If you have lived in Norway before Corona, you’ve probably seen dazzling faces on Friday at work, staring at the clock. And children been picked up earlier at school. Also after Corona, the traffic jam towards city exit heading the mountains (or seaside) on Fridays around 4.p.m. It means Norwegians are heading to the cabins. It’s been like this for generations.
Cabin culture means a lot to the Norwegian people. It’s a scape from daily routine, a refuge place. On weekends and holidays at the cabin, Norwegians stay in contact with nature, admire the landscape, breathe fresh air, relax, go hiking, skiing, cycling, drink coffee and read a book, play board games, do nothing, bake, sleep well… the list of advantages is long. I love it and I find it super cozy to spend time with my family in the nature. Norwegians value that. Instead of sitting all day at a bar, parents are teaching their children to ski.
All year use. Personally, I prefer staying at the cabin in the Spring, Summer and Autumn. It gets warm enough to bathe in the river, go hiking, pick up wild berries , stay outside as long as possible. It’s a mind cleansing experience.
Old days x modern times
In the past, cabins didn’t have toilet inside, let alone shower or tv. The windows were small and so were the bedrooms. Some older cabins still don’t have toilets or have them outside. Some of them are chemical toilets that you can’t flush. Some families still stay in cabins for a week without bathing. The whole point is to enjoy nature. It’s cultural.
However, cabin culture has been changing recently. The new cabins are modernized. They are bigger, with good shower and toilet system. The heat can be activated by an app so that when families arrive, the cabin is already warm and cozy. No need to freeze for two hours before it gets comfortable, in the Winter.
For those who enjoy skiing, Winter is the top season for you. Disadvantages of going to the cabin in the Winter. One of them is parking far from the cabin (with some exceptions). You must carry your belongings up the mountain, in the snow, all the way to the cabin. Alternative is to hire a snow scooter. Second: being stuck in the cabin due to bad weather. In Norway, the weather can be challenging, with strong winds, darkness, rain, avalanches. Advantages: When the weather is good, you’ll have an amazing trip, super cozy time, awesome landscape and fantastic skiing time.
When we moved to Norway I thought that everybody invited their friends to each other’s cabins. Now I realize that only best friends do that. Sharing a cabin is very intimate. Most cabins are small and don’t have tv. Everybody is together most of the time, specially if the weather is bad. You hear while others are in the toilet, for example.
Where to rent cabins in Norway. You can rent from a Tourist Office like this in Rogaland county or click here for the Norwegian Trekking Association. Oil companies lend them to their employees. You must apply in good time before the high season starts. Many families are interested. When you arrive at the cabin, you should find it clean and easy to use. You must bring your own linen and towels. You can cook your own food, etc. The day you’re leaving, you should wash the floor and clean the house for the next guest. There’s no cleaning service. Check the important rules here.
I enjoy hytteliv/cabin culture in Norway and I hope that living a simple life, integrated with nature remains to be its main reason.
What about you? Do you like staying at a cabin in the mountains or by the sea? Tell me here in comments.
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Have a wonderful day! 🙂
It’s very interesting this culture that makes integration with nature and also gives families the opportunity to get along well.