The weather forecast for today is 21°C and sunny here in Fredrikstad. Guess what I’m thinking? Too right – BBQ time! Apparently I’m not the only one. I read in an article recently that people in Østfold are among Norway’s most enthusiastic BBQ aficionados, only beaten by their counterparts in Vestfold and Aust-Agder on the other side of the Oslofjord. As many as 25% of local residents in Østfold barbecue once or twice a week in summer, and a further 8% as often as 3 to 5 times a week! (In Vestfold, by the way, 36% have a BBQ at least once weekly, and in Aust-Agder it’s 39%. Probably not such a good idea to hang your clothes to dry outside if you’re visiting Sørlandet in summer then!)

No garden? Not a problem. Pack an engang grill (a little disposable BBQ that you can purchase in most shops for around 20Kr) and off you go. But please take care when lighting it up, and ensure you are well away from trees and grass – it can get really dry in Østfold in summer, and forest fires start faster than you think! By the way, a reminder that there is a fire ban throughout Norway between 15 April and 15 September, so don’t even think of lighting up an open fire anywhere during that time.