Foto: Gettyimages
Motorhomes on the ferry to Norway
If you’re planning a holiday visit Telemark this year, we recommend you sail on our ferry to Langesund, then start your Telemark adventure as soon as you drive off the ferry. The ferry embarks from Hirtshals at 9 am and as soon as you’ve driven on board, you can go off and enjoy the many options on offer – from delicious food in the restaurant and cafe to TaxFree shopping or the playland for the children. At 1.30 pm you can drive on land at Langesund and set your course for the day’s first overnight stop, which can easily be reached in daylight hours.
Foto: John Inge Nordnes / Allegro / Fjordline
Accommodation
Is there anything better than falling asleep to the sound of a river flowing nearby – and drinking your morning coffee with a view of the mountain peaks and endless forest? In Norway you can do this, it’s called the “right of public access”. This means that, completely free of charge, you can park your motorhome or set up a tent anywhere you like out in nature – including in the forest and on the mountain. (The only exceptions are rest areas or less than 150 m from someone else’s home).
Read the advice on the right of public access at Visit Norway
If you’d like to spend a night or two at a campground, you can either call and book a campsite in advance or drive straight into a campground that you come across and ask if they have any space. Norwegian campgrounds are often located in the middle of natural surroundings so you’ll be able to admire fjords, mountains, lakes and forests through your windows.
Ferries and tolls
Several stretches of road – often close to larger towns, on newer motorways, through underwater tunnels and over larger bridges – charge a toll to use them. You may also find sometimes that paying for a ferry ride is by far the shortest route from A to B. Many places charge fees and ferry tickets automatically, using number plate identification, which will subsequently be added to the bill for your entire trip in Norway. According to FDM (Federation of Danish Motorists), you should expect to pay around NOK 100 per day for tolls and ferries while on your trip.
Many places also offer discounts if you have a Danish BroBizz in your car.
Foto: Gettyimages
Activities in Telemark
One of the biggest advantages of travelling by motorhome is the freedom to plan from day to day where you’d like to go – and to be able stop spontaneously along the way if you come across an attraction, natural setting or viewpoint you’d like to visit.
In the suggested itinerary below, we’ve put together a number of the area's highlights – but we can promise you that whichever route you choose, you’ll enjoy a trip filled with fantastic experiences. Remember to have your phones fully charged in the morning so you can take pictures of the unique landscapes you’ll be driving through en route.
This itinerary is planned with short driving distances, so you’ll have lots of time to explore the area at every stop.
- Ferry Hirtshals – Langesund
- Drive around the Telemark canal en route to Vrådal
- Drive from Vrådal to Rauland, which lies at the foot of Hardangervidda National Park
- From Rauland, drive to Gausta (and Gaustatoppen) – along the way, visit Rjukan and the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum in Vemork.
- From Gausta, drive to the unique Heddal Stave Church and on to Drammen, which is famous for its unique architecture
- From Drammen, drive to Norway’s lively capital, Oslo, which offers lots of activities and experiences for all ages.
- From Oslo, drive along the coast back to Langesund.
Foto: I am Nordic / VisitSouthernNorway.com
