HAPPY SHEEP

The waterfall looks like a fluttering white veil as it pours down the steep mountainside. Below, the sky is reflected in the deep blue fjord. It’s the perfect day to go hiking in the mountains.

After a long and steep ascent, like a true Norwegian, you grope in your backpack for your packed lunch and thermos. Finally, you sit down in peace – just enjoying the view of the picturesque fjord landscape.

Suddenly a loud noise makes you jump:

“BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

The land of sheep

Whether you go hiking in the Norwegian mountains or go for a drive on the country roads, chances are you'll encounter some free-range Norwegian sheep. Approximately two million sheep graze freely in Norway every summer. That’s something you won’t experience anywhere else.

In the mountains, bells and bleating occasionally break the silence. You should be prepared to step on the brakes when you see a warning sign for sheep on the road. Sheep are usually not in a hurry.

Rain, sun, or cold wind – sheep can deal with the weather as their thick wool regulates temperature, ensuring that they don't get too warm or too cold. The same goes for you, if you are wearing garments made of Norwegian wool. Wool is Norway's go-to fabric for staying warm and dry when the temperature drops.

Farming in the hills

The hilly landscape between the deep fjords and the high mountains makes farming challenging, especially in Fjord Norway. Luckily, the sheep thrive in this type of terrain.

“In Norway, the resource situation is different than in the rest of Scandinavia and other comparable countries. Only three percent of Norway’s land mass is arable, yet 45 percent is usable or excellent grazing land,” says Tone Våg, sheep farmer and head of the Norwegian Sheep and Goat Association.

Våg continues: “Norwegian agriculture is dependent on the extra resource of the uncultivated land, and pasture is an important source of income for Norwegian farms.”

No fences

Sheep grazing freely in nature can choose to eat whatever they want, which makes Norwegian sheep ;happy.

“When you’re taking the sheep to their summer pasture in the mountains you can hear happy sounds from the herd. You can tell from how they’re acting that they remember from year to year,” says Våg.

Grazing without fences allows the sheep to act more in tune with their instincts, and they naturally divide into smaller groups with individuals closely related to one another.

If you occasionally encounter sheep far into the wild, you don’t need to worry about them being lost: “Sheep recognises where they are, and they know where they are going,” says Våg.

Green caretakers

Due to the abundance of pastures in the mountains, there are more than 100,000 mountain farms in Norway. Although the sheep are very independent, farmers still go to check on their woollen friends to make sure they are safe and sound.

“The law stipulates that you need to check on your flock at least once a week throughout the summer. Therefore, it’s not only tourists who enjoy the sight of sheep grazing in nature. I feel privileged that I can take my family with me into the mountains to look after the herd as a part of my regular work,” Våg says.

Another bonus is that grazing sheep is a natural way to prevent the landscape from overgrowing and to maintain biodiversity in Norwegian nature. According to Våg, almost 300 endangered species are dependent on the Norwegian cultural landscape.

“It’s not overgrown nature the tourists come to see,” says the farmer.

Sheep herding

In the autumn, you can often see herds of sheep making their way down the mountainsides. Check the Norwegian Trekking Association’s (DNT) website to find out when and where you can join the farmers to bring the herd back down from the mountains.

“It’s always a great pleasure to get your livestock back when the summer is over, and to see that the lambs have done well and gained weight. I’m proud of making a product by using a renewable resource like the uncultivated land,” says Våg.

“When you’re a sheep farmer it improves your quality of life to see the animals grow and thrive in the outdoors,” she adds.

Våg has no doubt that the sheep are happy to see the farmer and the barn again in the autumn as well.

“It depends on the size of the flock, but you do get a special connection to some of them,” she says.

Quality food

Along the coast, the grass is naturally salted by the sea. In a way, Norwegian sheep is spiced by nature – as they eat herbs, grass and plants. Grazing on the renewable uncultivated land make mutton and lamb some of the more sustainable meat products in Norway.

In the region around Lofoten and Lyngen in Northern Norway, you can taste Lofotlam and Lyngenlam that has PGI status, meaning it's geographically protected. These farms have even stricter quality requirements than those set by Norwegian authorities (which are quite stringent in themselves).

Much of Norwegian traditional food consists of lamb. Ever since way back in the Viking Age, we have been enjoying the tradition of fenalår, dried leg of lamb. This can be served year-round but is a staple at Christmas and the national day, May 17th. On Christmas Eve, many Norwegians eat pinnekjøtt, lamb ribs, as a festive dish.

In autumn, fårikål, or lamb stew is a must! Fårikål is Norway's national dish – and we even have a day dedicated to it, the last Thursday in September. Fårikål is simple but delicious, with fresh mutton and cabbage. In Fjord Norway you might eat ... brace yourself, sheep's head – yes, you heard right! It's called Smalahove and is a more sustainable way to use the whole animal and not let any part go to waste.

Are you getting hungry?

Go on a culinary journey through Norway with Vy express! Stay on some of Norway's most beautiful farms and check at some of the country’s most distinctive accommodation.