Trees destined for Orkney felled in Norway
(Pictures:Kjetil Karlsen/ Grimstad Adressetidende)
In a ceremony which goes back three decades, the Christmas tree that will grace the inside of St Magnus Cathedral this festive season has been felled in a snow covered forest in Norway.
Each year, going back 30 years, the cathedral Christmas tree is gifted to Orkney by the Fjære Historical Society, in the District of Grimstad, in south-east Norway, marking the friendship between the two areas.
Grimstad is a town and district just north of Kristiansand, on Norway’s south-east coast, and Fjære is one of its parishes.
The tree is selected from the woods at Bringsværd, where Kali Kolsson grew up, before going on to follow his uncle Magnus as Earl of Orkney, and later becoming St Rognvald.
This year the honour of felling the specially selected 30th tree went to Mayor Kjetil Glimsdal who was then assisted by members of the society in removing it from the forest.
Ove Bach from Grimstad explained that around 40 people went into the forest for the ceremony, with Fjære Historical Society serving coffee and cakes during the event.
Following an inspection by Forestry Commission officials, the tree will be shipped from Grimstad to Stavanger before heading to Aberdeen and on to Orkney.
Mr Bach, along with Mayor Kjetil Glimsdal and his wife Astrid will form the delegation from Grimstad coming to Orkney in December at the beginning of the festive period.
The second tree gifted from Norway, which is placed on the Kirk Green outside the cathedral, is a gift from Hordaland Fylkeskommune and is also set to be shipped over from Norway.
