1. *Immediately plans a holiday*
The YouTube algorithm knows me well. Over the weekend, it served me up an absolute beauty — a video that made me immediately bookmark several tabs (a huge commitment for me!) and start planning a trip. The title of the video pulled me straight in: "Norway's incredible cycling accommodation that no one's using!". This got my attention. The video is a bucolic showcase of the beauty of Norway, a country that's known for many things, including its stunning fjords and cruises and vast oil reserves, but like so many places in Europe, does not receive enough attention for the incredible countryside, particularly around the lakes and canals just a couple of hours from Oslo, the capital.
The video centres around the Telemark Canal, a historic waterway stretching 105km from Skien to Dalen. It was originally built to transport goods and timber, and at the time of construction was considered a major feat of engineering owing to some fairly hefty mountain-shaped obstacles in the way.
The canal is no longer known as the “Hurtigruten” (fast route) between Eastern and Western Norway for trade and commerce, but now serves a different slow-moving customer: cyclists, paddlers and hikers.
As the video title hints, the canal not only features stunning vistas but also unique places to stay, cleverly tucked inside traditional Norwegian buildings. These cosy sleeping quarters play host to visitors meandering along the Telemark Canal. There are two main “sleeping boxes”, located in Bandaksli and Fjågesund, both featuring electricity, water, toilets, a simple kitchen, 4-beds (you may be sharing the box with other people), and a few chairs and tables.
The boxes were built to preserve and celebrate the heritage of the canal, and are owned and managed by the state. Not only that, they cost just £11 a night to stay!
11 quid!! And you get views like this right from your “bedroom”…
What a wonderful way to preserve the heritage of the waterways and promote sustainable tourism in the region.
Have a great week, all 🙏