Voss- Vestland

I had the opportunity for a few weeks work helping some friends in Voss, Norway. A destination I was only aware of because of their mineral water that comes in an expensive and irregular shaped bottle.
But as we soon become aware of after a short time in Norway, it’s not only the mineral water that’s expensive. Just for a laugh visit the supermarket and see how far you could stretch your food budget if you were to buy your regular groceries here. It’s easy to understand why many Norwegian households do their weekly shopping in Sweden and why many small towns along the Swedish Norwegian border have huge supermarkets.

But it’s all relative and the area around Voss and the inland Fjords "as I call the local geography" are spectacularly scenic.

Voss is situated in the in centre of Vestland county in Norway with a permanent population of around 16000. Voss is accessible via the main line stop on the Oslo Bergen train. The E16 from Oslo passes through Voss on its way to its destination in Bergen.

Hiking -be well equiped, look the part, I'm sure they were laughing at me in my civies.

During the summer while I am here the scenery is lush and green, liquid sunshine or the occasional showers are predicted on the weather report today as well as all days, be a good scout and be prepared.

I took the gondola up to the top of Hangurstoppen the dominating plateau top backing on to Voss, approx. 800m above sea level. The gondola is also the starting point in accessing Voss’s extensive winter sport ski fields. My excursion was marred by clouds and fog and by the time I reached the top it had started to rain, and a chilly wind blew in. In the summertime when its cloudy there is nothing to look at from the viewing stations up there, only some out of season ski lifts. I’m sure on a nice day the view is fantastic and far reaching, as well as the adventure tourists casting themselves of the top on a wing and prayer. Voss successfully markets itself as an extreme sport destination and so they come.
I decided to hike down from the top in my city garb. The promise of a signposted hike turned quickly into a steep descent, treacherous in the rain, the track became a muddy, slippery slalom between trip hazards at every step. Theres not a lot to see during the decent as the track leads mostly through scrub and trees and you need all your concentration to watch your footing. I passed a few sheep and I’m sure they were mockingat me, but being a meat eater will be my eventual revenge.

There are many hiking trails around Voss, and Norway in general, you can download a Trail app to help with you find your way. The trail I was on was very poorly signposted, but then down was the only option. Hiking is a general pastime here even the chocolate bar Kvikk Lunsj, “quick lunch” better known in many countries as KitKat has survival instructions printed on the inside label.

I visited the old stone church in the city centre, built around 1277. A nice old church, steep pitched slate roof and apparently one of the few still standing buildings in the town after the Germans bombed the city in April of 1940. I’m sure that fact had a bearing on the congregation at the time. There was an admission fee, which I was too stingy to pay, after years of traveling another church is just another church, eventhough i enjoy lookig at the arcitecture and being agape at many oof these cultural gems. I feel religion should be free and in such an oil rich country like Norway then the state should pay upkeep on their cultural heritage, or?

The Voss folkemuseum offers an insight into the past, a preserved farmstead with centuries of family perseverance, an array of buildings reflecting the life, lifestyles and survival struggles encountered here in the area. Even though this genuine farmstead was worth preserving it reflects the fact that it was luxurious farmstead  in comparison to those left to decay back into nature.

Voss Tourist town.

Voss is a Tourist town successfully marketing itself as an extreme sport destination utilising both its well-developed winter sport infrastructure and its fantastic summer environment. This constant stream of alternative summer beach and big city tourism keeps Voss afloat on a year-round basis. Many winter sport destinations fall in the proverbial hole during summer and visa versa. But in Voss there’s an artery of cash from extreme sport enthusiaster flowing into the supportive small businesses around town. Established extreme sports that Voss caters for are. kayaking, skateboarding, gliding, base jumping, speed flying, rock climbing, skydiving, hang gliding, para gliding, rafting, BMX and more.
This diversification and their needs feed of each other creating a flow of enthusiasts as well as offering local entrepreneur’s opportunities, this in turn creates jobs and lessens the percentage of young locals moving to the bigger cities and increases the flow of external workers “like me” seeking opportunities in Voss. So, there’s something here for all the adventure tourists. Me I’m just working.

Take a day trip into Bergen, Norway’s second city set around a deep-water port, home to enormous fishing trawlers and hundreds of years seafarers, their ships and stories. Now in the middle of summer there are tourist cruise ships as well. There were three the day I was there they spew out thousands of sidewalk obstacles and hazards, they meander around the centre of town in a nonstop parade. I understand why some cities are moving from this kind of mass tourism. But the tourist dollar is strong. Bergen is a nice city a kinda cool mix of old and new buildings, small shops selling diverse paraphernalia existing alongside the more prominent department stores. It seems well laid out and clean with some interesting history over the last 1000 years.
I visited the fish market of course, a bunch of tents, stalls and food trucks selling mostly seafood, alongside their respective kitchens and outside restaurants. A real tourist trap with hugely marked up prices. I looked through the adjoining indoor market as well they had the same prices, seems like they both indulge in a bit of a cartel building. I wonder what happens to the outside market during winter, it can’t be too pleasant there. Many stalls were featuring some of Norway’s scientifically quoted & culled whales, I suppose once you’ve done your scientifical analysis on the whale it’s better to turn it into burgers, salami and steaks than throw it away. I wonder if they’ll ever have enough data to come to a scientific conclusion. Its better to say we like to eat them and there’s too much money involved rather than the scientific bullshit excuse.

Local Tips.

It's very easy to get out to Tvindefossen waterfall if you have a car, 15 minutes out of town, its also possible by bus as well, but the busses are not so frequent and you'll have to look at the waterfall for at least one & half hours between the departure timetable.

I also tried Voss Vind a little indoor wind -tunnel "skydiving" a good little morning adrenelin dose to start the day with. they did a great day and it was lots of fun.

Norway is in my opinion an expensive country, the basics in the supermarkets are expensive. Norway is one of a couple of countries to have a sugar tax in place, so sweets, sodas etc have extra taxes on them.

If you are planning a holiday here, add on extra to your budget than you would for a normal southern European destination, if it’s still affordable, then double the budget otherwise you’ll have to skimp on your meals.

And just for good measure, apparently the expensive Voss mineral water doesn’t even come from Voss, how’s that for a marketing kick in the teeth