We stayed one night at the Øya Shetland Pony Stud and in the morning were offered the opportunity to go round and meet the ponies.

The majority were happily living outside in the snow.

We were in our element.

It felt like home…..

…. except for the trees!  I have never seen Shetland ponies walking through trees.  We don’t have any trees of any substance or size here, so I just don’t associate them with the breed at all.  Most odd.

I rather wish, though, we could have trees for our ponies to wander in and out of.

(I sigh wistfully)

The ponies were all enchanting and very friendly.

Very pretty too.

We wandered about making friends.

Everyone came up to talk.

It was lovely to be so appreciated.

And it was even better to be at a home with ponies.

I miss them when I am away.

Like ours, they were very loving.

This cat was the guardian of the stable.  He was truly scary and made our Wussums seem almost nice!

Having hugged and kissed all the equine noseys (well, it would be rude not to), the owner, Eldrid Hoel Slotnæs, brought her stallion and his little friend out of their stable, where they had spent the night.

These two were gorgeous.

Much bouncing and playing.

I could’ve photographed them all day but we had to move on to our next stop.

I seriously need to return and photograph more Shetland ponies in Norway in the snow.  Anyone interested?  Just say the word.

And so off to Maihaugen.

Maihaugen in Lillehammer is Norway’s largest open-air museum outside of Oslo.

Set in a beautiful park, there are more than 200 buildings from different eras reconstructed and restored to their original beauty.

What can I say?

This is my idea of heaven.

We wandered about for hours.

Everyone went their own way.

I just wanted to take photos in the briliant sunshine, blue sky and snow.

Although we couldn’t go into any of the buildings, we managed to look through the windows, and we could see so much.

This was Norway’s architectural history set out beautifully for us.

(A thing pulled by horses that turned the hay over in the fields) 

A plough.

This is where the horses went round and round pushing a grinding stone.

The original glass.

The torvtak (turf roof) roofs were everywhere.

The timbers were interpersed with lichen or moss for insulation and draught exclusion.

So many buildings

Daisy has had to go through my final blog photos and pare them down for me as I couldn’t.  I have so many photos of Maihaugen.  Possibly too many!
 

Maihaugen is a unique place.   No where else could you wander about like this.  The gates are opened at 16:00 for everyone to visit, free of charge.

There was no vandalism, graffiti or anything bad here.  Sadly, I  can’t imagine this anywhere in Britain.  Not even Shetland.

Maihaugen was used as a set for “The Last King”.  A superb Norwegian film about the Birkebeiners (a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174) carrying their infant king over the mountains from Lillehammer to Østerdalen in 1206.

Tomorrow, I promise, Shetland ponies.

Sadly, it was time to leave Røros and hit the road.  Places to go, people to see.

Our first proper stop was at Tynset – home of the World’s Largest Kick Sledge – 5.25 m long, 3.72 m wide and 11.60 m tall.  Apparently it is 5 times the size of an ordinary kick sledge.  I loved the little children playing on it like a climbing frame.  So sweet.

We visited a lovely shop that sold the traditional Norwegian national costume.

Serious wow!

Such amazing beautiful detail.

They also sold wool and craft things too.

Lambie buttons!

I managed to indulge my love of icicles!

Our friend, neighbour, host and driver, Tore, very kindly said if I wanted him to stop to take photos, I was just to say!

So I did.

Lots!

I loved the mountains.

We drove past Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park – home of musk ox (we saw none) and Rondane National Park – home of reindeer (yup, none) and everywhere, apparently in Norway, is heaving with moose – none!

But the trees.  So many trees!

After Tynset, we went onto Ringebu Stave Church – originally built in the 13th century, a bit more in 17th century and then fully restored in 1921.

It was stunning.

(another Narnia moment)

And, yes, more icicles.

Norway is a beautiful place even if I never saw a moose.

 

We shopped until we dropped and then walked back to the car – it was parked slightly outwith Røros. On our way in earlier in the morning, we had noticed that the reindeer were living in the park next to our carpark.

Did I want to go and see them?

You bet I did!

There were potential noseys to kiss!

But I was in two minds.  To be honest, I don’t like disturbing animals when they are either working hard or resting.

I think it is also rude to just go up to someone else’s animal and impose myself and my camera.  Not the done thing.

So, I did ask their owners, who were Sami, and tried to read the situation as best I could.

Reindeer are not animals I know much about and they also come with an armoury that can cause damage.

I did my best, hopefully safely and appropriately.

(I did kiss this nosey!)

The reindeer were there for a purpose – sleigh rides for the public.

Yes, I can understand that.  Like our beach donkeys.  But, get this, they set off without any handler, and they go round the track on their own!

Imagine doing that with a Shetland pony?

God alone knows where you would end up – my money is at the local shop!

But these reindeer looked good, were content and plodded around a pre-prepared track without a second thought.

(I may need a reindeer or two or three or a herd…… but apparently they don’t do rain).

Can I just add that someone had bothered to collect loads of lichen for their reindeer and it was put on the ground for them to munch while they were not pulling their sledges.  Thank you to those persons.  You care and you understand your animals.

 

 

So, yesterday, you know how I said we didn’t do crowds?  Well, today, we did do shopping – the people had mostly dispersed.

The morning was spent wandering about the streets of Røros, looking at at it all.

There were many stalls selling just about everything (I love this sort of thing).

We sampled.

I tried not to mind.

We admired.

(eeek – Moomin cardigans – just eeek!)

In the various little alleyways off the streets were courtyards with folk who had come up with their sleighs and horses.

Singing and story-telling.

Possibly some drinking too!

Oh, wow.  The atmosphere.  The décor.  The everything.  I soaked it all up.  Norwegian chic at its best.

Røros is not a large town (Wikipedia says 3,718 so half the size of Lerwick), but everyone had made an effort.

What a beautiful place with amazing buildings …..

…. and innovation.

The horses, who had taken part in the Opening Ceremony, were mostly out of bounds and that was good. They deserved their rest but there were a few stabled in the courtyards dotted around who we could talk to.

And so we wandered.

Now was our opportunity to go into Røros church.

A place of peace and tranquility.

(and curtains too – I mean how beautiful is that?)

Yes, we did shop but mostly we browsed, tasted and chatted to the traders.

There was old and new to look at and want.  Oh yes, I wanted!

(I even looked for a bell for Lambie – he needs a bell!)

This is an old horse-drawn snow plough.

I asked permission before I took this photo – a kind Sami lady in full traditional costume.

Shopping in Røros is an experience and now I need to go back!