Posts Tagged Things to do
As spotted on the way to Linnekleppen
Posted by admin in Photos and videos, Travel and practical stuff on August 13, 2010
Top 5: Things to do around Rakkestad
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on August 13, 2010
- Rudskogen Motor Park: Norway’s largest motor-racing circuit, partly owned by Michael Schumacher, hosts big events throughout the summer, and attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. More info at www.rudskogen.no (Norwegian only)
- Lannem Pottery: One of Norway’s oldest, using local clay exclusively. Their products are on sale through many outlets in Norway, including at Gardermoen Airport and on the Hurtigruen, as well as in the shop here. More info at http://www.elusivemoose.eu/2010/03/11/
- Hiking: The area around Rakkestad is great for hiking. The walk to Linnekleppen fire watch-tower is a popular one, but the whole of the Rakkestadfjella is worth exploring. More info at http://www.elusivemoose.eu/2009/11/18/
- Fishing: There are myriads of lakes of all sizes in the area, making this a great destination for fishing. Two of the largest ones are Frønesjøen and Kløsa, both easily accessible.
- Buer bakkene (Os): A lovely spot along Varteigveien, and a great stretch of road to cycle or go for a drive. Particularly lovely in early summer when wild flowers line the roadside and the ripening crops in the surrounding fields lend colour to this already beautiful landscape.
Diving in Norway
Top destinations, and a bit of inspiration, for divers heading to Norway (or those who didn’t know they could dive here) 
- Lofoten Islands: Dive in the midnight sun in summer, and with killer whales in winter. The beautiful Lofoten islands are home to Moskenesstraumen, a divers’ Eldorado, where ultra clear waters await. Here you’ll find big kelp forests, overhangs filled with anemones and ocean roses, all kinds of fish (wanna catch your own dinner? Here you can), and immaculate white sandy beaches on which to rest after your dive. www.aqualofoten.com
- Saltstraumen: The world’s strongest maelstrom is one of Europe’s best and most exciting diving sites – National Geographic Magazine recently listed it as one of its top 10 diving destinations in the world! The oxygen-rich water hosts an abundance of fish and a rich variety of aquatic plants, but because of the strong currents this one is for experienced divers only. www.saltstraumendivecenter.com
- The Ytre Hvaler NP, Østfold: The Oslofjord’s popular archipelago is Norway’s first marine national park, opened in September 2009. A great destination for divers of all abilities, boasting unique underwater flora and deep sea corals, as well as some rare fish species not found anywhere else in Norway. www.fsd.no (Norwegian only)
- Ice diving: For something really different why not try ice diving in Arctic Norway, and follow your underwater explorations taking in the beautiful natural spectacle of the Northern lights? A dry suit is a must of course, and a sense of adventure. Available in winter only, in the Barents Sea (where you’ll be able to dive with the famous giant crabs) or on Svalbard. www.xoholidays.com
- Wreck diving: There are many wreck sites all along the Norwegian coast, and Narvik is probably Norway’s wreck diving capital. Tromsø is another good base in Northern Norway, while in the south the area around Kristiansand is home to many well-known wrecks from WW2, the most famous being the freighter MV Seattle. www.divenorway.com, www.kdykk.no
- Lake diving: The best one is Lygnstøylsvatnet, in Western Norway. This lake was created after a landslide blocked off the river Lygna back in 1908, and the local village was subsequently submerged. Now a popular diving destination where you’ll be able to see remnants of the old farm buildings, stone fences, a road, a bridge and the old forest through the pristine water. www.dykkerklubben.com (Norwegian only)
Fishing in Østfold
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on August 1, 2010
Going fishing? You’ve come to the right place! With its long coastline and hundreds of lakes, Østfold is a fishing eldorado. Here is what you can expect to catch, and where:
- Salmon: Enningdalselva in Halden (see http://www.elusivemoose.eu/2010/03/enningdalselva-salmon-fishing/) is the best river in the county, although Ågårdselva in the Sarpsborg municipality also draws its fair share of salmon enthusiasts. August is fly-fishing season in the latter. Remember that a fishing card/permit is required. Salmon can also be caught in Tista, Halden, and in the Glomma.
- Trout: The small lakes in Trømborgfjella, Degernesfjella and Rakkestadfjella in Indre-Østfold are all good bets, and so are the ones in Vestfjella in Aremark. Again, permits are required – you can usually get those from the approach road to the lakes, where you leave the amount in a marked box with your car registration number.
- Sea trout: Can be caught along the coast, often near land. You could try your luck off Bevø, Torsnes, or Engelsviken near Fredrikstad, for example, or pretty much anywhere on Hvaler. No permit or card required for fishing in the sea.
- Perch and pike: Can be caught in most big lakes. The Glomma is particurlaly good for pike, and so are Vansjø and Haldenvassdraget. Pikes can get big – fish of 20kg and more have been caught here, and 10kg is not unusual.
- Zander: The only place you can catch zander in Østfold, and one of the few places in Norway, is Vansjø, near Moss.
Foten, Fredrikstad (Beach)
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors on July 16, 2010
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).
On board the D/S Turisten
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Photos and videos, Travel and practical stuff on July 9, 2010
The Halden Canal
Posted by admin in Nature and the great outdoors, Travel and practical stuff on July 9, 2010
The Halden Canal, part of the Halden watercourse, is one of Norway’s only two man-made canals. Stretching some 80km from Tistedal in the south to the little village of Skulerud in the north, it consists of a series of large lakes connected by short rivers or sounds. The canal, designed by ingenior Engebret Soot, was historically used to float timber, but the last log was lifted out of Lake Femsjøen in 1982, when a 600-year-old tradition came to an end. Today it is used by leisure boats and kayakers, and exploring the area from the water is great fun.
You can buy a map at the Halden tourist office and explore the canal at your leisure, or join an organised tour. Built in 1887, the steamship D/S Turisten, which used to ply these waters but was sinked in 1967 because it no longer was profitable, was hauled up after lying for 30 years at the bottom of LakeFemsjøen. It has since then been completely restored, and a trip on this old-fashioned vessel is quite a special experience. It runs every Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun from Strømsfoss til Tistedal until 11 July, thereafter sister ship M/S Strømsfoss takes over until 22 Aug. Departure at 11am. Price: 290Kr (M/S Strømsfoss)/450Kr (D/S Turisten) return, children under 15 free. See www.turisten.no for more info (Norwegian only).
One of the highlights of a trip along the canal is going through the Brekke Locks, Scandinavia’s highest. See www.elusivemoose.eu/2010/04/brekke-locks-halden/ for more information.