Norway is nature’s paradise. It is admirable how Norwegians value their natural resources, despite the growing urbanism in the country. They love nature so much that they have plenty of walking paths in the woods, and they prefer the quiet life in “hyttas” or cabins located deep in the forests most of the holidays. I, sort of, adapted this nature-fanaticism and have grown to love Norwegian nature, as evident by frequent trips to the woods. I still get scared by sudden rustles of leaves or weird animal sounds, but in general, I love spending time in the woods.
According to the Statistisk sentralbyrå, 8% of the total area in Norway are nature reserves, ie, small protected areas which serve as special habitats (fauna) of high scientific value. The country has 44 national parks, 37 on the mainland and 7 on Svalbard.
During my first summer in Norway, I took a long walk from Bekkestua to visit a huge lake which looked like a tooth on Google Maps. Yes, that’s a how I choose my destination. haha Dælivannet ( lake) in Bærum is part of the Kolsås-Dælivann protected areas consisting of 5297 acres of land. 17 acres of it is the Skotta nature reserve, northeast of the Dælivann. The other areas are Kolsåstoppen, Dalbo, and Kolsåsstuppene.
Many people take the path for recreation. And as it was summer, the forest was teeming with wildlife! I remember getting dizzy being surrounded by tall trees and bushes. It also almost got scary as I went near the lake. I only saw a couple of people passed me by, and then, nothing.
And yes, I passed by a couple of red cabins in Skotta søndre. According to the sign board, the main house dates back to the 1800s, and some parts of it even older. History says that a certain Kristoffer was the oldest known owner of the house, and lived there to farm until the Black Plague destroyed his livelihood. It was then handed down to several new owners, and 1972, Erik Østbye of Dalbo gård (farm) sold it to Bærum Kommune. It is now being used as a kunstnerbolig (artists housing) by the kommune.
After passing the Skotta søndre houses, the path led deeper into the woods. That was where I lost sight of the track, and walked really fast trying to ignore the strange sounds in the woods. What was I doing there, I even asked myself. I guess, it’s important to remember the tracks I took, but the moment I looked back, I was certain I could be lost. I was using GPS though, so I decided to walk a little bit more, just to see the lake, and then, I’m running back to civilization! haha
When I finally caught glimpse of the lake, the ambiance started to get weird. Mosquitos started biting me! Who would have thought there are mosquitoes in Norway?! But surely, they live in warm, damp places. I was pretty used to mosquitoes and insects so I just shoved them off and moved on. There were broken boardwalk planks that led from the muddy banks of the lake to the lake itself. At the end of the broken boardwalk? A magnificent luscious green and brown lake, and a sunken canoe!
I was probably at the wrong side of the lake.. Nevertheless, it was picturesque area! Not to mention the mosquitoes feasting on me, and that I was standing on a broken plank ready to go down the water. 😛 The Dælivannet lake has a surface area of 27 acres, and surface elevation of 99 meters. It has perch (a freshwater gamefish) and pike, and a rich bird life. I wonder how it looks like in winter… Anyway, to prove my point, here’s the tooth-shaped lake on Google maps 😉
Ha! I was so glad I made the trip! 😉 There’s so much to see in Norway and I’m very lucky to call this country my second home. ❤ This is all for now! Cheers! #spreadlove
PinayOdyssey 