Day 11 – Kongsberg
January 9, 2011
January 2nd, 2011
Another midday-ish start to our travels. My sleeping patterns were pretty much back to normal. This time we went to the coast, to a town called Tonsberg. It was a very pretty drive through the setting sun, the winter snowscape and several small towns along the way.
We parked in the city centre and had a walk along the riverside, with a view of the frozen river and marina, as well as the industrial area across the other side. Most of the boats from the marina had been taken out from the water and were on stocks, all lined up along the bank. Most were covered in canvas but some had been left to face the elements. We headed back in a circle through the town, taking in the sights of the old buildings, new buildings, mostly closed buildings and the occasional open one. Lunch was taken inside a converted warehouse by the water’s edge, along with a tasty beverage.
The actual ‘beach’ was about twenty minutes’ drive from the town. We parked by a stable then walked down a short path, which opened up to the seaside. It was mostly rocky outcrops and inlets, looking mysterious in the rapidly fading light. The sea was mostly covered in ice, but the tide had opened up gaps in places, and pushed up the ice in others. It was a fairly adventurous walk out along the water’s edge. The rocks and paths were patchy with snow and ice, making the going rather perilous at times. The view was magnificent though. The sky in Norway was virtually free of dust, so there was almost no orange in the sunset, apart from very close to the horizon.
There was an ancient lighthouse on a rocky outcrop, so we went up there to have a look, covering some very icy ground in the process. After surviving that trip, we went back to the car, then back to Kongsberg via Drammen and the highway.
Reheated pizza and Czech beer for dinner – pretty good!
