A road trip through Scandinavia (Part 2)

My summer holidays in 2023 took me through Sweden, Denmark and Norway. This is the second part of my trip report. In the first part, I have covered the preparations, me getting from Berlin to Oslo via Malmö and Copenhagen, and the first two days of my road trip through Norway. In this part, we start from Bergen and complete the loop covering the South.

Third leg: Road trip through Norway (continued)

Thursday: Bergen → Stavanger (Rogaland)

Today’s route was going to be long again, with almost five hours of driving. I did not want to arrive in Stavanger late at night, so I opted to do a short sightseeing hike around the Fløyen mountain. I woke up around 07:00, secured myself a convenient breakfast from one of the ubiquitous convenience stores and headed to the Fløibanen, a funicular that took me to around 320 meters above sea level.

The Fløibanen revealed some spectacular, albeit slightly cloudy, views of Bergen. Even at that early hour, the funicular was populated mostly with schoolchildren.

My hiking guide book had suggested of about five hours from Fløyen to Ulriken, another of Bergen’s seven mountains. I cut that short and spent a bit over an hour walking around the forest and lakes. There are plenty of paths that invite for a stroll. After I had left the funicular station behind, I was once again (mostly) by myself in the quiet woods.

I returned from the mountain around 10:00 and decided to do a bit of sightseeing in the city. I spotted a fancy-looking café, and lo and behold, they had oat milk! (The first place I asked that actually had it.)

The train station that I initially found to be a bit unremarkable¹ turned out to be a historic monument and therefore protected. In the entrance hall, there is a mural depicting a city map. I could not find any information about it, save for one photo on Wikimedia Commons, whose file name suggests it is a Hanseatic motive from 1968. Alas, this was not my Interrail trip, but my road trip.

I checked out of my hotel room and started driving, heading South, at 11:30. Today was going to be two ferry rides: First from Husavik to Sandvikvåg (20 minutes) and Arsvågen to Mortavika (25 minutes). I used the time on the first ferry to browse Stavanger’s cultural offerings and spontaneously booked a ticket for a classical concert on the same evening.

The first half of the drive was uneventful. The ferry ports were busy – since I was now driving on one of the most touristy routes, the E39 – but I didn’t have to wait for long.

I had ample time for my drive to Stavanger. Naturally, this meant that I stopped wherever I felt like it. Near Aksdal, I spotted a beautiful landscape, but ultimately I resisted the temptation not to do an impromptu hike there.

About half an hour later, I could no longer resist the temptation to jump out of my car and do something. Picture me driving, all by myself, and continuously yelling (to myself) about how beautiful the landscape is. I pulled over just as I had crossed the bridge across the Frekasund to Ognøya island, jumped out of the seat and ran towards the water.² There was nobody around, which made it feel all the more refreshing.

And with refreshing, I mean really refreshing. Despite the temperature still being around 20 °C, my swimming location in the Boknafjord was basically already in the ocean. Compared to the days before, it was getting colder and colder (Tuesday: inland lake, Wednesday: fjord but far inside the country). And the rest of my route would only bring me closer to the sea. However, this would not mark my last attempt of enjoying the Norwegian waters.

I got back to my car to continue the drive, and shortly afterwards, board another ferry (the fifth one, if you’re keeping track).

I arrived in Stavanger around 16:00. My first impression was that – even though it only has half the population as Bergen – it is the much more charming town. Somehow, it just felt cozier.

On that evening, tons of German tourists were roaming the town due to a cruise ship being moored at the port. But as a German tourist myself, I can’t really complain, can I? I went for a quick burger and walked around town a bit. Sadly, I was too late to visit the Petroleum Museum.

Time flew past as I walked to the Stavanger Konserthus, a concert hall that was only opened a little over ten years ago. According to Wikipedia, it can host both a classical and a rock concert within its walls at the same time. While strolling through the lobby, I got the feeling that Stavanger punches above its weight.³ I sat down to order a local beer, a technique I learned from a Swedish expert in Vilnius. There were only a few people at the bar and therefore, the bartender was very excited about telling me everything about the regional breweries. I chose an IPA, which set me back 145 NOK. From the bar, I had a nice view of the cruise ship as it slowly left the harbour.

The concert itself was pretty small, with an audience of only 50 people. As it turned out, I got lucky: It was the first concert after the summer break; sort of a test performance. They played Bartók, Rachmaninoff, Dvorák, and Enescu.

Satisfied, I returned to my hotel room.

Friday: Stavanger → Preikestolen → Egersund (Rogaland)

Another day, another hike. My hiking guide book (and a Norwegian expert) suggested two different routes in the area of the Lysefjord: Preikestolen, very touristy and medium difficulty; and Kjerag, a lot more challenging and difficult to reach. Since I didn’t bring any gear, I picked the former.

I got started early, leaving Stavanger by 07:00. This morning, I learned (the hard way) that not only ferry and road tolls are billed automatically in Norway, but also parking fees. The day before, I just drove into the parking garage because the signs said that you’d pay when you leave, based on your licence plate. So, I went to the pay station and keyed in my licence plate, but the machine just balked. Unfortunately, the instructions were only available in Norwegian. Since I didn’t just want to leave, I pressed a button for assistance, where I explained my problem. I think the attendant was very confused, because they had to explain such a blatantly obvious thing to me: Due to my rental car being registered with the toll collection system, I would get an invoice automatically. I was allowed to just drive off after all! I thanked them and did just that.

The drive from Stavanger to Preikestolen takes less than an hour. A good part of it is the 14.4 kilometre-long Ryfylke tunnel, “currently the world’s longest subsea road tunnel”. The toll costs about as much as one (1) beer in Stavanger.⁴ Driving through it is an interesting experience, because the tunnel just won’t end …

Something that ended was summer, though. The temperature had dropped by 5 °C to 15 °C and the iconic duo Fog’n’Drizzle was back. At least I was early enough to snatch a rare spot at the base camp car park, presumably because I had arrived before 08:00. There was lots of activity, so I joined the ranks of my fellow hikers to go up the Pulpit Rock.

I wish there was anything cool I could write about this hike, but truth is, I didn’t see much. Check out my pictures and (don’t) see for yourself. At least there was a nice lake. Because of the drizzle, the entire mountain was moist, and I alternated between getting my shoes muddy and slipping on rock. (Got a nice knee laceration to show for it.)

I did not enqueue for having my photo taken, instead I got yelled at because I stood in the way of other people having their photo taken.

Anyway, it was still kind of interesting to see the shape of Preikestolen which could equally well be used as a dance floor. The whole roundtrip took me three hours (excluding breaks).

I decided not to have lunch at the base camp and instead drive towards Egersund, my place for the night. There are two ways to get there: back to Stavanger (boring) or via another ferry (exciting). The choice was clear.

The ferry station was just a fifteen minute drive away. I thought I could make a stop at a restaurant for lunch just there, but they were only open on Sundays. (Weirdly, there were cars, there were people, the doors were open, yet no one seemed to eat there.)

Now getting slightly hungry, I got in the queue. It did not seem that long, but then I saw the ferry, which was not that large. This was actually the first (and only) occasion where I had to wait for quite a bit.

Fortunately, there was a kiosk that sold traditional Norwegian pølser (hot dogs). Say what you want about the cuisine, but at least it is very creative: they had grillpølser (grilled dogs), ostepølser (cheese dogs), bacon pølser, and many other delights. I got myself some dogs with fries and without ost, and killed the time talking on the phone. Interestingly enough, I had to pay the fee manually to an attendant who walked up and down the queue, instead of being registered automatically while driving onto the ferry.

After about one and a half hours, it was my turn to be admitted; as the second-to-last car, they asked me to somehow squeeze in diagonally. It turned out that eating at the kiosk was a good idea, because, first, the ferry was too small to have catering, and second, I could not leave my car due to somehow being squeezed in diagonally. Fortunately, we did not sink, and I could leave the ferry the normal way about fifteen minutes later (the sixth – and final – ferry ride, if you’re keeping track).

After another good hour of driving, I arrived at Egersund, a town that could best be described as sleepy. I stayed in the Grand Hotel that could best be described as ageing. The name was also a bit of a stretch, considering that the Grand is only competing with exactly one other hotel in the town, directly across the street. Or if you count only hotels offering ensuite bathrooms, competing with no other hotels.

It was not raining any more when I arrived in Egersund around 16:00. I walked up the local peak, which gave a nice view over the town, harbour and surroundings from 125 meters of altitude. After sufficiently long exposure to a harsh North Sea breeze, I went for gelato and later dinner at an Indian restaurant (the third – and final – evening, if you’re keeping track).

Saturday: Egersund → Lindesnes (Agder) → Kragerø (Telemark)

Saturday was the penultimate day of my road trip; the next day I would have to be in Oslo by noon to return the car. The total distance between Egersund and Oslo is just shy of 500 kilometres, which would take me over six hours to drive. Therefore, I had to pick a good place for the night so that I wouldn’t have to get up so early on Sunday. The choice fell on Kragerø (more about the town later).

The only reasonable road between Egersund and Kragerø follows along the coast, meaning I could go for some hiking and sightseeing around lighthouses. This morning I indulged in the Grand’s breakfast and got started later than usual, around 08:00.

After a good hour of driving along narrow roads and mountain passes,⁵ I arrived in Østebø, a small village in the Flekkefjord municipality. I walked one kilometre down the road, where it ended, being accompanied by a local dog. The area was not covered in my hiking guide book,⁶ but there was a hiking map just at the entrance to the Flekkefjord landscape conservation area. I left the dog behind me and followed the easy path towards the lighthouse. A few other hikers were also in the area, perhaps going to the caves.

It took less than half an hour to get to the lighthouse at Cape Oddan, which I once again had for myself. I was rewarded with fantastic views over the craggy hills and the North Sea. I did not spend a lot of time there because it was so windy, but enjoyed it nonetheless. There are plenty of other hiking routes around, so with a bit more time, I’m sure there’s more to explore.

I got back to my car and continued the drive towards Lindesnes, the southernmost point of Norway. I did not get far because, you may have guessed it, I found a lake that required swimming.⁷ The temperature was as yesterday around 15 °C, so it was fairly cold, but of utmost relaxation (no fog and no wind as opposed to the day before).

There were plenty of camper vans around, again, mostly Germans, having breakfast, looking at me going for a swim. I was unsure whether they were sceptical (because it was too cold for swimming), or appreciative (because it was a great spot for swimming). As I emerged from the water, an elderly German couple with a thick accent told me the latter. Equipped with the cloak of a Norwegian licence plate, I agreed (in English).

Finally, at around 10:30, I resumed the drive. I arrived at the car park in Lindesnes at lunchtime and was once again lucky to have snatched a parking spot. The place was bustling due to the great weather.

The Lindesnes fyr (lighthouse) is the oldest in Norway, initially built in 1656. The current tower that is open for visitation was built in 1915 and features a small exhibition of Norwegian lighthouses. Some of the tunnels and trenches built during World War II are also open to visitors.

There are a few hiking trails in the direct vicinity of the lighthouse. The hiking guide book suggested a tour to the Skorberg, another nice view point with an elevation of 54 metres. The path was not as simple as I had thought (and as the book suggested). On two occasions, I found myself in front of large boulders, perhaps two to three meters tall, with no obvious way to climb. The first one I found a detour around; for the second one, I channeled all my past bouldering experience to climb the dihedral.⁸ Behind me was a family with small kids; I wonder how they dealt with those challenges (I lost sight of them after a while). Still, it is a nice area, and I was once again rewarded richly with spectacular views.

At 15:00, I got back into the car for the remaining three-hour drive. A few minutes later, I stopped again because I saw a sand beach. I sensed the opportunity to swim in the ocean. Following the tried and tested approach, I changed in the car and walked to the beach.

However, within a fraction of a second of the waves hitting my toes, I decided that that was way too cold. Botnevatn would stay the last body of water to be graced by the body of mine (the fourth time, if you’re keeping track).

The rest of the day I drove uninterrupted to Kragerø, arriving there at 18:00. The town has about the same population as Egersund, but for various reasons I perceived it as much more welcoming (more amenities, better weather). It also sported 50% more hotels than Egersund. I’m really happy with my choice for the final night. The town was suggested to me by a Norwegian expert and comes with a glowing reference from Edvard Munch, who called it a “pearl of the coastal towns”.

After a dubious dinner at a sushi place⁹ and some gelato, I hiked up the local viewpoint on the small island of Øya. I sat down for a while to watch the various boats coming and going. On my way back to the hotel, I stopped by the grocery store. Sadly, I was too late to get myself some beer, nor was the Vinmonopol still open.¹⁰ I was also too tired to sit down in a restaurant again. Consequently, I went back to my hotel without a drink, which, on the plus side, saved me a lot of money.

Fourth leg: Oslo ✈️ Munich

Sunday, the tenth and last day of my trip! All that was left for me to do was get up early, get in the car, and get to Oslo. Except for refueling and relieving, I didn’t stop anywhere.¹¹ My phone warned me about significant flooding to the North of Oslo, which had me anxious about the drive, but ultimately the road to Oslo was not affected. By 10:00, I had returned my car.

My flight would only leave in the evening, though. To spend the day, I had carefully arranged to meet a group of Norwegian experts. How I would spend my sixth time in Oslo (if you’re keeping track) was now in their capable hands. (Little did I know they were attempting to break a record of steps per day.) It wasn’t as bright and sunny as the day before; instead, overcast, but at least the temperature was back at around 17 °C.

We started from the central station and made our way to the Bygdøy peninsula. Some of the sights there, including the Viking Ship Museum,¹² I had already seen, so we just walked around, and indulged in various foods. In both Norway and Sweden, cinnamon rolls are a staple. Both countries, however, call them differently (kanelsnurr and kanelbulle, respectively) and insist that their version is superior to their neighbour’s. Needless to say, they taste exactly identical.¹³ (For some reason, the Swedish expert I visited in Malmö also explained to me that the Swedish strawberries – of all fruits – are superior to the Danish ones. Confronted with that, the Danish expert I visited in Copenhagen just shrugged.)

We took the tram back to the city centre, which my feet appreciated. Alas, I did not beat my step record.¹⁴ The area around the central station had been completely redeveloped since I last went there, with the reopened Munch Museum and the new Sørenga neighbourhood.

At around 16:00, it was time to say goodbye to my friends and Oslo. I went back to the central station and boarded the train towards the airport.

Epilogue

This was definitely a trip with a lot of logistics. Even though I didn’t plan everything out in advance, it worked well, and I managed to snatch hotel rooms even in the small towns of Egersund and Kragerø. More time would’ve been better – of course – but a compact trip like this one had its own, unique charm. I can’t say that I like driving too much, though. The combination of hikes with 3+ hours driving almost every day left me exhausted every night. Yet, I feel this trip was a worthy substitute for my initially planned Interrail tour. Or maybe just an appetizer? Who knows.