Does awe-inspiring nature charge your creativity? Do vibrant urban scenes and local culture beg you to get your camera out? If so, you’re perfect for discovering Norway and documenting it on ‘Norway. Your Way.’

For your chance to be a part of a 10 day exploration of the true Norway, we want to see examples of your creativity  that have been inspired by Norway and it’s values.

The competition isn’t quite live so you’ve got a head start on everyone else to come up with some amazing content that showcases your creative talents…..then on Monday 7th June, you can start uploading your weird and wonderful pieces of art! We want to see; short films (5 minutes at most), photos, stories, blogs, poems, songs, music. Anything that can express the feelings Norway inspires in you. The content doesn’t have to be produced in Norway, but must be inspired by it.  Whether it’s the country, the people, or the values of being fresh, friendly, innovative and genuine, we want to see your creations.

Now go forth and be arty and remember to come back soon, when we’ll be showing you exactly how you can enter!

Polar bear at Svalbard, Norway - Photo: Kristina Lind

National Geographic has published an interesting article on Svalbard.

Ice Paradise
Five minutes past midnight in Svalbard: The wild world is awake and clattering. At the edge of a sheltered estuary in the Adventdalen, a valley on a cluster of islands halfway between Norway and the North Pole, a flock of arctic terns soar and wheel in the perpetual daylight. They’re agitated. A pair of glaucous gulls—chick snatchers, egg stealers, the Arctic’s formidable winged predators—are approaching from the east. The terns put up a fierce defense. They flash their red beaks at the gulls and turn themselves into a cloud of sharpness.

The gambit works. The gulls bypass the terns and circle inland, passing over a pair of ground-nesting eiders, a kennel of sled dogs, and a solitary reindeer feeding on the tundra…

More info about Svalbard at visitnorway.com

The royal guards you see at the Changing of the Guards in Oslo are called the King’s Guard. These men and women perform sentry duty, guarding the royal residence around the clock …more on the Changing of the Guard in Oslo.

Source: goscandinavia.about.com

Authorities are being forced to dump tonnes of snow into the sea with more winter weather on the horizon and overfilled snow depots unlikely to melt until September.

Watch the movie clip from Oslo at Reuters.

The Oslo-Bergen Railway and the Flaamsbana Railway (Flåmsbana) have been voted as two of the top 25 Railway journeys in the world by The Society of International Railway Travellers .

Flåm Railway

The railway recently underwent a facelift; its new fleet of trains, in forest green livery, comprises five engines and 12 cars. It also boasts new interiors and a unique guide and loudspeaker service.

Oslo-Bergen Railway

Different international ratings consider the train ride between Oslo and Bergen with the Bergen Railway as the most exciting and beautiful train ride in the world. Last up was the well known travel journalist Gary Warner, who published his favourite train rides in the American newspaper The Chicago Tribune.

Riding high

No other train ride between two cities in Europe is at a higher altitude than the one between Oslo and Bergen. Its highest point is Finse, 1,222 metres above sea level. During the ride you will witness amazing nature. The total travel time between Oslo and Bergen is approximately seven hours.

Introduction/History:
The complete Oslo-Bergen line was opened in 1909 as the only year-round land transport between Norway’s two largest cities. It was electrified in 1964. The 300-mile length of track passes through 200 tunnels and 18 miles of snowsheds in addition to crossing more than 300 bridges. In 2009, the Bergen Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary!

The scenery on the 7-hour Bergen Railway trip across the Hardanger plateau, the largest wilderness area in Europe, is breathtaking. Keep your eyes open for reindeer and other wild animals on what the Eurail Guide calls the “most scenic rail trip in Europe.”

Northern lights above the mountains outside of Bodø - Photo: Andreas Skjervold

No pencil can draw it, no colours can paint it, and no words can describe it in all its magnificence. Julius von Payer – explorer and a keen observer of the northern lights.

The North Cape in Finnmark is one of many good places in Northern Norway to see the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis.

Seeing the northern lights is a jaw-dropping and mystical moment. The lights are at their most frequent in late autumn and early spring. October, February and March are the best months for auroral observations. The highest northern lights frequency is between 6 pm and 1 am.

In order to get full value from the show you should avoid the full moon and places with a lot of light as they make the experience considerably paler.

Theoretically, you can see the northern lights all over Norway. However, the best places are above the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway.

An absolutely fabulous trip to see the northern lights

Joanna Lumley, the actress from the BBC series Absolutely Fabulous, had dreamt of seeing the northern lights since she was a child. And finally she got to live out her dream. In a splendid BBC film, she travels accross Norway in search for the aurora borealis. For Joanna, as for many others who get to experience the illusive lights, it was an altogether emotional experience.

Watch an extract from the film Joanna Lumley – In the Land of the Northern Lights.

See slideshow with pictures of the northern lights.

Read the full story “Let there be northern lights” at visitnorway.com

Skiing in Norway - Photo: Per Eriksson/Innovasjon Norge

Ski journalist Jimmy Pettersson has written the book Skiing around the world about his unique journey through 47 countries and close to 200 ski areas.

This 440-page, richly illustrated book is filled with exciting and interesting experiences that will inspire skiers, snowboarders, adventurers and travelers alike.

Four of the reccommended skiing areas are in Norway:

1. Narvik in Troms  (North Norway)
   
2. Oppdal in Trøndelag (Central Norway)
   
3. Stranda (Western Norway)
   
4. Stryn (Western Norway)

Norway has also plenty of other skiing destinations worth visiting, read more on skiing in Norway at visitnorway.com.

More info on the book at skiingaroundtheworld.net.

Hiking in Norway

This year’s hiking campaign includes fjords and mountains, waterfalls and canyons, wildlife safaris and guided tours.

Check out the hiking campaign at www.visitnorway.com

Related:

Safety in the Norwegian Mountains

Prepare yourself for the wilderness

Hiking in Norway

“…I found a neat way to explore this lovely land without paying an arm and a leg.

By cruising with a group of hikers, we were able to see the sights at affordable prices – with the added creature comforts of a cruise ship as a bonus…

…The idea of taking an organised walk at each port of call is new, but it’s one which is gaining in popularity…

…By day you can yomp around in shorts and T-shirt, trainers and boots, exploring the local countryside. By night, back on board, you can shower and change into your gladrags for the evening’s entertainment…”

What’s the deal?

An eight-day trip sailing on Balmoral to the Norwegian Fjords costs from £861pp including shore transport and some tips with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. For more info go to www.cruiseandwalk.co.uk or call 01707 386767.

Read the full story at www.mirror.co.uk

The thrill-seekers launch themselves from the top of treacherous slopes on skis wearing nothing more than a helmet and specially-designed wingsuit.

These staggering scenes were shot at the Rauma region in Norway, one of the few places where the sport can be attempted.

Watch it at www.mirror.co.uk