – a 9.6km loop – begins in a dreamy, Tolkien-like landscape of low, tarn-dotted shrubland. Warm air buzzes with insects, and bright green moss clings to every surface. Next comes the ridge – sharper, steeper, more commanding – with a marvel of stone-pitched trailwork zig-zagging to the top like a Norse stairway to heaven.
For a short while I climb in silence, the rhythm of boots on rock broken only now and then by a short laugh or shared comment. We're a loose group of strangers-turned-friends, getting closer with every step, bonding over our common battle with the rugged Norwegian landscape. At the summit, the view opens up – fjord, rock and sky, somehow stripped-back yet expansive at the same time. The light is low and gold, the air is still.
Our descent takes us across gentler terrain, the evening stretching out in that distinctly Scandinavian way – the sun unwilling to go to bed. A few hours later, at our fjord-side campsite, we feast on traditional homemade soup and dip our feet in the fjord. The air is still warm, the water is impossibly clear, like a mirror, and the tranquillity is profound. A calming sense of friluftsliv – free air life – washes over me, and I feel a tiny bit more Norwegian than I did before this trip.
Top 5: Adventures In Oslo – As Recommend by Helly Hansen’s Staff and Professional Guides
Trail Running at Bygdøy Peninsula
A dawn trail run around the forest tracks, beaches and quiet roads of Bygdøy offers the perfect glimpse into Oslo's nature-obsessed lifestyle. Locals of all ages are out running, walking and swimming - even at 6am. I went for an early morning run here before a day at Helly Hansen’s Oslo headquarters, and the camaraderie, coastal views and peaceful woods were a delight. The landscape felt a world away from city life, yet the peninsula is just minutes from the capital city’s centre.
Summit Hike to Vettakollen
Just a short T-bane (metro) ride to the northern edge of the city, this rugged forest hike rewards walkers with epic views over Oslofjord. A local favourite, it’s a peaceful pine-lined trail with a short, steep ascent to the top. Ideal at sunset with city lights below and wild woods behind.
Paddleboarding or Kayaking in the Oslofjord
Launch from Sørenga, Bygdøy, Sjølyst Marina or the floating dock at Tjuvholmen district and paddle among islands, seabirds and little coves. Early mornings or late evenings are best for calm waters, and the experience is surprisingly wild, with a chance of spotting seals or sea eagles, if you’re lucky.
Mountain biking in Nordmarka
Oslo’s vast northern wilderness is criss-crossed with forest tracks and rugged single-track. Rent a mountain or fat bike and explore gravel roads, technical trails and hidden lakes. Access the area via a 50-minute train to Frognerseteren and pedal straight into the Norwegian countryside.
Winter Cross-Country Skiing from Sognsvann
When snow falls, locals switch to skis. Start from Sognsvann and glide deep into Nordmarka on groomed trails that are perfect for beginner cross country skiers. Rustic cabins like Ullevålseter serve waffles and coffee. It’s classic Oslo: wild, athletic and beautifully serene.
Top 5: Adventures In Bergen - As Recommend by Helly Hansen’s Staff and Professional Guides
Evening Run up Mount Fløyen (Fløyfjellet)
Skip the funicular – real Bergen locals run to the top. The steep, scenic climb of Mount Fløyen begins right from the city streets and climbs through pine forest and switchbacks to wide-reaching fjord views. Go in the evening for golden light over Bergen and the islands beyond, and join the stream of friendly, endorphin-fuelled runners earning their panoramas the hard way. I ran this route one evening with Helly Hansen’s Vice-President Philip Tavell and Helly Hansen’s ambassador (and professional ski patroller and mountain guide) Izzy Holmes. The ascent was lung-bustingly brutal, but the views were excellent and it felt like a perfect taste of Bergen adventure in just an hour or so.
Hike Around Svartediket and up Ulriken
Bergen offers some of the best walking holidays in Europe for those who like their city breaks served with a side of switchbacks and summit views. This half-day mountain outing starts with a peaceful loop of Svartediket lake, then heads steeply upwards to the highest of Bergen’s seven mountains. Ulriken (643m) offers big views, rugged rock outcrops, and often a whipping wind at the top – a “proper” mountain feeling right on the city’s edge. If you haven’t got the energy, you can take a tramway to the top. I completed this hike with Thomas, a Bergen local and professional mountaineering guide with Norway Mountain Guides, a company supported by Helly Hansen. “You can escape the crowds here and enjoy being outside in the mountains, even though you’re still quite close to the city”, he told me during our walk.
Sea Kayaking in the Øygarden Archipelago
Just west of Bergen lies a stunning maze of rocky islands, narrow straits and hidden coves. Rent a kayak or join a guided trip to paddle through this exposed but beautiful coastal landscape. Look out for sea eagles, seals and the ever-changing North Sea sky.
Tick Off Bergen’s Seven Summit Challenge
Not for the faint-hearted, this hardcore challenge ticks off the Seven Mountains (or 7-Fjellsturen) encircling Bergen. Clocking up 35.6km and 2,267m of ascent, this tough but rewarding trek (or trail run) climbs Lyderhorn, Damsgårdsfjellet, Løvstakken, Ulriken, Fløyen, Rundemanen and Sandviksfjellet, serving up delightful panoramas and a wonderful sense of achievement.
Backcountry Ski Touring in Kvamskogen
Around one hour from Bergen, Kvamskogen is a local favourite for ski touring, offering mellow peaks, good snow and few crowds. Skin up through birch woods to wide open terrain and make fresh tracks on the way down – it’s a proper alpine day without needing the Alps.
