Stoked for a year out in the wild with many nights in a tent!? Here you get challenges in steep mountains and deep fjords! Climbing, surfing, paddling, ski touring and many other outdoor activities. Join!
From the fjords to the mountains
Do you want to experience a year full of adventures and fun with the opportunity to try out lots of activities in Norwegian nature? Then this is a class for you! Through trips, outdoor sports and camping you will get to know the beautiful North West region of Norway at its best. We will try out everything from surfing to ski-touring and we will spend a lot of nights in tents – you will get an unforgettable year full of action and different activities!
Travel less, experience more - short-distance outdoor life
Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole is located in the middle of the episenter for outdoor life possibilities. A short distance from the school you will find some of Norway's longest ski runs, untouched powder snow, surf beaches and fine climbing areas. This is an eldorado for outdoor activities! Instead of traveling far away, we can therefore use the time to experience more - in a short-distance and environmentally friendly way.
Many different outdoor activities
During the year, we will test many different activities, and go in depth on some. In winter, ski mountaineering is our main activity, where we explore the wonderful summits we have nearby. You will learn to sea kayak, surf, climb and plan a trip. When the year is over, you will be good at planning and carrying out many types of trips on your own. There is a good chance that you will discover new talents and find a new favorite activity that you can pursue for the rest of your life.
You will learn:
- Ski mountianeering
- Summit trips on foot
- Avalanche safety
- Climbing
- Surfing
- Kayaking
- Using maps and compass
- Tent life summer and winter
You also get to try:
- Sailing
- Ice climbing
- Sea sports
- Cabin to cabin tour
- Via ferrata
- Snow cave
The teacher: Tor Einar Hovde
Studied at NTNU, Idrettshøgskolen and Høgskolen in Volda. Originally a football guy from Drammen, but learned to love friluftsliv as a student at Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole. Has a lot of experience in outdoor sports and is especially fond of skiing, climbing and tent trips. Loves life, good views and quality time in front of a campfire.
Equipment list
- Ski-touring equipment (skis or splitboard)
- Avalanche equipment (avalanche beacon, shovel, avalanche probe – you can also rent this equipment from Nordvestlandet)
- Winter sleeping bag, sleeping mat, backpack
- Wind- and waterproof clothing
- Hiking clothing and woollen underwear
Costs
24.000,- NOK including all the trips and lessons.
To get an overview of what your year at Nordvestlandet will cost, visit our economy page.
Would you like a year of outdoor life at Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole, but are not quite sure which major to choose? Read the article Which outdoor major at Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole is right for you?
A unique community
Through trips, joint activities and challenges, the class quickly becomes a tight-knit group. We sleep in tents, eat meals together, and have fun while challenging ourselves with exciting activities. We support, push and help each other. Together we create good memories and friendships for life.
Your major at Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole will be taught three days of the week. You will also attend the Learning norwegian class. In addition you can choose some electives. Read more about our electives here.
Long class trips
Three times during the year we will go on a longer trip than usual with our class.
Trip 1 – September: We travel to the west coast of Norway to places called Stad and Hoddevika where we will learn how to surf. Stad is known to be one of the best surfing destinations in Norway. Here we will get a good introduction to this exciting sport by experienced teachers.
Trip 2 – February: This is going to be a real winter trip! We go with a light backpack, put everything else in a sled and set up a good basecamp. From the basecamp we will go on different skiing trips. We will get used to camping routines and spend cozy evenings around the campfire.
Trip 3 – April: Spring might be the best ski-touring season. If we get the right conditions, we will try out the new touring route in the Romsdal Alps – an amazing trip in majestic terrain. We will spend the nights in cabins. Don't forget your sunglasses and sunscreen on this trip!
Skiing week in Oppdal
In February the whole school will travel to the Oppdal ski resort. We are going to live in cabins at IMI-Stølen which has a lot of good facilities and cosy rooms!
Here we will have a good time skiing and relaxing in the cabins afterwards. A lot of proficient instructors will accompany us and you will receive lessons to suit your skiing level. We offer classes in alpine and telemark skiing as well as snowboarding and cross country skiing.
Friluftsliv at Nordvestlandet
There are a lot of folk high schools that offer friluftsliv classes all around Norway, so why should you choose one at Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole?
In addition to our fantastic teachers and staff, we might have the best location for friluftsliv in the country. Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole is on the northwest side of Norway with amazing nature for sports and friluftsliv. A lot of the mountains around our school are at 1500 -1900 meters above sea level and are perfect for hikes with or without skis. On skiing trips you can easily get to ski down 1600 meters.
Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole is located by the sea and there are great water sports and windsurfing opportunities right by the school. Boats and kayaks are free to rent for our students at all times. Hoddevika and Stad are also very close by, these places are great for surfing as well. Additionally, it is not far to drive to ski resorts such as Oppdal with Norway's biggest ski area, Bjorli with Norway's longest skiing season, Tusten ski resort in Molde and Stranda ski resort with amazing off-piste skiing.
If you find it hard to choose an outdoor major, you can read our article about which outdoor major is right for you here.
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