FreeCamping - right to roam
Outdoor recreation is an important part of our cultural heritage in Norway. Since ancient times we have had the right to roam freely in forests and open country, along rivers, on lakes, among the skerries and in the mountains – Irrespective of who owns the land.
By TOR NORDAHL
Norway is an oasis in Europe when it comes to the possibility of freecamping (wildcamping) or staying overnight outside campsites and caravan parks. Many people prefer to spend the night in the nature because it’s free, because we want and because we can. The campgrounds are often expensive and crowded, and with little ones with load voices running about from morning to late in the evening. Tranquility and real nature-experiences are rarely found in such places.
Right to roam and the motorhome
We often distinguish between the terms “freecaming” and “wildcamping”. Freecamping means camping by the rules in the free nature, and the term “wildcamping” are often associated with breaking the outdoor recreation act and destroying nature, ie. camping outside areas accessible by road. One can NOT drive the campervan og motorhome everywhere without taking consideration. It is not that you can drive anywhere you are able to access or where there are some wheel tracks. If you’re in doubt if there’s a road – it’s NOT a road!
You can drive on private roads as long as it is not blocked by a barrier or is signed that traffic is forbidden without permission from the landlord. Despite these obstacles there are still many public roads and toll roads that can be used to find good spots for freecamping.
– You can stay along or in connection to a road = Freecamping.
– You can NOT drive into the terrain = Wildcamping.
In the lowlands the two-day rule applies. You can not freecamp for longer than 2 days at the same site without the landowners permission. And you can NOT freecamp LESS than 150 meters from a INHABITED house or cottage.
Take care
If freecamping with campervans and motorhomes are perceived as an increasing problem, new regulations are shure to come. And if freecamping becomes an increasing pressure on nature with littering and wear, there will for shure be more and sharper regulations. We therefore hope that you show consideration and leave the site in the same or better shape than you found it.
You can find more information about freecamping an the right to roam HERE
NORWAY - Powered by nature
