Norway

Unless you're very new to skiing or snowboarding, there's a good chance the name Lillehammer is rattling around inside your head somewhere. It's probably accompanied by the clatter of cow bells and that intermittent swishing noise you hear as someone wearing little more than a pair of shiny tights flies through the gates of the giant downhill slalom at just under the speed of sound.

No? Well, for the benefit of those of you who weren't glued to your TV screens, Lillehammer - and the nearby resort of Hafjell - shot to fame in 1994 when they hosted the Winter Olympic games. Both are top ski resorts in Norway.

Low altitude but great snow

Norway is reasonably unique in that it gets fantastic snow without being particularly high - thanks to its proximity to the Arctic Circle.

Of the 20 or so ski resorts in Norway, most of them can barely manage more than 1,000 metres or 3,280 feet (with a couple of notable exceptions such as Strynefjellet and Hemsedal up around the 1,500 metre or 4,921 feet mark). But with some resort bases barely above sea level, there's still plenty of vertical to go around.

Better still, once the snow arrives it sticks around, meaning that many ski resorts in Norway can guarantee skiing or snowboarding for nearly half the year - from mid-November to April.

Cross country skiing in Norway

This isn't only good news for downhill ski resorts in Norway of course. The low-level snow line makes Norway one of the best destinations for cross country skiing anywhere in the world. There are trails at most of the major resorts, but hut to hut ski touring is also hugely popular.

Some of the best areas include Golsfjellet, Valdres, Nordseter and nearby Sjusjoen, Venabu and Havringen.

Weekend ski breaks in Norway

For those of you that like to divide your holiday up between snow and city, Norefjell is only an hour's drive from Oslo. The resort of Voss is also barely an hour from the city of Bergen, making day or weekend ski breaks easy enough, if you haven't got the stamina (or cash) for an entire week on the mountain.

Cost

Accommodation, on- and off-mountain, is plentiful and varied in the majority of Norwegian ski resorts and cross country areas. You'll find anything from budget campsites and youth hostels to luxury igloos and five star hotels.

Be aware 'budget' in Norway is a different concept from 'budget' in some Eastern European resorts. On average, expect to pay between US$90 and US$150 per night.

A one-day adult lift pass can set you back as much as 325 Krona (US$60). Children under six often get to go free.

Getting here

Oslo is the best point of entry for international visitors. Norway's rail network is reliable and trains run to most resorts. The alternative is to hire a car.