The Sognsvann is a lake in the marka of Norway’s capital Oslo on the northern city limits. The Sognsvann was a drinking water reservoir from 1876 to 1967. At the southern end, on a moraine from the last Ice Age, lies Sognsvann gård, the limit to which the sea level almost reached in the last Ice Age.
The name of the lake “sogn” probably comes from a derivation of the verb suge = to suck.
The lake is a popular recreational area, there are opportunities for barbecuing, swimming, beach volleyball and other leisure activities. Not far away there are some sights, such as mines and remains of ore for the extraction of iron and a “Swedish Wall”, which was built by Swedish prisoners of war in the 19th century. The hiking trail around the lake is reserved for wheelchair users and pedestrians, while cyclists have to use the road a little further away from the water.
The Sognsvann is also suitable for running training and jogging, the circuit is 3258 meters long. In summer there is a weekly clockwise race around the lake. The Oslo Triathlon and other popular activities for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts also take place on and in Sognsvann. In winter there are opportunities for ice skating and ice fishing. In addition, several cross-country trails start here in winter, including a “Lysløype”, a trail that is artificially lit so that it can also be used at night.
You can get to Sognsvann from downtown Oslo with the Oslo T-bane No. 5, the Sognsvann Railway, to the terminus of the same name. The trip e.g. from the National Theater takes only 15 minutes, then you are in a completely different world …
