At This Norwegian Camp, We Tested Our Mountain Biking Skills

Welcome to the Norrona Telemark

If you’re picturing the epic fjords and snow-capped peaks of northern Norway, you’d be mistaken. Canvas Telemark “hotel” lies on the shores of Øytjønnane Lake in southeastern Norway—a remote, rugged landscape known more for its rolling hills and forests than dramatic cliffs. Here, you’d expect to see traditional wooden cabins or angular, design-forward huts more typical of Norwegian mountain architecture, so the safari-style Kyrgyz tents look a bit out of place.

But Jan Fasting, the adventurer and outdoor guide who built the property in 2010, was inspired by the Mongolian camps in the 1995 film “Out of Africa” because he was, as he put it around the campfire, “deadly in love with Meryl Streep.” He established the resort as a mountain biking destination with over 120 kilometers (~75 miles) of trails. In 2023, the outdoor apparel brand Norrøna purchased a stake in the property, refining the experience while keeping its rugged, adventure-focused charm intact. Fasting and his co-founder Vebjørn Haugerud stayed on as part owners, and are frequently at camp during the operating season from the beginning of May through early October.

Guests can typically book a weekend stay (two-night minimum) which includes accommodations, meals, and a bike guide. Though I visited as part of a three-day mountain biking retreat led by two mountain bike pros, Rémy Métailler and Geoff Gulevich. Canvas Telemark welcomes riders of all ability levels, which made me hopeful the trip would feel like a laid-back getaway with bikes thrown in. (You can’t visit Norway without ample sauna time, after all.) But with two pros on board, I was worried it would end up being more like an intensive training camp.

Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/norrona-canvas-telemark-norway-mountain-biking