Motorcycle trip in Southern Norway

Norway is a motorcyclists dream. A windy coastline, mountains and fjords make it a great way to experience the country. 

An old BSA motorcycle in Kristiansand Norway. Photo: Adam Read

Take a tent with you and you can stop by the rivers, fjords and relax taking in the magnificent views. In all major tons and cities, there is free (allocated) parking for motorcycles and you do not have to worry about paying for road tolls! That is a bonus!

This is a fjord just outside of Lyngdal. A great place to stop for pictures. Photo: Adam Read

It is very common for motorcyclists to catch a ferry from Denmark to Kristiansand where their journey begins. 

Here is the Colorline ferry ready to leave Kristiansand to Hirtsals in Denmark. Photo: Adam Read

From Kristiansand you can take the E18 and E39 highway along the coastline to:

1. Mandal where there is fantastic fishing possibilities. 

Southern Norway coastal charm. Photo: Inger Hutchinsen

2. Lindesnes and meet Norway's last remaining full time lighthouse keeper at the Lindesnes lighthouse.

Lindesnes lighthouse early morning. Photo: Adam Read

3. Lyngdal - and visit Kvåsfossen and the salmon staircase. Stay overnight at Paulsens Hotel and experience nostalgia or try Kvavik camping if you want to pitch a tent.

The Salmon staircase at Kvåsfossen. Photo: Adam Read

4. Farsund - take a walk to Varbak in the city centre to experience panoramic views over the city, coastline and fjords. Lista Lighthouse is also located in this area with old bunkers and tunnels built by the Germans in Word War 2.

Part of the view from Varbak Farsund. Photo: Adam Read

5. Flekkefjord - Take a break from the bike and try Dresin sykling - Rail biking. That is a priceless adventure.

A very cheap way to experience something unique - rail bikes in Flekkefjord. Photo: Adam Read

6. Visit Knaben in Kvinesdal and learn about its extensive history.

Learn about Knaben's history. Photo: Adam Read

After that you can once again go on the coastal road to Stavanger, up to Bergen and beyond.

The possibilities are endless.

Here is a couple from Germany that have just been on a motorcycle tour around Norway...

We have been exploring Norway on our motorcycle for the past three weeks from Lyngdal to Trondheim.

Read to check in again at Kvavik camping. Photo: Adam - Visit Sørlandet

We took the ferry from Denmark to Kristiansand and then rode down to Lyngdal. From there, we went to Knaben, Stavanger, Setesdal and up to Geilo but there was a lot of snow there, so we had to stop.

We waited a while until a snow clearing truck came and then we rode behind that up to Trondheim. It was cold and wet up there so we came back down to Lyngdal. We have ridden about 3000 kilometres in Norway.

We really like the southern part of Norway because the weather is always the best here with lots of sunny days. The countryside is also not as rugged as the northern part of the country - it is a lot smoother which is nice on the motorbike.

Kvavik camping was perfect for us because we like the outdoors a lot more and not so much hotels. The man who runs the place is also very nice and helpful.

Kvavik camping  is also a good place to base ourselves because there is the Lista lighthouse, Flekkefjord and Knaben not very far away.

We will be back next year.

Interview and picture - Adam Visit Sørlandet

The 

Sankthans in Kristiansand

Sankthans (St Hans) is a special day in Norway which is the 24th of June but Norwegians like to celebrate it the night before with bonfires. It is also mid summer night where the sun starts to turn and days start to get shorter.

Large bonfire in the city.

Shorter - being Nordic, shorter means from many hours of daylight in the summer (0400 - 2330) back to normal hours of daylight.

What is St Hans - it is the anniversary of John the Baptist's birth.

John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam and Mandaeism who is described as having the unique practice of baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

Waiting for the fire to be lit.

Old customs
It is fire that is the most common way to celebrate this event which dates back hundreds of years. Traditionally it was normal practice to jump through a fire or roll a burning wheel down a hill. Most Norwegians celebrate this day with a trip on the boat because the coastline is dotted with many bonfires overlooking the fjords and sea.

Just some of the boats that were watching the bonfire in Kristiansand.

The tradition of burning is said to protect people from evil powers. The flames from the fires look like the sun which would reinforce its power. If tradition is strictly ahdered to, people need to start the fire by rubbing two pieces of wood against each other, or spin a stick in a hole with tinder. 

On the way into the city.

Occasionally you will see old rag dolls on the top of bonfires which symbolises protection against witches that day. 

Here in Kristiansand, my family and I lite a big fire by the boat house and then take our boat along the river into the city to check out other bonfires.

Lots of people at fiskebrygga.

The biggest ones we get to see are usually at Hamresanden and in the city by the water. The kids love it and we usually stay out until midnight slowly taking the boat back home before it is too dark.

The kids love any excuse for a late night!

Adam @ Visit Sørlandet

Funny Norwegian Commercials

Before I ever thought about visiting Norway, I was very aware of the great commercials they had on television. In Australia, my family used to sit and watch a show every few months that had the world’s funniest television commercials and Norway was always in that list.

1. Just recently, another great commercial has been aired both on tv and the internet. (I have to say that this one makes me smile every time)

2. Here is another from 2012 from IKEA

3. Here are some from the Norwegian magazine VG (a few videos on this one)

4. The Norwegian lottery is called “lotto” and here is a funny one.

(Do not read this line until it is finished – but the old lady gave the nurse the winning ticket so she would quit!)

5. Another lottery one for an unlucky but also lucky man…

This one leads me to a story actually. I used to work with some Danish friends here in Kristiansand Norway. One of them told me the story about a small little island in Denmark.

A garbage collector found a lottery ticket on the street outside a house. He thought that the man that lived in that house had lost his lottery ticket so he slipped it under the front door. As it turned out, that was the winning lottery ticket in the national lottery and the man who lived there became instantly rich.

The talk of the town was the nice garbage collector that had found the ticket and given it to this man.

6. Perhaps not politically correct, one from a sports store in Norway called XXL

7. Freia milk chocolate – I can safely say that this is the most amazing chocolate I have ever had. When I go back to Australia for a holiday I cannot eat chocolate made there anymore. I also make sure that I take with me a few bars of Freia back to Australia for the family. They can never get enough of it!

8. And lastly, here is a Norwegian commercial on the more serious side for SOS Childrens fund.

For a small population of people, Norway has an abundance of creativity. The only way for you to find out, is to come and visit. I can personally highly recommend Southern Norway!

Adam Read - Visit Sørlandet

American-Norwegian history in the Lister region

The Lister region is an area in southern Norway that includes four local governments - Kvinesdal, Farsund, Lyngdal and Flekkefjord. Two of these, Kvinesdal and Farsund have a very close nit relationship with the United States.

Many locals in these areas moved to the United States for work during the “poor times” in Norway and in fact, my father in law did the same with his three brothers.  He moved to New York and loved there for about 15 years building houses. He met his wife in Manhattan and she moved to Norway with their five children whilst he worked hard framing buildings.

He came back to Norway regularly on holidays to spend time with his family and eventually moved back to Norway permanently. He brought back with him a few trunks full of American clothes, white goods, an Amish wagon, boat and a car.

This was common practice for those returning from America. Many brought back items as well as wives. The local Norwegian population, particularly the women, were a little shocked. The American women had make up, nice dresses, high heels and other fashion accessories that the local Norwegian girls did not, so there was a little jealousy in those days.

American Farsund

Farsund has dedicated a festival to mark the relationship between it and the United States. It usually takes place in the final week of June and has been a huge success since 2008. They have a Route 8 road, an American store called “Trunken”, an American local bar and restaurant as well as American flags hoisted up in businesses and houses. Don't be surprised if every second car you see on the road in from the US!

American Kvinesdal

Back in the 80’s, a survey found that 10% of local residents in Kvinesdal were American citizens. That is a massive number for a little place like Kvinesdal. If you go into the American Emigration Museum called “Utvandrermuseet” you can read letters, newspapers and see pictures of people that took the long journey by boat over to the US. There were even some locals from Kvinesdal that found in the Second World War for the United States as part of the Allied forces.

Kvinesdal also has a festival to celebrate this close relationship that is called the Utvandrerfestival. It takes place over 29^th of June to the 6^th of July – where there is food, concerts, films and the museum if of course open.

In the main street of Kvinesdal, there is a store that has a large selection of American foods including, salads, dressings, drinks and meats. The staff speak English.

If you have time to visit Farsund or Kvinesdal during their American festivals, please do so. 

You will not regret it and it is a lot of fun for the whole family.

Adam Read Visit Sørlandet

Tall ship races Kristiansand

The Tall Ships Races is one of the biggest events in Kristiansand with over 80 of the worlds fully rigged and operating sailing ships sailing from 20 different countries.

Tall Ships Races Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder

They will arrive in Kristiansand on the 25th of July and stay until the 28th of July 2015. 

It is a spectacular scene with these magnificent ships parked in formation at the docks of Kristiansand with crew members from many different countries. They all wear their individual sailing uniforms making for a colourful scene and have a parade down the main street of Kristiansand during the festival.

Tall Ship Race parade Photo: Morten Teinum©Visit Sørlandet 

Enjoy the atmosphere at the docks with music, food, fun and games. You can board the ships and get a tour from their ship mates who are always up for a picture.

Norway's very own HRH Crown Princess Metter Marit is also the patron of the event as she grew up in the Kristiansand area.

The event is expected to attract around 500,000 visitors so the entire city is buzzing with excitement. 

Tall Ships Races Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder

Take a walk to fiskebrygga around the corner and relax watching the locals in their boats drive by, or sample one of the regions most famous delicatecies - their warm fish cakes. 

Fiskebrygga Kristiansand Photo: Adam Read

Personally, I really enjoy the "pirate burger" - the kids do too.

Tall Ships Races Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder

Take a stroll around the city and visit Southern Norway's largest cathedral - the Kristiansand Domkirke, eat at many of the restaurants or have a wine at one of the bars. If you are with the kids, take a walk up to Ravnedalen park and watch the swans and have a burger at the famous Cafe Generalen.

There is so much to do in Kristiansand, that you just have to experience it yourself!

Kristiansand has direct flights from Amsterdam and Copenhagen with many connecting domestic flights. There is a train station in Kristiansand and a bus network.

Enjoy the Tall Ship Races in Kristiansand and check out this page from the Tall Ship Races to see the magnificent ships that will be there. You can also find out 

Adam Read - Visit Sørlandet

Do you LOVE Southern Norway?

Stangholmen Lighthouse in Risør, Southern Norway. Photo Terje Rakke / Nordic Life

Do you LOVE Southern Norway?

Have you visited Southern Norway and always wanted to go back? Or is it almost like your second home? Does five free trips in a year to Southern Norway sound like a dream come true?

Then you might be just who we are looking for!

Being loved is a great feeling. That’s why we want to reward those that LOVE us; our loyal visitors. We are looking for five ambassadors who LOVE Southern Norway that want to share their LOVE with others. Each handpicked ambassador will be rewarded with five Color Line ferry trips to Southern Norway; an opportunity to explore new places, return to old favorites, make new memories and share these with friends and family. 

Sign-up to be an ambassador and enter the contest at:

www.lovesouthernnorway.com

Everyone that has visited Southern Norway at least once is encouraged to apply before the 31st of August.  

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Have you not had the chance to visit Southern Norway yet, but do you know someone that would be the perfect ambassador? Share www.lovesouthernnorway.com with them.

Welcome to Southern Norway!

Lindesnes Lighthouse at the southern tip of Norway. Photo: Anders Martinsen (c) Visit Sørlandet