The Nordmarka is the enormous forested plateau stretching north and west from Holmenkollen — 1,700 square kilometres of lakes, ridges, and spruce forest that Oslo treats as its backyard. Trails start directly from Holmenkollen station and reach into wilderness within minutes of leaving the platform.
In winter, the Nordmarka has the most extensive groomed cross-country skiing network in the Oslo region — hundreds of kilometres of tracks lit at night for the evening after-work crowd. In summer and autumn, the same trails become hiking and running routes, with swimming in the forest lakes during warm weather. The hut at Frognerseteren, a short walk from the forest, serves waffles and hot drinks with a fjord view that makes the trip even easier to recommend.