It’s October and we finally managed to explore the woods in Lier, a municipality in the Buskerud county dubbed as Oslo Area’s “green lung” because of its vast fields and apple orchards. The woods, also known as Kjekstadmarka, borders Oslomarka in the southwest and is partly surrounded by the Oslofjord and the Drammenfjord. The hike started in Sørumlia and Sørum Terrasse, a hillside residential area, and going up to the old railroad tracks (Drammensbanen). That gave us amazing views of the city below! After climbing up the steep hill, we came across several ruins of old mines called the Molybdengruvene that the Germans dug during the wars, and on to a peaceful lake, the Skapertjern, where we enjoyed grilling some sausages by a bonfire. ❤
I have always wanted to explore the woods in Lier, as my bf and I already explored the surrounding mountains and hills in Drammen. Lier is visible from Drammen, so this makes us familiar to all the woods nearby, well, at least, somehow. It starts to get really cold in Norway in December, and it’s much, much colder out there in the woods so it’s important to wear warm clothes and accessories. The best thing is, it is now allowed to put up bonfires in the woods (April15-September15), so warming up and grilling snack is possible!
To be honest, it became pretty creepy as we went further deep into the woods. I always felt like something’s watching us (a bear, perhaps?)! Then, we saw these old mines built by the Germans, something that brought the boy out of my bf! The Norwegians first mined molybdenum, a metallic element used to make steel alloys, in 1918. However, it didn’t last for a long time. The Germans, though, resumed the mining during the World Wars for arms production, until the mines were completely closed in 1945, after the WWII.
Hiking further, we reached a peaceful and quiet lake, except for some Norwegians having lunch on the other side. The municipality of Drammen bought the Skapertjern to serve as a source of drinking water hundreds of years ago. The lake now serves a wonderful spot for swimming in winter and summer, for camping, fishing, teambuilding, and other outdoor recreational activities! There were ready-made bonfire pits, so we had a really easy time building one and grilling some sausages in the cold! Love it!
After having a cozy time by the bonfire and the lake, we walked further up into the woods, where we encountered almost invisible tracks and really creepy marshes! My bf tried to scare the hell out of me by making strange animal sounds, but I made it and we got out of the woods safe! Yes! After soaking our shoes wet in smelly mud, where I’m sure elk and wolves had a great time roaming around at night. 😛
The almost 10 kilometer-hike went really well, and my favorite (well, it’s hard to choose!) would probably be the views on top of Sørumåsen! The climb was tough, complaints noted, but the views on top were spectacular!
And my least favorite? None. Haha, well, perhaps the muddy marshes and the creepy parts of the woods. I promise, my feet soaked in smelly mud wasn’t really my idea of a nice hike, but it’s inevitable and it’s part of the game! That actually made the hike more memorable, and I felt safe once again with my bf around.
I am super in love with Norwegian nature! Now… where to hike next?? Cheers! ❤
PinayOdyssey 