It started as an April Fools’ joke – a decree by the Norwegian Trekking Association (Den Norske Turistforening, DNT) that nature lovers heading for the mountains this Easter should wear a green wool cap if they’re single, red if they’re taken, and orange or yellow if “it’s complicated.” While DNT said it had a long history of matchmaking in the mountains, it has never experienced such an overwhelming public response to one of its schemes.
“We think it’s important to ensure that everyone can have a good experience in the mountains,” General Secretary Nils Øveraas told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). “First and foremost by marking trails and ensuring the network of huts stay open, but we also see that singles may have an extra need, especially when there are many out for a trip at the same time.”
“It was just a huge social media response,” said communications adviser Ida Amelie Helgesen. “We have never experienced such a response, ever. People thought it was a good idea and believed we should implement it for real. We hear people, and are seriously now going out and encourage people to use the hat colours. There are heaps of other colours that people can use if they want to steer completely away.”
DNT said it has a long tradition of helping people find love. It has organized mountain gatherings through its member magazine for 26 years, and has now moved the service online. “Yes, many of our members use this webpage to make friends for trips,” said Helgesen. “But there are also many who have become partners or gotten married through this service.”
newsinenglish.no staff
