Local Life - St Helens - May 2019

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to the eighteenth century, and remarkable effort
has been put into preservation efforts. You’ll be able
to find plenty of unique galleries and boutiques
nestled among the winding streets, along with the
Stavanger Maritime Museum – the perfect getaway
for a bit of peace and quiet away from the bustle of
the main shopping district.
An hour and a half’s drive away from the city lies
Pulpit Rock, otherwise known as Preikestolen. The
massive rectangular cliff is almost a perfect square,
formed when the glacier melted 10,000 years ago
and cracked the mountain open with the removal
of pressure from the ice. The ‘Preacher’s Pulpit’ was
once used in covert pagan rituals, but now the 843
metre high platform hails BASE jumpers from all
around looking for an adrenaline rush like no other.
You shouldn’t travel to Norway without sampling
some of the local delicacies. Norway bases a lot of
its dishes on fish – fresh from the Norwegian Sea
which surrounds the country’s 50,000+ islands
– and sheep, which are also used to produce the
famed Norwegian wool. Raspeballer, a dense ball
of mashed potato and flour then flavoured with
stock of fatty sheep cuts, is a great place to start.
Enjoy this dish with bacon and melt-in-the-mouth
butter and you’ll be kept warm through even the
chilliest Scandinavian night. Meanwhile, Rakfisk is a
delicious offering of freshwater trout, left to ferment
for several months and served with sour cream and
soft Lefse flatbread.
For the braver among us, head to
any watering hole worth its salt
to sample Smalahove – a smoked
sheep’s head. Boiled and salted,
the head is served with kohlrabi
mash and gives off a very smoky
flavour, especially around the
eyes and ears. It’s best served
with traditional Norwegian beer.
Whether you’re looking for an
insight into its vast history or
the chance to get up high to
appreciate the fjords, Norway is
a multifaceted country where
stunning landscapes and
architecture abound, and what
better way to enjoy it than on the
deck of a cruise ship?