No one British ever believes me that we have the most gorgeous, hot summers in Norway. It’s not all snowy mountains, I promise.
I’m just back, tanned and happy, from 10 days at home in Kristiansand – Norway's southernmost city – where the temperature was in the mid-20s and the skies were brilliant blue. Here, the sun bounces off the whitewashed walls of the wooden houses in Posebyen old town. We buzzed around on boats on the nearby archipelago, soaked up the rays and even swam in the sea. No wetsuit required!
It made me feel really nostalgic for my childhood summers, which we spent at the summerhouse. There’s a waterside village called Brekkestø where we’d buy huge ice creams by day, while after dark we’d head out on the boat and catch crabs by torchlight. They bob up to water level at night, hence the nocturnal fishing.
If you’re looking for a summer holiday with a twist (and barely any tourists getting in the way), do give Norway a go. And if you need any recommendations, you know where I am…