Archive for May, 2010
The view towards Svinesund
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on May 25, 2010
Sponvika, Halden
Posted by admin in History and architecture on May 25, 2010
The little village of Sponvika in Halden Municipality guards the entrance to the Ringdalsfjord/Iddefjord, the arm of the Oslofjord stretching towards Halden, and marking the border with Sweden to the east. A picturesque little village with white wooden houses and well-kept gardens, Sponvika has around 400 permanent inhabitants, although this population grows significantly in summer when people with hytter in the area join locals for the holidays.
Back in the 1600s Sponvika was a buzzing fishing port, dealing mainly in herring, and it’s still a good spot to cast a line. From the little harbour where anglers like to try their luck, one can see the arch of the new Svinesund Bridge, which links Norway and Sweden, in the distance.
There is a couple of beaches on Kjeøya, the peninsula just west of Sponvika, the best one of which is at Pina, to the northwest. The area is a good place for a walk. Because of its strategic location guarding the entrance to Ringdalsfjorden, Sponvika has been a much coveted spot over the centuries. In 1716 the Swedes tried to build a floating bridge over Svinesund, but incessant bombardments from the canons at Sponvika fort (skanse) meant they eventually gave up. During WWII the Germans had an outpost on the same spot – the remnants of the fort are still visible today.
Norwegian fashion labels for kids
It’s not fair! Kids’ clothes are so much fun, why don’t they make them in adult sizes? Anyway, here are some seriously cool Norwegian fashion labels for children, for those of you who take their fashion seriously (and don’t mind spending a small fortune to spoil the kids). Yes yes, of course they’re worth it :-)
- Dundelina: A unique, inspired concept that combines fashion and storytelling with beautiful children’s clothes, accessories and books that interact with each other. Girls will feel like real fairytale princesses in those clothes… well, I know I would! www.dundelina.com (English)
- Ugly Children’s Clothing: Tongue-in-cheek clothes for newborns and toddlers. The name might not ring a bell, but you will recognise some of the designs (like the popular Norwegian lice sweater body). Their new ugly milk collection is also fun. www.uglycc.com (English)
- Lille Lam (Little Lamb): Specialises in 100% merino wool clothes in pastel colours for boys and girls aged 0-10 years. Great for kids who itch in other materials. www.lillelam.no (Norwegian only)
- Lille Barn: Classic childrenswear with a Scandinavian feel. For children aged 0-6 years. Available in the UK too. www.lillebarn.com (English web page under development)
- My Cinnamon Girl: A relative newcomer on the scene, My Cinnamon Girl offers clothes in delicate colours, beautiful fabrics for both boys and girls, plus matching clothes for mums and daughters. http://mycinnamongirl.com (English)
Nemi, by Lise Myhre
Posted by admin in Art, culture and literature on May 21, 2010
Some of you will have come across Nemi before, the goth girl with a predilection for black clothes and dark humour, whose tough attitude hides a softer side. But did you know that she was Norwegian? The brainchild of Lise Myhre (born 1975), one of only a handful female cartoon creators to have made an impact internationally, Nemi began to appear as a guest cartoon in the Norwegian daily Dagbladet in 1999, before getting her regular slot on the newspaper’s pages a year later.
Cynical and romantic at the same time, Nemi finds it difficult to relate to boys. She hates blonde bimbos, but loves spiders, heavy metal, beer and chocolate. She is not averse to a practical joke either. While the cartoon is read by both sexes, it is no secret that Myhre has helped attract a new female readership to the genre. Nemi has a monthly magazine with a circulation of 70,000 in Norway. It is the second most popular cartoons in the country – only Pondus has more readers. Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Germany also have their own Nemi magazines and books, and Nemi also appears in dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites in Scandinavia and the UK. These include Metro in the UK, Dagens Nyheter in Sweden and Dagbladet in Norway.
Canoe and kayak hire in Østfold
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on May 20, 2010
With hundreds of lakes and miles of coastline, Østfold is a great place to try kayaking, or canoeing. Whether it’s for a couple of hours after work, or a long weekend outing with friends and/or family, a fun time is guaranteed.
- You can hire canoes and kayaks at Børtevann, east of Sarpsborg, an idyllic, sheltered location ideal for beginners. Canoes are 250Kr for a day (50Kr an hour), kayaks 350Kr for the day (75Kr an hour). Grinerødveien 2, Ise. Tel: 69 16 01 73 or 90 83 33 11, www.kanoutleie.net
- Moss Kajakklubb has canoes and kayaks for hire in Nesparken. You must book in advance as the premises are not manned. They also organise guided tours. From 300Kr a day. Tel: 99 56 12 10, www.moss-kajakklubb.no
- Rømskog Kanoutleie: Rømsjøen is the largest lake in Rømskog, and arguably the prettiest in Østfold. Hire a canoe for the weekend, and explore the area! Canoes are 250Kr for a day (50Kr an hour). Here too you must book in advance. Tel: 95 91 61 75, www.kanoutleie.no
- Aursmark Natur in Kroksund have canoes for hire. From here you are ideally located to paddle on the Halden Canal. They also organise tours. Canoes are 180Kr for the day, 220Kr for 24 hours. They will come and get you if you don’t have your own transport. Kroksund, Ørje. Tel: 69 81 31 47, www.aursmark-natur.com/kano
- Olseng Marina on Ullerøy, Skjeberg, have sea kayaks. Rental is 400Kr a day (150Kr per hour). Ullerøyveien 628. Tel: 69 16 95 95, www.olsengmarina.no
Walking in Østfold: Høgnipen
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on May 19, 2010
Interested in history? Or rather prehistory, as it happens? At Høgnipen, on the border between Skjeberg (Sarpsborg) and Rakkestad are remnants dating back 10,000 years. These are the eldest traces of human life found in Østfold, discovered by two brothers, Alf and Odmund Schie, in 1961. The site was excavated by local archaeologist Erling Johansen.
Back in the Stone Age Høgnipen was an island, used in summer by local people who fished and hunted here. Today the walk to Høgnipen, 191m over sea level, is clearly signed, and makes for a pleasant walk. The first part of the walk follows an easy path through the forest (the bit that would have been under the sea all those years ago), and will take you to an information board (in Norwegian) and a stone marking the place where the first settlement at Høgnipen was found. The path then continues onto more rocky terrain and sparse vegetation at slightly higher altitude – just follow the small orange-painted wooden panels attached to the pine-trees to find your way. You will pass a little lake, Høgniptjernet, to your left before reaching the small observation tower at the top. From there you can see Borregaard in Sarpsborg and Isesjøen in the distance. The path makes a loop back to the settlement, so you won’t have to retrace your steps all the way.
How to get here: Follow Rv22 north from Halden towards Rakkestad. About 6km south of Degernes, the road forks out. Take it left past Ertevannet, towards Sørby. After a few kilometers you should see a sign for Høgnipen on your left. Follow the dirt road through the forest for about 4km, until you reach a small parking lot and another sign for Høgnipen. This is the beginning of the walk. It’s about 4km from here to the top. If you’re coming from Sarpsborg on Rv111, take it right at Ytterskogen School (the one with the black horse sign) a few kilometres south of Rakkestad, where you will find the dirt road on your right.