Page 43 - Cross Country Travel Guide 2019

Fred Gustafsson invites us north, to the lands of 24-hour midsummer sunshine

Vågå, Norway
This is the home of the Norwegian national
centre for paragliding and hang gliding

(Rikscentret). Or at least it usually is
– unfortunately it was flooded last year and
was badly damaged. It is just outside the
village of Vågåmon 300km north of Oslo,
and in drier times offers B&B, camping with
showers and a big landing zone.
The closest take-off is on the mountain
of Vole. The area is characterised by broad
highland areas dissected by deep valleys.
When the weather is good there is great
scope for XC flying. You can either follow the
valleys or, when you get really high, cross the

highlands and plateaus.
The highest point in Norway and the flying
site of Juvashytta are both nearby. From
there, if you are feeling adventurous, you can
fly over the high point of Galdhøpiggen or
stay closer to civilisation on the route back to
Vågåmon.
www.nlf.no/hgpg
Photo: Mikael Benjamin Ulstrup

Åre, Sweden

Åre is the alpine centre of Scandinavia. To
get here fly to Trondheim then take the train
to Åre via Hell... The station is 500m from
the landing field where the local paragliding
school has its shop and cafe. You can rent
a place to stay and in the morning walk
halfway back into town for the local bakery.
Åre is a ski resort with lifts that run all
summer. At midsummer it never gets dark

and you can fly at night. The mountain is
called Åreskutan, with the landing field right
next to a lake. Needless to say acro is popular.
The local club even has its own rescue boat.
The XC flying is not to be forgotten
either, but be aware that the fjells around
Åre are not as easily accessible as in
Norway. Roads are few and far between. The

scenery however, is as good as it gets, with
fantastic mountains for hike-and-fly in the
surrounding area. You need to visit Åre. It’s
impossible not to like.
www.skysport.se, aresweden.com
Photo: Fred Gustafsson

NORDICS CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2019 43