23 MAY 1931, Page 30

Travel

[We publish on this page articles and notes which may help our readers in making their plans for travel at home and abroad. We shall be glad to answer questions arising out of the Travel articles published in our columns. Inquiries should be addressed to the Travel Manager, The SPECTATOR, 99 Gower Street, W.C. 1.]

Norway

THERE is perhaps some excuse for the popular conception of Norway as a cold, or, at any rate, as a not very warm country, for more than one third of the country lies within the Arctic Circle. But actually her climate is one of her chief attractions. Nature treats no land on the same latitude so kindly ; she receives 35 Fahrenheit more heat than any other country situated at the same distance from the Equator.

Her scenery is notoriously splendid. Her mountains would satisfy the most romantically minded, and there is a quiet, bright charm about her towns and villages which appeals to travellers temperamentally or physically less venturesome. The railway service is reliable, comfortable, and reasonably cheap. There is no need for the passenger to seek refuge in a state of suspended animation, and indeed he would find it difficult to do so ; Norwegian train journeys offer an almost unbroken succession of what the Americans call " eyefulls," and long-distance trains provide observation cars from which to' appreciate them. Motors are easy to hire and are usually well driven. The roads are, inevitably, hilly, but well engi- neered. The West coast fjords can be seen in comfort from the decks of steamers. They are beautiful and remarkably calm, being under the lee of an archipelago. Oslo produces on the traveller who sees 'it for the first time an extraordinary impression of cleanliness. It is a cheerful, friendly city, and contains some of the best modern architecture to be found in Europe. There is a great deal to see and do there, and it is worth making the capital more than a mere starting point, for the country round Oslo is pleasant and very easily reached ; you can alternate urban and rural amusements without changing your headquarters. Sport in Norway is good and not hard to come by. Some of the trout fishing is excellent. The travel bureaus will give reliable advice on the subject to the sportsman who comes with no previous information. Most of the small hotels and chalets in the hills will put him up for twelve shillings a day and make nu extra charge for the fishing. The motorist who brings his own car will have as few formalities to cope with, and as little expense to meet, as he would if he were merely taking it across to France. He should, however, remember that the rule of the road is to the right. The mountaineering, of course, is particularly good. It is mostly done in the Jotunheim, where climbers usually concen- trate on the Horungtinder. Many of the finest peaks have been very seldom tackled. For the experienced climber with a taste for ice work the ice falls and snow fields of Justedal are at once a challenge and an opportunity. South of the Arctic Circle the Sandmifore district offers some wonderful scenery and very fair rock climbing. Accommodation is good, and even of the beaten track never unpleasantly primitive. In conclusion, a few words of general advice. Take, besides ordinary clothing, strong shoes and a light overcoat : for a North Cape trip, and late or early in the season, a heavy over- coat. You need have few fears -about dirt in hotels, trouble with the customs, or your ignorance of the language ; English is spoken almost everywhere by someone. If you want to arrange a tour beforehand, the Norwegian State Railways have a travel bureau who can do it for you, and an office in London where you can consult them. Further details can be got through a travel agency, or, better, through the National Travel Association of Norway ; their address is Stortingsgaten 2,