Oppdal is central Norway's largest alpine ski resort, but is an interesting option for an active break year-round.
Norwegians are known for their love of cross-country skiing, and nowhere is this more true than in Trøndelag, the county at the heart of the country.
But on occasion, even the most ardent cross-country skier likes to mix things up a little and head to the slopes.
Two big centres compete for attention in this corner of Norway: Åre just across the border in Sweden, and Oppdal.
Let's take a look at what the small Norwegian town has to offer.
Oppdal ski centre
Four different mountains make up Oppdal ski centre, but it's all under the one ticket so it doesn't matter where you stay, you'll have access to all the slopes.
The snow-secure resort gets busy at weekends at Easter, but its sheer size means you can normally find some quieter slopes at other times of the season. The majority of the downhill runs are sunny and above the timber line.
A day pass for the 2017/18 season cost 425kr with complete equipment rental coming in at around 350kr for the day. The centre also runs a ski school for beginners.
While the town is known for its slopes, its also the starting point for around 100km of cross-country skiing tracks, if you're that way inclined.
Town centre
While nothing to write home about, Oppdal's town centre has everything you need for a short break: supermarkets, sports shops and a couple cafes and restaurants.
The selection on Sundays is much more limited with just one supermarket and the convenience store at the petrol station open. Best stock up on Saturday if you've rented a cabin!
Other facilities in the central area include the culture house (pictured above), which is home to the town's cinema, a swimming pool, a cafe and other exhibition space.
Oppdal in the summer
There's plenty to do outside the ski season. Hiking is of course a popular option, made all the more interesting as the mountain town is a prime stop on Norway's Pilgrim Way to Trondheim's Nidaros Cathedral.
The mountains around Oppdal are also ideally suited for cycling. The ski resort's cable car is open through the summer season and is a popular option for mountain bikers.
For the truly keen cyclist, the 3-4 day ride along the trail between Oppdal and Åndalsnes is demanding, but oh so rewarding.
Finally, Oppdal Museum is located in picturesque surroundings, highlighting log buildings dating back from 1500 to the mid-1900’s.
You can explore farm dwellings, barns, storage-houses, mills, a smithy, hunting cabins, a summer house, telephone office, and ski-workshop, along with items and tools that were used in everyday work.
How to get here
Oppdal is most popular with people living in and around Trondheim due to good road and rail connections.
Reaching the town by car takes less than two hours, while three trains a day make the journey in around 95 minutes. The on-the-day fare for the train journey is 245kr, at the time of writing.
As the train line runs all the way to Oslo it's also fairly easy to reach Oppdal from the capital. The on-the-day fare is 862kr, but much cheaper tickets can be had by booking at least a day in advance.
But with a journey time of around five hours, other ski resorts such as Hemsedal, Hafjell and Trysil are more popular among Oslo's residents.
Where to stay
A weekend trip to Oppdal is about the cabins!
All manner of accommodation from a basic four walls and a roof through to a luxury mountain lodge are available through the ski resort, tourist office, or private websites such as Booking.com or AirBnB.
Most cabins beyond the most basic will have running water, bathrooms and kitchenettes or even full kitchens. Many of the best are located within a very short walk of the bottom of the slopes. Perfect!
But for those who prefer to be looked after, the town does have some hotel accommodation too, although rooms will need to be booked in advance during the high ski season.
Oppdal Turisthotell is located beside the railway station so is a great option for those arriving by train, while the Quality Hotel Skifer (pictured above) is a more modern choice.
Have you been to Oppdal? If you're planning a trip to central Norway's biggest ski resort, why not share your plans on Pinterest? We've got just the pin for that:
