TOUR GUIDE How to Find Oslo’S Rivers and Streams by Train, Tram, Bus and Metro OSLO RIVER FORUM

Home , Akerselva, Berg metro station, Blindern (station), Brynseng (station), Frogner, Grorud

TOUR GUIDE How to find Oslo’s rivers and streams by train, tram, bus and Metro OSLO RIVER FORUM

Oslo River Forum (Oslo Elveforum, OE) was founded in the year 2000 as a forum for volunteer groups and associations working for Oslo’s ten river catchments.

Our task is to promote to the protection, rehabilitation and re-opening of the rivers and streams in the City’s built-up area. We work to make Oslo’s waterways clear, clean, open and accessible for citizens and visitors. Riversides are to be protected and turned into green space, with trails along each stream. Waters are to be healthy and aquatic species, including fish, encouraged.

Oslo River Forum submits comments in all plan and zoning cases that concern the streams, protesting when develop- ments are proposed within the 20 and 12 metre limits given in the City’s zoning guidelines.

We arrange guided tours along our rivers. And support schools, that adopt a part of their local stream.

In a wet and wilder climate, we actively front the issue of re-opening the buried reaches of Oslo’s streams.

Our vision: Living streams from forest to fjord. www.osloelveforum.no CONTENTS

The terms ‘river ‘, ‘stream’, ‘brook’ or ‘creek’ each convey the size of a watercourse. In Oslo, three words apply: elv, bekk and å. A distinction is that one can leap over en bekk but not ei elv. From Danish there is a saying: Mange bekker små gjør en stor å. ’Many brooks make a large stream’, so å is larger than ‘bekk’. And remember: å is pronounced ‘awe’.

A little Norwegian grammar: En and ei are the masculine and feminine article ‘a’. To make ‘the’ in a Scandinavian language, we put an article at the end; in Norwegian -en for masculine and -a for feminine. In Oslo, both are used with elv for ‘river’: Akerselva flows through a former factory area; Hoffselven flows through upmarket residential suburbs.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WELCOME ______4

LYSAKERELVA – A county border with waterfalls and gorges______6

MÆRRADALSBEKKEN – Rich biodiversity______8

HOFFSELVEN – From ice dam to ice dam______10 FROGNERELVEN – Across ancient farms

and Vigeland’s Park______12

RIVERS/ AKERSELVA – From red-brick factories to riverside idyll______14 STREAMS HOVINBEKKEN – An award-winning urban stream______16

ALNA – All natural!______18

ØSTENSJØVANNET – For the Protection of birds______22

LJANSELVA – Green space, old forest and historic remains______24 GJERSJØELVA – River history with a working

Norse mill and pit saw______26

ELLINGSRUDELVA – Fresh stream that flows north______28

OSLO RE-OPENING BURIED STREAMS______29 RUTER’S PUBLIC TRANSPORT HUB JERNBANETORGET/TOLLBODEN/OSLO S______31

Oslo’s rivers 3 TOUR GUIDE How to find Oslo’s rivers and streams by train, tram, bus and Metro

Welcome to Oslo with its ten • This guide follows each stream rivers and streams, and the nature upstream towards its source. The reserve Østensjøvannet. You numbering on each map begins will find precious natural areas with the access point furthest along our waterways, rich in bird, downstream. This has been chos- animal and plant life, with good en because most visitors will be walking trails, places to bathe staying in or near the city centre and parklands, all surrounded by and the fjord to which nine of the the Capital City’s urban bustle. ten streams flow. Don’t let the numbering stop you from choos- Tips for an enjoyable walk: ing to walk downstream.

• Use your senses: look, listen and • The guide takes the public trans- smell. Take note of your surround- port hub, Jernbanetorget, at Oslo ings and follow on the map. A Central Station (Oslo S) as its start- quarter of Oslo’s waterways are ing point (see map page 31). Check still underground in pipes and with the transport authority for culverts, so there are places Greater Oslo, Ruter (www.ruter.no), where the path simply follows the download their app (RuterReise) low ground, perhaps along city with live schedules and travel streets. planner, or visit the information

4 Oslo’s rivers Tegnforklaring

Tog

T-bane WELCOME Bus

Trikk

Båt

Legend for the maps: BekRiverk elle orr e lstreamv i rør in pipe Tegnforklaring BekRiverk elle orr e lstreamv i tunne lin tunnel TTrainog StieOfficialr i Oslo trails in Oslo OE trails by the rivers TMetro-bane Water BBusus Myr Swamp Skog Tram Trikk Forest Grøntområde BInformationåt board Green space Bekk eller elv i rør Bekk eller elv i tunnel Stier i Oslo Vann Myr office on Jernbanetorget. Please • Not all trails are suitable for note that MetroSkog is called T-bane wheelchairs, prams or even in Norwegian and ‘tram’ is trikk. bicycles. Grøntområde • Public transport in Oslo is conve- • Oslo Elveforum is on Facebook nient and reliable, in part because and Twitter. Please share your tickets are not sold on board. The photos on Instagram with app RuterBillett is now available #osloelveforum and #(the if you have a mobile phone from stream’s name). Europe. Single, 1-hour tickets are sold at train and Metro stations Enjoy your walk! and kiosks, but not at bus or tram stops. For kr 50, kiosks sell transport cards that can be loaded with a 24-hour, 7-day or 30-day pass, or with travel money that is checked and, if expired, drawn upon when you scan it at a station or on board.

Oslo’s rivers 5 LYSAKERELVA Flows into Lysaker Fjord at Sollerudstranda

A COUNTY LINE WITH WATERFALLS footbridges linking them. Along the AND GORGES Lysaker River you will find the ruins A major stream in a dramatic lands- of saw mills, corn mills and the cape forms the boundary in the west remnants of heavy industry. There is between Oslo and the neighbouring abundant birdlife with 102 species re- borough of Bærum. You will be sur- gistered. Trout are to be taken along prised by its wildness, and get some the whole stream, and fine sea trout real exercise climbing along the river’s and sizeable salmon run up to spaw- steep banks. There are walking trails ning grounds below the first high on both sides, designated L-1 in waterfall. Bærum and A1 in Oslo and eleven

6 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Lysaker: All trains except expresses from Oslo S or Nationaltheatret, Bus 31 (Stop: Lysaker stasjon), 6 Bus 32 (Stop Lysaker bru) 2. Lilleaker: Bus 32 and 23, Tram 13 3. Bjørnsletta/Øraker: Metro Line 3; Tram 13 4. Lysejordet: Bus 32 5. Ekraveien: Metro Line 2 6. Peder Ankers plass/Bogstad camping: Bus 32 (Bogstad Camping) or Bus 41 (Peder Ankers plass) 5

Bærum 4

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Scale 1:25000 1 MÆRRADALSBEKKEN Flows into Bestumkilen (Bestum Inlet)

RICHNESS AND DIVERSITY variety of plants, especially fungi and The lower reaches of Mærradals- mosses, and the birds that depend on bekken run through private gardens them. It is so special that it is classi- before entering a culvert under the fied nationally as a habitat to be pro- railway and motorway. That is why we tected. North of Sørkedalsveien, the start from the outer ring road (Ring trail follows the wide Hovseterdalen, 3) at Radiumhospitalet, Norway’s all the way to Bogstad Camping. The specialist cancer clinic from where an stream was laid in a pipe in the 1970s, excellent trail proceeds northward but in 2018 the decision was made to through the narrow Mærradalen re-open it. gorge and up to Sørkedalsveien. This very special landscape supports a rich

8 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Ring 3/ Radiumhospitalet: Bus 23 3 2. Røa/ Sørkedalsveien: Metro Line 2 3. Bogstad camping: Bus 32 or 41

Sørk edalsv

eien

Ring 3

ien

Scale 1:24000 HOFFSELVEN Flows into Bestumkilen (Bestum Inlet)

FROM ICE DAM TO ICE DAM and for firefighting. Bjørnebo Dam, At the end of the 1800s when Oslo Smestad Dam and Holmen Dam were supplied Britain and Europe with all ice dams.The path up along the ice for refrigeration, the owners of river passes the beautiful, 11-meter the manor farms Hoff, Smestad and high Dronning (Queen’s) Falls. Just Holmen constructed water storages below these falls lies the confluence that would freeze each winter to a where the streams Holmenbekken considerable thickness. Blocks of ice and Makrellbekken form Hoffselven. were cut and transported to ships Just don’t expect to catch mackerel in lying in Oslo Fjord, providing winter Makrellbekken! The name is a corrup- work and returning the landowners tion of ‘markskille’ or field divider; the good income. The dams also secured stream was the boundary between the farms’ water supply for stock, two ancient farms.

10 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Skøyen: Train from Oslo S or Nationaltheatret Train Station, Bus 20, 31 3 2. Smestad: Metro Line 2, 3 3. Makrellbekken: Metro Line 2 2

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Scale 1:12000 FROGNERELVEN Flows into Frognerkilen (Frogner Inlet)

ACROSS ANCIENT FARMS, THROUGH the Oslo City Museum. Sognsvanns- WOODS AND VIGELAND’S PARK bekken and Gaustadbekken run This river has everything, flowing as it together at Frøen after several hun- does from the lake Sognsvann by one dred meters flowing through private of Oslo’s favourite entrances to the gardens. A section of Gaustadbekken communal forest, Marka, to the inlet between Metro stations Forsknings- Frognerkilen. Starting from Thune you parken and Blindern was re-opened will be surprised by the magnificent in 2017. Take Rasmus Winderens vei deciduous trees in the dale that leads westward to Sognsvannsbekken, fol- to the famous sculptures in Vigeland’s low a path a short way downstream, Park where Frognerelven forms a and enjoy Vinderenfossen, a wide central feature. Above the east bank, waterfall in among the houses. Frogner Manor stands proudly, now

12 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Frognerelvdalen: Tram 13, 4 Bus 20 or 31 (stop Thune) 2. Majorstuen: All Metro Lines westbound from Jernbanetorget, Tram 11 or 19 (Stop Majorstuen) or Tram 12 (Stop: Vigelands- parken or Majorstuen) 3. Forskningsparken: Metro Line 4 or 5, Tram 17 or 18 4. Sognsvann: Metro Line 5

F r id tjo Teres Colosseum Majorstuen 2 e a t 2 v a l g re s ne p g ro ro d lkyr F en p s A i s r e E g b g a os a te ta M lkyrie- id pl. de lt Frogner stadion ta hu a 1 ns Frognerbadet ga te te

a Frogner a

v g l stadion s e ll r e Aa n g b Fr o co Frogner Ja Kirkeveien E tennis lst -2 g e g at rs in e R F ug le s ta h y a Vigelandsparken e g a l i Mu u n r e g r te t n g a s N t a e a e he ta F g u s Vestkant- d g n a torget I te Scale 1:26000 AKERSELVA Flows into Bjørvika

RED-BRICK FACTORIES AND Akerselva Environment Park, transfor- CHERISHED URBAN GREEN SPACE mation into the riverside parklands This is Oslo’s river, as the Thames is began, while preserving the red-brick to London and the Seine to Paris, just factories and the history of the labour- much smaller. Its waterfalls are great ing poor. The contrast between relax- assets that the more famous streams ation today by an idyllic riverside and lack. The series of falls were harnes- the hard labour in those mills could sed in the 1840s to launch the indus- not be greater. If you follow the river trial revolution in Norway and drive all the way upstream or down, you Oslo’s explosive growth. A famous will pass 11 waterfalls and cross 50 song from 1906 lauds the river as bridges. And in the autumn, watch “the old and the grey”. Once the City salmon run! Council in 1990 declared the

14 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Grønland: All Metro Lines eastbound 2. Telthusbakken: 5 Bus 34 or 54 3. Sagene/Arendalsgata: Bus 20, 37 or 54 4. Nydalen: Metro Lines 4 or 5 5. Teknisk Museum/ Frysja/Stillatorvet: Bus 25 or 54

Scale 1:30000 HOVINBEKKEN Flows into Bjørvika/lower tract of Akerselva

AN AWARD-WINNING URBAN STREAM few years, the City of Oslo has opened This brook has received a lot of attent- the waterway through the now so ion from both municipal authorities attractive Bjerkedalen, won awards and river-lovers, yet much of it still for this, and for the rehabilitation of runs underground. There is a huge Teglverksdammen (Brickworks’ Dam) potential for further re-opening. The at Hasle and downstream along next is Klosterenga, the strip of par- Gladengveien. Daring re-openings, in kland between Jordal and Grønland. districts that were dominated by indu- Here the stream is to be raised up stry and exhaust fumes. By contrast, a again, through Bård Breivik’s sculp- walk along the stream’s upper reac- ture park. The work to re-open the hes, from the suburb of Årvollen and stream by the ice hockey hall, Jordal into Lillomarka, gives a taste of Oslo’s Amfi, is soon completed. In the past famous community forest, Marka.

16 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Klosterenga/Bård Breiviks skulpturpark: (The stream is to be opened through the sculpture park): Bus 20 to Galgeberg, or Bus 37 to 5 Harald Hårdrådes plass, or by Metro to Grønland 2. Gladengveien: Metro 1, 2, 3, 4 (eastbound) to Ensjø or Bus 21 or 28 to Gladengveien 3. Teglverksdammen/Hasle: Metro 5 to Hasle 4. Bjerkedalen park: Bus 60 to Økernbråten), 4 Metro 4 or 5 to Vollebekk 5. Marka/Årvoll: Bus 31 to Stig

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Øvre Risløkka Vollebekk N n Nordalveie Scale 1:25000 ALNA Flows into Oslo Fjord at Kongshavn and the lake in Medieval Park

ALL NATURAL! Walking upstream, one comes upon Alna is 15 kilometers long, making it the old forest in Svartdalen followed the longest stream in Oslo’s built-up quickly by the suspension bridge along area, hence maps on two pages! the steep Ekeberg fault line. Continue Historically it was Oslo’s southern through Smalvollen where the river boundary. The City Council is currently meanders, creating a rich wetland. evaluating a plan for returning the South of Grorud town centre is the river to its original course into the impressive Leirfossen, a 14 metre (46 lake in Medieval Park that replicates foot) high waterfall. Good and parti- Oslo’s shoreline from the Middle cularly beautiful trails follow the river Ages, and further, out to Bjørvika. in sections, notably at Grorud.

18 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Kværner: Bus 32 from Tollboden 2. Bryn stasjon: Train L1 from Oslo Central Station, Metro Lines 1, 2, 3 or 4 (Stop: Brynseng)) 3. Alfasetveien:

Bus 25 froma Tollboden d

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Scale 1:25000 20 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 3. Alfasetveien: Bus 25 from Tollboden 4. Grorud jernbanestasjon: Train L1 from Oslo Central Station

5. Grorud: G r o Metro Line 5 r u

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Stjerneblokkveien v se n ta S

Scale 1:20000 ØSTENSJØVANNET (Lake Østensjo)

FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS precious habitat. The visitors’ centre, Lake Østensjø and the parklands are Våtmark Oslo (Wetlands Oslo) is one both beautiful and bountiful with of the Ministry for the Environment’s an exceptional degree of biodiver- certified centres for disseminating sity. The lake was declared a nature an understanding and enjoyment of reserve in 1992. 230 bird species the natural environment, specialising have been recorded. Each Spring, the in the ecological value of wetlands. lake and its surroundings are packed 8500 pupils from schools in Oslo had with nesting birds. There is a bird classes here in 2018. There is an easy hide on the western side. Since 1983, footpath around the lake. The park- the Friends of Østensjøvannet have lands receive 250 000 visitors each looked after the area to preserve the year.

22 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Skøyenåsen, Oppsal, Bøler and Bogerud: Metro Line 3 2. Smedberget and Abildsø skole: Bus 70 3. Rundt vannet: Bus 78A N

Scale 1:12000 LJANSELVA Flows into Fiskevollbukta (Fiskevoll Bay)

GREEN SPACE, OLD FOREST where Ljabru Manor stands. The AND HISTORIC REMAINS whole trail is well served with infor- A walk along Ljanselva is a walk mative signs about the river’s natural through part of Oslo’s history. The and cultural heritage. The biodiversity river has powered corn mills and saw found over short distances makes it mills for centuries. In Liadalen you an ideal place for outdoor schooling. will find the remains of a gunpowder This is largely thanks to the zoning factory, smithies, a handcrafts school regulations that have reserved a belt and the dancing floor where hundreds 100 metres wide on each side of the of people gathered on summer eve- stream with one exception, the traffic nings. Ljanselva has been re-directed junction at Hauketo where you may through Ljanskollen which has to be still view the stone-arch bridge, built climbed to re-join the river at Hauketo in 1804, as the traffic roars over.

24 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1. Fiskevollen: Bus 83 2. Hauketo: Train L2, Bus 81 (Stop: Ljabru Hovedgård) 3. Skullerudkrysset: Bus 74 (Stop: Leirskallen), 76 (Stop: Skullerudkrysset), 4. Skullerudstua: Bus 70 (Stop: Skullerud T), Metro Line 3 to Skullerud

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l p e o n k Hauketo stasjon s N n a j L Hauketo e r v Scale 1:28000 Ø GJERSJØELVA Flows into Oslo Fjord at Ljansbruket

RIVER HISTORY WITH A WORKING Today, an enthusiastic band of volun- MILL AND PIT SAW teers is recreating the old times, and By the river which divides Oslo from improving the stream for fish running the borough of Oppegård to the up the river. There is also the Long south, you can visit a centre with House, workers’ accommodation demonstrations of water power in built in Russian style. We are not far action. By this beautiful stream, not from one of Oslo Fjord’s best bathing far from its mouth, lie both the ruins spots. Just a kilometre from the river of old mills and a reconstructed pit mouth you will find traces of the saw and quern. The pit saw brought manor Stubljan, home to a timber timber milling to Norway in the baron. A wonderful place to combine 1500s. By exporting sawn timber, jobs history and recreation. and enormous wealth were created.

26 Oslo’s rivers GETTING THERE: 1 1. Fiskevollen: Bus 83 (from Tollboden) Parking at Hvervenbukta.

Oppegård

Scale 1:15000 ELLINGSRUDELVA Flows to Glomma catchment and into the Reconstruction of Ellingsrud mill 1795 sea at Fredrikstad Bjørn Berge

A BRIGHT STREAM THAT at Ellingsrud Farm, an equestrian cen- FLOWS NORTH tre. Continuing upstream, we pass the This is the single Oslo stream not old tenant farm Nuggerud and follow flowing directly down to Oslo Fjord’s a sign to the ruins of a corn mill. This inner basin. Instead it flows north, was a five-storey structure that explo- ultimately into Norway’s largest river, ited the steep terrain. Horse drays Glomma. The stream marks the brought corn to the top of the hill; boundary between Oslo and borough sacks of flour were picked up from Lørenskog. The footpath south from the ground floor. The footpath conti- the train station follows the river nues 3 kilometres along the river to upstream through the commercial Mariholtet, a lodge by a lake at the district Karihaugen and meets the entrance to Østmarka communal footpath down from the Metro station forest.

28 Oslo’s rivers 3

2 1

GETTING THERE: 1. Ellingsrudåsen: Metro Line 2 2. Karihaugveien: Bus 100 or 110 from Oslo Bus Terminal. Park & Ride Car Park in Mariholtveien 3. Lørenskog stasjon: Train L1

Lørenskog 3 Lørenskog stasjon

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e e v i e d v u r d u s r g e n i g l l g u N E N

Scale 1:20000 THE CITY OF OSLO IS RE-OPENING OSLO’S RIVERS AND STREAMS

“There lies a land by the endless snow, in rifts alone is there life to show,” wrote the Norwegian poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. “In rifts” – that is where the rivers and streams run. It is here people originally settled; Oslo in the Middle Ages lay between Hovinbekken and Alna.

Industrialisation and increasing population turned our rivers and streams into drains pol- luted with waste. The water stank, and could be poisonous. To remove the danger, many of our waterways were buried in underground pipes.

Over the past decades Europe for 2019. One meters from the tribut- attitudes have changed. reason given is that Oslo aries, as open areas. The water in our rivers has begun to re-open We have to protect our and streams is now its buried rivers and riverside parks! clearer and cleaner. As streams. While at least a in many other cities, clean quarter of streams in The re-opening of rivers running water has taken the ten catchments re- and streams is also on a new role in Oslo. main buried, Oslo has an important in a climate Riversides have become ambitious programme perspective. In steadily vital recreation areas, for re-opening them. wilder and wetter weat- and green spaces that And Oslo River Forum is her, open rivers and support a wealth of bird a driving force. Our cur- streams cope better animal and plant life. rent goal is to have the with greater volumes of City mandate a 20-meter water, so that damage Oslo has been chosen wide belt along our on buildings and infra- as the Green Capital of major streams, and 12 structure is minimized.

30 Oslo’s rivers Ruter’s public transport hub Jernbanetorget/Tollboden/Oslo S

How to find the right platform?

Tram B 12, 13, and 19 F 11, 17 and 18 Bus D 54 G 34 and 37 H 37 and 74 N 31, 32, 60 and 70 P 31 and 32 R 81 and 83 Metro T all Metro´s

More information and travel planner: ruter.no or the app RuterReise

Oslo’s rivers 31 DESIGN: GJERHOLM DESIGN, PRINT: MERKUR GRAFISK

Editors: Trine Johnsen, Julie M. Løddesøl, John E. Tibballs Updated to March 2019

Sources: “Elvelangs, Ida Hvoslef m.fl Aschehoug 2004, “Blågrønn hoved- stad, Jubel og gråt over Oslos elver og bekker”, Oslo Elveforum 2010, “Bjerkedalen Park” Sidsel Andersen og Rainer Stange, Dronninga landskap 2018. www.osloelveforum.no

Photos: Oslo Elveforum

This booklet is prepared by Oslo Elveforum Thank you to The Savings Bank Foundation DNB for generous financial support. Thanks also to The City of Oslo’s Water Department for the mapping; Oslo Elveforum has added local tracks and footpaths. Our thanks also to our groups of volunteers.

This guide is provided without charge.

Oslo Elveforum is a partner in Oslo European Green Capital 2019.