This really was a special moment – lying in a warm bath, glass of wine in hand, watching the sun set across the lake at midnight. My travels around my home country of Norway have taken me to some wonderful places but this mini break with two friends at Canvas in Telemark is one of my all-time favourites.
As the name suggests, you’re under canvas, in luxe yurts with cosy wood burners. Canvas Telemark is set in the middle of a forest, around a lake, with negligible mobile phone signal so it’s perfect for a laidback getaway. Telemark is off the beaten track; about two hours in a car from Oslo and the same from Kristiansand, my hometown.
We were woken in the mornings with a Thermos of coffee left outside the tent (nice touch) and spent our days riding bikes (cycle hire is included in your stay), hiking in the woods and swimming in the lake. You can also paddle board.
Evening meals were a ‘cook your own’ affair on long, communal wooden tables – such fun and a great way to meet new people. And if the bath water got too chilly as the sun went down, you could huddle around the firepit at the end of the pier and admire the views.
We went at the height of summer, in June, so it was only briefly dark between midnight and about 2am. Have a look at Canvas Telemark’s Instagram feed for more dreamy photos.
For more Scandinavian travel inspiration, including our guide to the Lofoten Islands and where to spend a fabulous Summer in Norway, check out the NORSK blog and hopefully you’ll be inspired to explore this fabulous part of the world for yourself.
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