On the Road.. in Norway 'Finding Hoddevik'
Hoddevik lies at the bottom of this windy road about 8hrs drive from Oslo on the west coast of Norway. A small coastal town with a local population of about 23. With a group of eager surfers drifting in and out of town staying at either the local Stad Surfing or Lapoint Surf Camps. Lessons are available for all different levels or some go on their own terms and pitch a tent wherever they find a cozy spot. You can also hire boards, wet suits ready to take on the nordic seas and booty's for your feet.
If you are looking to do a scenic road trip and end up somewhere along the coastline with some waves then this route is highly recommended! If you do the trip in Summer (June, July, August) the sun doesn't set until around 11pm and even then it doesn't seem to get pitch black. So this makes a good road trip for some camping stops along the way!
Here is an example of the route we took and the stops we made.
Oslo - Gjendesheim Bessegen - Stryn Loen - Hoddevik
We rented a small car for about $620 Aus for 5 days.. You could probably allow more time for this trip so you don't have to drive back so soon. Petrol ended up being around $160 Aus to Hoddevik and back to Oslo so if you divide this among others it's pretty good really considering Norway is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Camping is easy to find along the way in the nordic hills and works out to be about $40-$50 Aus a night for a small tent and car. In Summer you are lucky to be able to do so but nights get quite cold considring you are so close to the mountains and getting closer to the coast lines so pack some jumpers, jackets, sleeping bags and comfy pillows - you will thank us later! Showers are sometimes included but it's good to have some Norwegian coins on you as it may cost 10kr or so here and there. Norway is very much a cashless society so you can get around with your International card if your bank doesn't charge you too much in international fees.
First Camp Spot - Gjendesheim Bessegen
Our first stop was Gjendesheim (4.5hrs from Oslo) Their is an amazing hike/mountain Besseggen you can do. You can stay at the DNT Cabins at the base of the mountain with a ferry that takes you over for the hike. Or you can stay in camping spots around and do a mini hike if you don't want to commit to whole 8hr Hike. Amazing views and worth it if you want a taste of the Norwegian Fjords and Mountains..
Second Camp Spot Loen
From here it was just a short 3hr and abit drive to Hoddevik! Enough stops along the way to stretch your legs and see what Norway has to offer. You will notice as you get closer to the coast line and windy road down to Hoddevik.
Another little spot on the west coast of Norway.. Ervik! If you are thinking of road tripping around Norway the drive from Oslo to Hoddevik is soo so beautiful.. but if you are doing it in summer don’t be surprised if when you get there the surf isn’t pumping haha.. winter has the best surf! How epic are these mountains though and it’s such a beautiful experience to be out there.. at least in summer you can camp along the way have saunas and jump in the fjords.. I wonder what winter would be like probably be the coziest with a camper van for that one.
Ervik - another Surf Spot over the mountain from Hoddevik
Hope you enjoyed the read on our road to finding Hoddevik! You can always take bits and pieces from it and make an adventure of your own - the opportunities are endless! Lofoten is supposed to be another great spot in Norway that gets a bit of swell especially in Winter. This could be a great idea for a winter road trip! With a Campervan.. perhaps one to put in the pocket! Lots to see and do in the world.. for now back to Stockholm! Then back to our AUSTRALIA! We love and miss you always.