elusive moose » Kids

Fancy a swim?

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:13:12 +0000

Foten, Fredrikstad (Beach)

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:07:04 +0000

This cute spot just outside Fredrikstad was voted best beach in Norway in 2006 by VG newspaper, and it is easy to see why. It’s a great place for anyone, from families with young kids who spend the day by the small shallow sandy beach to couples who take over in the evening for a late swim and/or a romantic walk watching the sun set over the Oslofjord, not to mention those coming here for a BBQ between friends, or even to cast a line from one of the many rocky outputs.

There are toilets on site, picnic tables and a kiosk selling drinks and food, as well as a beach volleyball pitch and a diving tower. You have to pay to leave your car at the nearby car park in high season (30Kr) during the day (until 5pm), so make sure you’ve got some change with you. There are many hytter (summer houses) in the area, so the place can get a bit busy at times. Go for a walk and explore the surrounding area if you get tired on sunbathing after a while – going to the end of the peninsula only takes about half an hour, and from there you’ll have great views of the fjord and surrounding islets.

How to get there: From Fredrikstad follow Rv110 towards Ørebekk, then left at the roundabout towards Gressvik. Follow Rv117 (Vikaneveien) for a few kilometers towards Vikane until you see a Kiwi supermarket on your left. Take it left towards Øyenkilen and follow signs for Foten from here. If you’re using public transport bus no.302 runs between Øyenkilen and Vikane/Fredrikstad pretty much every hour daily (see http://www.ostfold-kollektiv.no/userfiles/302.pdf for timetable).

About Norwegian football

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 07:53:51 +0000

Football fever is upon us, and regardless of what team you support, it seems football is the conversation topic of choice just now (or should that be the ‘only’ conversation topic?). Anyway… Norway’s not in the World Cup this year, but here a few footie facts you might or might not know about this country:

- The Norwegian national football team played its first international in 1908. Its home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo. Norway took part in the FIFA World Cup three times in its history, in 1938, 1994 and 1998. They only played in the European Championship once, in 2000.

- The national team’s hour of glory was their beating Brazil in the 1998 World Cup in Marseille, France, after Kjetil Rekdal fired a decisive penalty into the back of the net. They proceeded to the second round, but lost their first match (against Italy) and went out of the competition.

- There are a total of 1,800 football clubs in Norway (amateur and professional), with over 280,000 players.

- Norwegian players to have achieved a degree of fame abroad include John Arne Riise, a Liverpool player for several years before he moved on to play in Italy, Ole Gunnar Solskjær (known as Manchester United’s ‘baby-faced assassin’) and Tore André Flo, who played for Chelsea, among other clubs.

- The Norwegian Premier League (unofficially known as the Eliteserien) is the top competition in Norway.

- Most successful Norwegian clubs in recent years include Brann (Bergen), who won in 2007; Stabæk (Bærum), who came top in 2008; and Rosenborg (Trondheim) who accumulated an impressive 13 consecutive titles between 1992-2004, and also got gold in 2006 and 2009.

- Women football is big in Norway, with some 110,000 registered members. There are 12 clubs playing in the top division, and 12 in the first division.

- Norway hosts the world’s largest football tournament for children and young people, the Norway Cup, every year in August. The tournament, which dates back to 1972, is hugely popular – in 2009 it attracted some 30,000 participants, with 1,371 teams from 49 countries.

Storesand, Hvaler (Beach)

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:16:37 +0000

On the island of Kirkeøy on Hvaler, this is Østfold’s longest, and arguably best, sand beach. Storesand, which is quite sheltered, has a cafe (open in summer only), and there is also a little campsite nearby at Døvika (tents only). Please note that motorised vehicles are not permitted on the beach. It’s a popular place in summer, particularly with families, and the beach can get a bit crowded at weekends. There is a big car park nearby if you’re coming by car (the first three hours are free, but you must take a ticket at the machine and display it behind your windscreen), otherwise bus no.365 from Fredrikstad runs several times daily to Skjærhalden, and there is a stop for the beach.

How to get here: From Fredrikstad follow Rv 108 all the way to Kirkeøy (the island after the tunnel) until you get to a big crossroad. You’ll see the car park on your right here. Then it’s only a short walk (about 500m) to the beach on a small dust road.

Cool clothes from Ugly Children

admin — Sat, 22 May 2010 10:58:02 +0000

Norwegian fashion labels for kids

admin — Sat, 22 May 2010 10:55:08 +0000

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)

Østfold in Pictures: Tunevannet

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 18:01:46 +0000

Tunevannet, Sarpsborg

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 17:56:13 +0000

A great place for swimming, jogging, cycling, or even indeed just a walk, this lake just outside Sarpsborg is a popular recreational area, particularly in summer, when it buzzes with activity. There are several sandy beaches and creeks here and the main one by Prestegårdstangen, which boasts floating pontoons and a diving board, is accessible for wheelchairs. Personally, though, I prefer looking for a green patch on which to lay my towel – nothing beats lying on the grass by the water, looking at the clear blue sky through the branches of the tall nearby pines if you ask me. There is a playground with several climbing apparatus a bit further in under the trees, as well as BBQs, toilets, and a kiosk (open in season only) near the big car park to the southeast of the lake. If you want to take a rod and try your luck at fishing (or ice fish in winter) – you might get a pike, or perch. Tune Church nearby, rebuilt after a fire in 1908, is worth a visit, and there is a youth hostel nearby if you like the area so much you decide to stay.

How to get there: Off Rv 118 (Tuneveien) opposite Tune Church, itself just off the E6 north of Sarpsborg.

Feeding the goats just outside Gamlebyen

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:29:44 +0000

Top 5: Activities for kids in Fredrikstad

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:28:12 +0000

Not sure how to keep the kids entertained during your stay in Fredrikstad? Fret not – the options are plentiful. Here are some activity suggestions for children of all ages:

- Bo Grønt Lund’s: This garden centre in Torsnes doubles up as a mini animal park, featuring a pleasant playground with many slides and climbing apparatus, as well as farmyard animals such as sheep, rabbits, etc. Ideal for the little ones. Why not bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it? Torsnesveien, Torsnes (about 5km from Gamlebyen). Prices: 50Kr per person. Open 10am-7pm during the week, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm. Tel: 69 34 92 66, www.bogront.no/lunds/ (Norwegian only)

- Go-karting: Cheap it ain’t (a 9 minute heat, about 10-15 laps, will set you back 155Kr), but go-karing is fun if you want to spoil the kids, or give yourself a bit of an adrenaline kick. Why not indeed. Open Mon-Fri 4pm-9pm, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 2pm-8pm. Tomteveien 21. Tel: 40 00 19 36, www.activcenter.no (Norwegian only)

- Ice-skating: Nothing better than a spin (or two) on the ice to burn off excess energy. Luckily Stjernehallen, Fredrikstad ice-rink, is open to the general public Wed-Fri 10am-2pm, and Sun 10.30am-12.30pm, and even better, skating here is free! Utfarten 16 (between Bratliparken and Fredrikstadmarka). Tel: 69 36 83 00, www.stjernen.no (Norwegian only)

- Horse riding: There are several riding centres in the area. Try Fredrikstad Riding Centre, just behind the Old Town (Bekkevold 1. Tel: 69 32 31 74) or Hogde Shetland Stud Farm (Hogde 2. Tel. 90 51 74 26), which has Shetland ponies.

- Swimming: Kongstenhall swimming pool complex just outside Gamlebyen is the perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day. It boasts an outdoor Olympic size pool, paddling pool, 10m diving board and pool, and a water slide, plus a smaller indoor pool. Prices: 50Kr adults and 40Kr children for access to the outdoors complex. Open 7 days a week, times vary, ring for info. Trosvikveien 12. Tel: 69 95 82 98.