There are some trips you simply can’t postpone — and this weekend escape in Tuddal, tucked high in the Telemark mountains of Norway, was one of them.

The adventure began smoothly enough: everyone made it through Edinburgh Airport without a hitch, and even stayed in good spirits through the security line, an achievement in and of itself. Naturally, that called for the traditional pre-flight tipple at Spoons — because if you know, you know.

Planes, Trains, Tunnels and Traffic Jams

For those of us on chauffeur duty, however, things got interesting fast. Barely forty minutes into the drive, the Oslofjord Tunnel closed due to a lorry fire — a rather Norwegian affair, apparently, thanks to steep gradients and ageing brakes. Cue our first detour, which redirected us straight through Oslo at rush hour and directly into a traffic jam

As the choir group cheerfully disembarked in Drammen, their first priority was, quite rightly, locating a suitable drinking establishment. Meanwhile, I was still inching through city traffic, grinning at the irony that by the time I reached the original accident site, the accident had just been cleaned up and the closed lanes reopened. Timing is everything.

Friday: Calm Before the Storm

Friday was blissfully lazy. We made the most of the calm before Storm Amy’s arrival with a short walk and a well-earned local treat — the legendary Tuddalsbolle (a sweet, cinnamon-infused bun with a custard centre, beloved across the valley). Later in the evening, I baked a rustic spelt loaf, which, served warm with butter in front of the fire, felt like the very definition of Norwegian comfort.

Evening brought burgers, cocktails, and an enthusiastic round of karaoke. In my family, Scottish get togethers often involve mandatory singing — sometimes with the threat of being tossed into a cold bath if you refuse — so I was well prepared to “share my dulcet tones.” Thankfully, the microphone was commandeered from me within minutes and I could sit and enjoy the choir girls strutting their stuff.

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Saturday: Unplugged in the Mountains!

As the storm lashed against the cabin, the inevitable happened — the power went out. No electricity meant no running water, but it also meant a rare reprieve from screens. With no Wi-Fi and only the rain for company, we rediscovered the art of doing nothing: reading, chatting, and simply listening to the world outside.

Thankfully, the blackout didn’t last long. In true Norwegian fashion, power was restored within the day — no small feat considering that tens of thousands across the country were still in the dark. It’s a testament to that trademark Norwegian efficiency that even holiday cabins perched high in the mountains weren’t left waiting for long. Just enough time to enjoy the break, and early enough to have a lovely pasta dinner simmering by evening.

Tuddal, perched on the edge of Hardangervidda National Park, is the kind of place that invites this sort of reset. Once a Viking settlement and later a waypoint for 19th-century travellers crossing the mountains, it’s now a small village known for its serene landscape, fresh air, and hiking routes leading to Gaustatoppen, Telemark’s highest peak. Something that we were not able to take advantage of this trip due to the weather, but a nature hike is definitely on the cards for my next visit!

By Sunday morning, the sun had returned as if to apologise. The choir ladies made the most of it with a soak in the hot tub, homemade cocktails in hand, gazing out across the Telemark valley. I used the quiet hours to indulge in some baking therapy — orange-cardamom rolls, inspired by my winter favourite from Espresso House and tweaked from a medley of online recipes.

Hans reappeared that evening, just in time for the sunset — and a spot of fishing in the mountain lake before manning the barbecue. His grilled pork somehow turned out both smoky and melt-in-the-mouth tender, an achievement I doubt I will ever be able to replicate.

The night ended, as all good trips should, with a YouTube quiz and the kind of laughter that only happens when you’re far from your daily routine.

Monday: Goodbye, for Now

Naturally, Monday dawned bright and beautiful — the ultimate irony after a stormy weekend. We packed, cleaned, and reluctantly began our descent from the mountains. After delivering everyone safely to Drammen Station for their Oslo detour, I couldn’t help but feel that mix of contentment and wistfulness that always comes after a lovely wee escape from the daily grind.

A Weekend of Everything

This trip was a bit of everything: mountains and mist, rain and sun. A reminder that the best weekends aren’t always the smoothest — they’re the ones that surprise you, connect you, and send you home a little more rested than you expected.