Risor: The White Town on the Skagerrak
When one thinks of Norway, it is often of deep, majestic fjords and glittering glaciers in west Norway, or of Oslo with its landmark ski-jump, Vigeland sculptures and Viking ship museum. But mostly hidden from view from the main highway from Oslo to Stavanger is the delightful area known as Sørlandet (South Land) In its own way Norway’s answer to the French Riviera.
Sørlandet is comprised of the coastline and littoral of the two counties of Aust and Vest Agder, a magical area of small towns, hamlets, narrow fjords, islands and channels. Many of the wooden houses have a distinctive architectural style, known simply as ‘Sørlands hus’ (house) and white is the predominant colour. For decades, Sørlandet has been a summer haven for Oslo residents desperate to exchange the confines of the city for the relaxed atmosphere of a summer cabin near the shore or on one of the hundreds of islands.
At the northeastern end of Sørlandet, a mere three-hour drive from Oslo lies Risør. This small town of some 4000 inhabitants lies at the tip of a peninsula bounded by two picturesque fjords or as the locals say, “Ute I havgapet” where fjord meets sea. From the main highway, E18, county road 416 runs 12 km and dead ends at the main square on the harbour. Risør calls itself The White Town on the Skagerrak so virtually all the houses in the downtown area are — you guessed it — white. Along the harbour, many of the large, wooden buildings are in the empire style. The harbour forms one side of the square. Holmen, a bridge-connected island, shelters the seaward end, which one enters between two stone moles.
Summer in such northern latitudes is obviously of limited duration, but Norwegians know how to make the most of the long summer days, stretching to well over 18 hours of daylight in late June even in the south. On clear nights, twilight lasts from dust to dawn. It is around the 17th May celebrations of Constitution Day that summer preparations reach their peak. Cabins are aired and cleaned, boats are checked and launched and flowers spring up in planters, pots and beds.
July is the peak summer month in Norway and Risør is no exception. The population expands to upwards of thirty thousand as ex-pats, tourists and city folk swarm the area. Cabins, hotels, guesthouses and campsites fill and boats line the harbour’s guest moorings, up to five deep on the stone mole. A favourite summer pastime is the evening ‘brygge sleng’ or stroll along the harbour. Similar to the Spanish evening ‘pasear,’ people stroll along the harbour to see, meet and be seen. Watching boat tourists, sipping white wine, in their 50ft luxury yachts while watching the watchers is part of the scene. For those whose musical tastes run to other than classical, there is a jazz concert, again held in the church, or the blue-grass festival, a three-day open-air event held just across the fjord. Access to the latter is quickest by boat (there is a ferry.) It is not uncommon to see an impromptu free performance in the square. Local bars provide musical entertainment all through summer, ranging from rock, Beatles to country. Mid July sees the annual Vilvin Arts and Crafts Festival. The whole square and beyond is a colourful layout of booths where artisans from all over Scandinavia exhibit their wares, be it gaudy silk scarves, hand-painted ceramics, jewelry or woodcarving. This three-day weekend event added to the boat-packed harbour, ensures a jammed, chaotic, but cheerful scene.
The large stage, sometimes built out over a large schooner, is used for evening (separate admission) concerts featuring big-name music stars of the Scandinavian scene, though in 2005 ‘Secret Garden’ from Ireland was top-billed. With this noisy, cheerful atmosphere, followed at midnight Saturday by fireworks, there is no chance for local residents to sleep early, so those with a view from upstairs windows often invite guests and hold parties while watching the concerts for free. Other activities of general interest to tourists include golf (28 min) horse riding, ceramic workshops (30 min and 10 min,) sea fishing, or perhaps just a stroll around town led by the traditionally dressed ‘watchman.’ One can wander alone through the park on the bluff high above the town. At one end of this natural beauty spot one can view slit trenches, and gun emplacements, where the Germans kept a watchful eye out for any possible sea borne invasion in WWII. Accommodations can be tight during peak months, thought he local tourist office is adept at finding rooms for late bookers. Many tourists rent cabins, houses or apartments for a week, a month or the whole summer. One of the attractive alternatives is The Little Hotel. This is not a traditional hotel, but rather a collection of ten suites, spread over six buildings, each with its own maritime theme and tastefully decorated with antiques and marine artifacts. For those who like a quieter time, the last three weeks in August are the answer. The weather is generally good, but most Norwegians have returned to work. Schools start again in mid-August and it is easy to find accommodations, boat moorings, choice campsites or rentals. The nearest airports are at Kristiansand and Torp (Sandefjord,) both well under two hours by road, while Oslo is three hours away (airport 3h 45m.) There are ferry connections from Kristiansand to England (Newcastle,) Denmark and Sweden. Ferries also connect to Denmark and Sweden from Larvik (90 min) and Sandefjord.
For more information on Risor visit VisitRisor.no For more information on hotels visit www.NorgesBooking.no Raoul Matson started as an apprentice officer in the British merchant navy but moved to Risor when he married in 1969. Later career moves took him and his family to different cities in the United States. But with early retirement in 2004, Matson and his wife moved back to Norway where they owned a little, old, summer home. This they used as a temporary base while fixing up a larger, permanent home. Raoul is a published poet as well as a nonfiction author. He occasionally takes on Norwegian to English translation tasks for friends or family. Photos by Aagot Matson. © 2006
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The harbour, where tall sailing ships lined up to load lumber in the eighteen hundreds, is now a veritable marina, with floating jetties providing moorings for hundreds of boats. Risør Flekken (flekk means spot or mark,) a large rock outcropping above the harbour that served as a seamark to navigators in the past is still lime washed by the local Kiwanis at regular intervals. A few hundred meters off shore, a chain of islands and rocky skerries provide shelter, moorings, fishing sites, beaches and secluded sunbathing spots. One of the local former lighthouses is now a restaurant and bar, with its own dedicated ferry service.
For some years now, Risør has marketed itself not only as a summer resort, but also as an arts and culture center. Several art galleries dot the town during the summer months and there are two thriving art associations. The first big event, in late June, attracting cognoscenti from as far afield as the USA, Britain and Germany is the Chamber Music Festival. Top international artistes join natives such as world-renowned pianist Leif Ove Andsnes in a weeklong series of concerts given in diverse arenas, such as the parish church or a boat-building warehouse. Its popularity even earned it a write up in the New York Times.
The major, culminating event of the summer is held over three days on the first weekend in August. This is the
Wooden Boat festival. Wooden boats from polished teak motor launches to weather-beaten, three-masted sailing ships line the inner harbour. Extra floating piers are provided for the occasion. The entire square and a hundred meters along either side of the waterfront are fenced off and while exhibitors erect booths or stalls, the organizers set up two stages. During the day, as a break from viewing the numerous exhibits, and offerings, one can sit with a cold drink and watch concerts on the smaller stage ranging from superb Italian tenors to the local shanty choir.
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