Where the Air Feels Older Than Time
images courtesy AllTrails
Hiking Telemark with AllTrails
There is something about arriving in Norway in October. The light feels softer, almost thoughtful, as if the country is already preparing to turn inward for winter.
After landing in Oslo, we boarded a bus and travelled about ninety minutes southwest toward Telemark. The city slowly gave way to forest. Roads narrowed. Lakes appeared like mirrors between the trees. By the time we arrived, the air felt different. Sharper. Cleaner. Quieter.
Our first stop was Bolkesjö Gaard, resting at the foot of Blefjell mountain.
The farm dates back to the thirteenth century. Its oldest building, Årestua, holds timber from the 1220s. Wood that has lived through plagues, unions, wars, harvests, and generations. Standing inside those dark wooden walls, time feels compressed. History is no longer abstract. It breathes.
But this trip was not only about stillness or nostalgia.
It had a purpose.
AllTrails had just launched in the Nordics, and we were there to experience it where it makes the most sense. Out in the landscape itself.
Into Telemark
Our half day hike took us through the quiet wilderness of Telemark, a region shaped by biodiversity, layered forests, open mountain ridges, and endless lakes. The terrain keeps shifting. Soft moss underfoot. Rocky passages. Open viewpoints where the sky suddenly expands.
October in southern Norway is a study in contrast. Deep greens. Burnt orange. Silver water. Crisp blue skies. The kind of air that makes your lungs feel newly installed.
It was exactly the retreat I did not know I needed.
No notifications. No urgency. Just movement.
There is something deeply grounding about walking for hours with one simple goal: follow the path.
Why AllTrails
So why AllTrails?
Because even in a country made for hiking, knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming.
AllTrails helps you discover routes based on your level, distance, and terrain. Whether you want a gentle walk by a lake or a more demanding mountain climb, the platform filters options in a way that feels intuitive rather than intimidating.
What makes it especially relevant in the Nordics is the scale.
There are more than 8,000 trails in Sweden.
More than 9,000 across Norway and Denmark.
And the number keeps growing.
Users can upload and share their own routes, turning hiking into something communal rather than solitary. The map becomes a living document shaped by the people who walk it.
The platform offers three membership tiers depending on how advanced your needs are, from simple trail discovery to detailed offline maps and safety features.
AllTrails is also a member of 1% for the Planet, reinforcing a commitment to environmental responsibility in a world where exploring nature must go hand in hand with protecting it.
Simple Things
Between the mountains, forests, and lakes, one thought kept returning:
Is this not the best combination?
A little history.
A few meaningful conversations.
Fresh air.
Sometimes it really is the simple things.
Back at Bolkesjö Gaard in the evening, candlelight reflecting on centuries old timber, it became clear why Scandinavia continues to draw creatives, thinkers, and dreamers north. Nature here is not a backdrop. It is the main character.
AllTrails launching in the Nordics feels less like expansion and more like alignment. This region lives outdoors. The app simply helps you enter it with intention.
And maybe that is what this trip was really about.
Not conquering a mountain.
Not chasing performance.
Just remembering how good it feels to walk.
https://www.alltrails.com/
https://www.bolkesjogaard.no/en/no/historie
