In August 2025, our County International trip visited Norway! This report is by the trip leader, Hayley.
Our journey, as a team started at INTOPS in March 2024. We had briefings together in November, May and July. The group was made up of 12 Guides, Rangers and Young Leaders. We had to each raise £1300 to fund the trip. The girls did a wonderful array of different fundraising activities such as Zumba night, Raffles, Quizzes, sponsored events, bake sales and our county International Fundraising evening too.
We planned to visit Norway and a stay at Troll Aktiv – an adventure camp in the south of the country near Kristiansand. In advance of the trip, the girls chose from a variety of activities to build our itinerary.
Early on 2nd August, we arrived at Manchester Airport for our two-part journey to Kristiansand. We had slight delays at Manchester and our flight from Amsterdam too – however the team cracked open the card games and were unphased. Upon arrival at Kristiansand, we were met by staff from Troll Aktiv and travelled an hour by minibus to the campsite. We were taken straight for a nice hot meal before unpacking and sorting our beds for the week. The team all slept in teepee tents and had to bring all their bedding with them in their baggage allowance, which was a challenge.
In the morning, we had a lovely breakfast and made up our packed lunch for the day. Our first activity was Paddleboarding on the river. Kitted out with wetsuits, life jackets, helmets and wetsuit boots we walked under the road to the starting point. We had lots of fun learning how to steer, some of us attempting to stand up and others smashing it! Alongside games, yoga and tacking across the water flow upstream before the challenge of a small white-water section to navigate. Loads of firsts, falling in, challenges met and new memories kick started. Then lunch with a raid of our snacks supply (lots of crisps, biscuits and treats brought to keep us going) and we attempted an avalanche snow cabinEscape Room in two teams. Sadly, both teams didn’t escape but it was a good combo of extreme teamwork and laughs.
Day 2 had been planned as a Guided Trek, Rock Climbing and Abseiling. As the weather had been very wet since we arrived, we had to change to a Waterfall Hike and canoeing on a fjord! The hike was very slippery and steep in places, requiring us to be sometimes on all fours. It rained on and off, the girls and leaders were great at supporting each other when anyone needed a boost. As we climbed, the clouds cleared and gave us an amazing view of the fjord. Upon reaching the summit, we took a break in a shelter. We took a dirt track down to Byglandsfjord and ate our packed lunch by the shore. We then worked in teams of three in canoes, exploring the lovely scenery on the fjord. It was a jam-packed day and the girls were so proud of all they achieved.We set ourselves up in the games room, a common area that we could make drinks in and play games as people wanted. It had been a tiring couple of days.
On Tuesday we had planned to have a day in Kristiansand. We took the public bus outside the campsite and travelled in executive coach style! We were suited and booted in our international neckers, purple trip shirts and red hoodies. The weather wasn’t wet but was really windy. The cruise ships couldn’t even dock. We walked around Posebyen (the old town) and then down by the harbour, Christiansholm fortress and fish market. The girls then had free time in the city, centred around Markensgate. Souvenirs were bought and the obligatory McDonalds for the girls (their choice J). The leaders had a nice meal too and it was great to buy some gifts, experience the city and a little more of Norway than just our campsite. Whilst walking around Kristiansand, Jess gave the team a list of photo briefs as a challenge. In the evening sat inside one of the huts with a fire in the middle, we judged the teams’ photos – queue lots of funny emoji voting and lots of laughs. We ended the night with bingo, with Norwegian badges and strange sweets as prizes.
A highlight of the trip came on day 4 with a visit to Viltgarden – an Elk Sanctuary! We travelled by minibus and were greeted by the owner Christopher. The team were moved straight to the front of a packed outroom of international visitors to listen to Christopher talk all about why he loves studying Elk and the animals they currently have at the sanctuary. We then had the opportunity to feed carrot sticks to Anna, an adult female with two very young calves and also Anna’s year-oldcalves Benny and Ben! Protected by a fence and special panels, we were able to feed them, stroke them and for the older male Elk feel the velvet of their antlers. It was a fabulous experience and our mini elk mascot Relf also got in on the action. Some of the girls serenaded the older Elk,Olaf with a rendition of the ‘Crazy Moose’ too. On the way back to Troll Aktiv, a few girls and two leaders were dropped off in the local town of Evje. After a little shopping in virtually all of the small selection of shops, they walked the 7.5 km back to the campsite. Whilst the others had some much-needed downtime. That night was crazy shirt night and campfire, right in the middle of the campsite under the high ropes course. We had some shocking looking shirts on show and some lovely leading of songs around the campfire!
Thursday was another water adventure with kayaking on the river. The team practiced skills, including crossing the current upstream and then ended with the white-water section. Everyone did magnificently and were kayaking pros by the end. Again, the instructors were really helpful, and were keen to help the team hone skills to improve their confidence. Back to the campsite for lunch and most of the girls opted for a go on the Jump Slide and Bag Jump – onsite activities. The first being a massive ramp, that you travel down on an inflatable ring – which then sends you off into the air, before landing on an inflatable base to land. Amazing fun! The heavens opened at this point, this did not phase the team one bit! They must have gone on each at least 15 times – even the Leaders had a go! The Bag Jump was a high platform that you jumped off into an inflatable landing mat – fearless. We ended the day with more games, hot chocolate and mugshots or anything left from our dwindling snack shack.
Our last full day on camp was Friday and it started with the last of four water challenges and the one most of us were looking forward to the most – White Water Rafting!! It was on the same river we had Paddle boarded and Kayaked on, but this time we started further upstream by the dam and traversed the incredible white-water sections. Practicing our paddling and positioning in the calm water before the dam, our instructors ensured that we were primed for the rapidly moving water. With each boat taking their turn going down each of the fast sections, we could only wait as the raft in front of us, slipped out of view. The experience was fast, wet, funny and exactly how you would hope it to be. We did one of the sections twice, carrying our raft and jumping back in to try a different route. A Friday morning that would be hard to ever beat. At the end we had the opportunity to jump into the river off a massive boulder into the very cold water – wow! After lunch was the maze of high ropes courses. With every course that the team climbed, balanced and zip lined across the site, it got more and more difficult. The team impressed everyone with their teamwork and resilience. The two final most challenging courses, ended with an extremely long zipline or a super high drop. The girls were so supportive of each other and pushed themselves to their limits as did Nikki and Jess! Our last night meant it was quiz night three teams battled to win unusual and strangely named Norwegian sweets and the glory of being champions!
The morning of our departure was the wettest day, which was such a contrast to the sun we had experienced the whole of the day before.Packing up was sad, but with camping all week, we were ready for the luxury of our own beds. As a final treat we celebrated our fab week with fresh pizza made at onsite Troll Pizza! The journey back was plain sailing with last minute spends at duty free to use up the euros left.
The team got on together fantastically, and firm friendships were made. The weather was a little colder than they had hoped, but that didn’t stop them for one minute! All the instructors and staff were really wonderfuland really stretched and challenged the team in every activity, helping them to achieve so much! Another international trip, that has helped our young women grow in confidence, leadership skills, adventure and friendship! We know for all of the team, whether that is the girls or leaders, this was a trip that won’t be forgotten. We are so proud of the trip and all we achieved. Well done Team Norway!!