2026 NSCR Norway-Sweden - 2
Kristiansand to Göteborg
In may 2026, we cycled the last part of the North Sea Cycle route from Bergen in Norway to Göteborg in Sweden.
This page is part 2 from Kristiansand to Göteborg. If you missed the introduction and part 1 from Bergen to Kristiansand, click here to go to part one.
If you would like to receive the zip file of the GPX track of our complete trip, please send a request to: dilistuffmail@gmail.com
Video on DILISTUFF YouTube channel
The daily "Morning" shoot.
Every day, before we jump on the bike or go out for a walk, Linda takes a "Morning photo".
At the bottom of this page (menu item: Where, when and how), you'll find for each of these photo's where we stayed that night, where we cycled to, how much km's, in which location we had something to eat or snack and where we did our grocery shopping.
Kristiansand
Day 15: Kristiansand - 0 km
Kristiansand is a conveniant gateway to southern Norway for travelers driving from continental Europe. A ferry connects the city with Hirtshals in Denmark. You can also continue by ferry to Stavanger and Bergen where
you can transfer to the Hurtigruten for a cruise up north.
Doing some sightseeing and strolling around the Strandpromenade, we bumped in to Ove Tønnessen, a retired teacher well known in Kristiansand, famous for his retirement hobby of constructing and maintaining over 100 of distinctive birdcages along the Strandpromenaden.
The Christiansholm Fortress, build in 1672 once guarded and protected the city centre from pirates and rambunctious Swedes (that's what visitnordic says)
The construction of the fortress was very thorough and the walls were up to 5 meters thick. It was originally build about 100 meters from the shore and connected to the mainland by a bridge.
It also has the proud achievement that it was never taken by enemy forces.
Walking back along the promenade, you arrive at the Fiskebrygga (the Fish warf) which is one of the city's tourist attractions selling all kind of Norwegian fish and shellfish.
Kristiansand to Horten
Day 16: Kristiansand to Arendal - 88 km
Today is the 17th of may, Constitution day, the National day of Norway. Most Norwegians are wearing traditional clothing, the Bunad, and are waving Norwegian flags.
The Bunad is the outfit they wear on special occasions and there are more than 450 styles, each with it's unique design reflecting where the Bunad and the person wearing it is coming from.
Target destination was Lillesand, a good 50 km. Being there at 1 pm, we decided to continue up to Grimstad, another 20 km. This part of the route was going so smoothly that also in Grimstad, we decide to continue up to Arendal.
While we can see on Linda's Strava that it is still a decent amount of elevation gain, it now seems to go so much easier. Not sure if the road has a gentler incline, it's because of the good weather or it's us getting better.
Day 17: Arendal to Risør - 68 km
It's easy to decide where to stop today as there are a few ferry crossings coming up for tomorrow.
In order to catch the 2nd ferry from Stabbestad to Kragerø at 11.45 am, we have no other option than to catch the first ferry from Risør to Øysang at 8.20 am.
Makes it very simple, we need to find a hotel or campsite in Risør.
No campsite and just 1 hotel open this time of the year.
Cycling in to Svedestrand around lunchtime, it starts drizzling. The weather app tells us it's only going to rain for 30 minutes. Perfect timing to have lunch at the Bonzo Bakery.
Indeed, after less than an hour, the weather is ok again and we're back on the road.
Arriving at the Risør harbour, we're trying to find the ferry pier for tomorrow morning. No real times schedule or information board to find. When we ask around, someone tells us just to be there in the morning, no reservations needed.
In the hotel , there's just one other guest.
After a leisurely walk around the village, we're having dinner at the only restaurant which is open.
Day 18: Risør to Langesund - 71 km
The ferry between Risør and Øysang is Norway's oldest wooden car ferry, build in 1950. The direct crossing takes about 25 minutes.
During summer months, there are hourly crossings but this time of the year, the 8.20 crossing is the one we need to catch.
Something about our helmets. Some of our readers with an eye for detail may have noticed that we still have the same Sweet Protection helmets but in a different colour.
Correct, last year during our trip from Newcastle to London, I crashed in to a fence. A few months before, also Linda had a crash.
Sweet Protection has a guarantee program which allows you to replace your helmets in case of a crash at a discount of 40%
We're having about 2.5 hours to cycle 20 km's, time enough and we're arriving more than an hour before our next ferry sails.
Near the ferry pier is a beach club which is part of the nearby resort. Still closed for business but staff doing some works allowed us to use the terras while waiting for the ferry.
Just enough time to already work on our blog and insta posts.
Just after the Bamble Glofclubb, we're seeing a signpost warning us of a hill, without inclination level %, just the word Hervikbakken.
We do not know what this is but soon find out.
The Hervikbakken is a famous hill in the middle of the Bamble forest with an inclination level of 23 %.
The steepest part of the bicycle path is asphalted to make it safer.
Of course, we had to get off and push the bikes, the steepest parts needing 4 hands and 4 legs to get the bikes to the top of the hill.
We have no clear plans yet how far we want to go today. There are a few campsites along the track and although it's the perfect weather for our first night of camping, we first need to check if they are really open and if we can also eat something or buy groceries in the neighbourhood.
No luck with campings. a lot of luck with the hotel.
In Booking, we see there is a nice hotel in Langesund. The Langesund bad hotel is owned and managed by Lars Rise who has a weak spot for cyclists.
Lars used to be the MD of the UCI Road World Championships in 1993 when Lance Armstrong scored his first big victory.
For cyclist, there is a better price than on Booking and you also get a better room with the nicest view from the balcony.
Day 18: Langesund to Langangen - 28 km
Today's plan was to get to Sandefjord, a day of more than 80 km. Suppose we left late this morning as we had only done 25 km when hungry for lunch. By this time, it sank in that we never would be able to reach Sandefjord and unfortunately, there are no hotels for the next 55 km's .... except the one just around the corner.
Easy decision, let's stop here and make it half day of cycling only.
Day 20: Langangen to Sandefjord - 63 km
A relaxing ride.
Something we need to say about Norwegian drivers. They are the most polite and disciplined drivers we have ever experienced, not a few of them, ALL of them.
The will never surpass you unless they can leave more than a meter between them and you. If you want to cross a road, they will always stop.
Always = Always
We're passing the historic red timber barracks of the Frediksvern shipyard and former naval base, established in 1750 under command of King Fredrik V as the first naval base of Norway.
Day 21: Sandefjord - 0 km
Decided yesterday evening to stay another day in Sandefjord. One of us has a physical discomfort and we need an extra day of recovery.
Based on how it progresses, we may decide to take a ferry from Sandefjord directly to Strömstad, Sweden.
This would shorten the trip with 200 km.
Day 22: Sandefjord to Horten - 57 km
Outside the city, clustered postboxes are the standard in Norway. Also when the houses are not really closely clustered.
15 minutes on the road, we go down the hill towards the lake assuming that the blue pedestrian/cyclist signboard meant that the road closure was not for us. Wrong, walk up again.
The first 30 km, we're in fact cycling next to the Tønsbergfjorden to finaly reach Norways oldest city, Tønsberg. It's lunchtime and it starts to rain for 45 minutes. Perfect timing.
In Asgårdstrand, we're passing Edvard Munch's vacation home. It seems that he also painted one of the later versions of "The Scream" over here in Asgårdstrand.
Tonight, we've booked a room at the RS Noatun, the training facility of the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue a few km from Horten. We're just a few km from the ferry which sails twice per hour.
Moss to Göteborg
Day 23: Horten to Moss to Fredrikstad - 60 km
From the hotel, we can see the ferries doing the crossing. After breakfast, we pass by the supermarket which seems to be open on Sundays. Unfortunately that does not count for Pentacost.
Around 10 am, we're arriving in Moss and we start searching for a shop where we can buy some food. The only place which is always open on a public holiday is the petrol station.
Only task left is finding the right spot for our lunchtime picnic and it does not come anybetter then at Arefjordstranda with a view of the Oslofjord. This would have been the perfect place for wildcamping but I (Dirk) really appreciate a real toilet and a nice shower in the evening.
More important even, we have no food left for dinner and all supermarkets or grocery stores are closed. Fredrikstad is our best option to find some restaurants which are open as we can see on our map that there are many of them along the river.
Day 24: Fredrikstad to Strömstad - 73 km
It was a good decision to cycle up to Fredrikstad. We had dinner at the waterfront where the longest river of Norway, the Glomma, empties into the Skagerrak (sea between Norway, Sweden and Denmark)
Leaving Fredrikstad via the quayside, we're passing 3 monumental cast-iron heads, each of them 4.5 meter-tall and made by Jaume Plensa. The three-part sculpture is named "In my faith, in my hope, in my love" inspired by the play Peer Gynt with music from Grieg. The scupture dates from 2018 and the heads were modelled from real people.
The little kid in us always emerges when we see on oversized chair. Can never resits climbing on it.
The path between Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg is almost entirely flat, paved or with fine gravel.
The Glommastien (or Glomma path) is a 30 km trail with Forest art. Local artisits have painted birds onto the tree trunks along the route.
The artists behind these paintings have managed to remain anonymous.
Not much later, you're passing Roald Amundsen's birthplace. He was a pioneering Norwegian polar explorer and the first person to reach the South pole (1911) and to fly over the North pole (1926).
In Svinesund, we're cycling in to Sweden and it's rather strange that we only see Norwegian cars going in to Sweden and coming out of Sweden.
One exception, a German tourist but not a single car with a Swedisch license plate.
What's happening
here ?
Finding out soon .... Less than 1 km from the border is a large shopping area and this is all the Norwegian cars are going to or coming from. Norwegians are doing bulkshopping of everything what's more expensive in Norway.
We're seeing carts fully stacked with soft drinks, beers, snacks, etc...
Going in to one of these supermarkets, it's obvious that also meat and cheese is a lot cheaper over here as everything here is packed in huge quantities.
We settle for 2 raisin buns and 2 oat chocolate drinks. People probably think I am crazy taking just this.
Finally, first day of camping.
The Strömstad campsite is unmanned and we're checking in on a machine.
Comes with a kitchen where Linda prepares dinner.
In the kitchen, we're meeting Alex and Emily. They just started their 2nd world cycle trip and are planning to be on the road for 4 years.
Day 25: Strömstad to Fjällbacka - 60 km
Standard morning photo, this time with Alex and Emily.
First shelter we're passing on this trip, but our mind is set on the campsite in Fjällbacka. This one is also not a free one, need to register and make a payment, not for just sitting down and making a photo though.
Finally, we can buy Biscoff. Always very handy as a topping on your sandwich. Does not matter if it's freezing cold or really hot outside.
This was nowhere for sale in Norway.
Approaching Fjälbacka, the route goes via a golfcourse and when we turn a round a corner, 2 golfers are just crossing the path and start talking to us. Erik and Hans-Jurgen are neighbours on a small island at the other side of the bay.
After some small talk, they see that other players are catching up with then and they need to go.
The campsite is 2 km further down from the cute village and we decide to first put the tent up and walk back to the village to find a restaurant for dinner.
There's only 1 restaurant open and when we walk in we spot Erik and Hans-Jurgen who are having a pizza a few tables further.
After our dinner, we start talking again and Erik suggests to pick us uo with his boat tomorrow morning 9 am for having a coffee at his place.
By the time we say goodnight, coffee became full breakfast tomorrow.
Walking back, wondering what tomorrow will bring us. This is an opportunity we cannot miss.
Day 26: Fjällbacka to Uddevalla - 62 km
At 9 am sharp, Erik arrives with his boat to pick us up. We're parking the bicycles at the restaurant terras, they will keep an eye on them.
There's only 20 houses on the island, there are no roads and everyone living there has a boat to go to Fjällbacka.
Erik bought this house some 26 years ago from an aging fisherman.
A lot was done on the house as it only had a few small windows at the time. Electricity comes from the main land but water is from their own well. These days, he would not be able to afford this anymore.
We're walking up the hill for a view of all the small islands in the Skagerrak.
From far, we can see the house where Ingrid Bergman used to live. She was a Swedish actress often regarded as one of the most influential actresses in the history of cinema, with her most iconic role in Casablanca alongside Humfrey Bogart.
Around 11.30, we're sailing back to the mainland.
Thanks Erik. In his 26 years here, we were the first strangers he invited for a visit.
For lunch, it's our own breakfast which we had already bought yesterday before we were invited by Erik
Still managed to do 51 km's up to Uddevalla, leaving another 110 up to Göteborg, the end of our trip.
We'll do that in 2 days and tomorrow, we can already safely start looking how we will get back home from Göteborg and make the required hotel, ferry and train bookings.
Yes, there it is, first big IKEA shop
Day 27: Uddevalla to Stenungsund - 51 km
Just outside Uddevalla is the seaside boardwalk direction Gustafsberg, Swedens first seaside resort.
In 2009, it was named Sweden's most beautifull road by the Swedish Road administration.
We are lucky to be here before the tourist season or holiday period as we are sure this pace is going to be a lot more busy.
Except for a handfull people walking here, we have the entire boardwalk just for ourselves.
Sometimes, you do not realise that you're cycling up a hill .... till you see this going down again.
Halfway to Göteborg, our 3rd and last camping for this trip. While it has been too cold or rainy for camping and most facilities were not open yet, we have enjoyed the luxury of staying in hotels and apartments. Surely, if we would have known before, we certainly would also not have been bringing all our camping, sleep and cooking gear.
Turns out there is also a restaurant at the campsite. Tonight with live music and pizza promo.
Perfect.
Day 28: Stenungsund to Göteborg - 57 km
Last day on the bikes and we're up really early. Just a banana and on the road by 7 in the morning. We want to be in Göteborg in the early afternoon.
An hour later, passing a Sourdough bakery, it's time to buy something for breakfast.
Another 20 km to go.
Göteborg is currently undergoing a massive transformation and that is obvious as soon as we are coming closer to the city center. The biggest project involves building an 8 km railway tunnel beneath central Göteborg, including 3 new underground stations.
Göteborg and back home
Day 29/30: Göteborg - 0 km
Göteborg is the second largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm.
It's also the birthplace of the Volvo brand. Founded in 1927, they are still headquarted in the city.
There is a regular RoRo ferry (roll-on, roll-off) between Goteborg and Ghent. Primary designed to transport Volvo cars, it also offers a unique basic passenger travel option. Only requirement, you need to travel by car. The port of Göteborg does not allow pedestrians or cyclists in this part of the harbour.
Avenyn is Göteborgs main boulevard with wide pavements, restaurants and bars. It's the result of Sweden's first urban planning competition, announced in 1861. Göteborg was to gain a representative grand boulevard and originally, the impressive buildings even had a small green front garden.
In the 1920's, Avenyn was given a monumental ending when the Götaplatsen was developed into a cultural centre with several musea. in the 30's, the concerthall and the Poseidon Fountain were added, which is now one of the city's most iconic landmarks.
From a local website, we downloaded a walking tour around the city and via the Vasagatan and the Hagaparken, we reached Haga.
Good to know, most of the shops in Göteborg are also open on sundays as from lunchtime.
Haga is the city's most charming historic district, withcobbled streets, wooden houses, cafes and the famous giant cinnamon buns, the Hagabullen.
The Feskekôrka formaly housed an indoor fish market. Its name is based on the buildings resemblance to a neo-gothic church. It opened in 1874 and has since the renovation in 2021 just 1 occupant, a seafood restaurant.
Day 31/32: Back home
The journey back home was as easy as the one up to Bergen.
This time a combination of Ferry and Train.
Monday afternoon, boarding the Stena line ferry from Göteborg to Kiel in Germany.
Arrival at 9 in the morning after a good nights sleep.
Train with reservation for bicycles and seats from Kiel to Frankfurt with direct connection to Brussels-midi station.
Due to some delays, we would have arrived later in Brussels than expected and we decided to get of in Liege where we were picked up by our son in law.
Perfect for Linda as this means she could see her grandson de morning after already.
Favorite Outtakes
On a trip, many photo's are taken but only a small selection makes it in to the main story hereabove.
This is mainly to avoid overlap, keep it visually appealing, provide valuable content, not too short and not too long, etc...
Hereunder some of our favorite outtakes which did not make it. Click on the photo to magnify.
When, where and how.
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 16
Thon Hotel Kristiansand
0 km
Kristiansand
Kristiansand
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 17
Thon Hotel, Kristiansand
88 km - Kristiansand to Arendal
Kristiansand, Lillesand, Grimstad, Arendal
Kristiansand, Hamresanden, Lillesand, Grimstad, Nedenes, Arendal
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 18
Thon Hotel, Arendal
68 km - Arendal to Risør
Arendal, Tvedestrand, Risør
Arendal, Krøgenes, Tvedestrand, Risør
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 19
Risør Hotel, Risør
71 km - Risør to Langesund
Risør, Kragerø, Langesund
Risør, Kragerø, Valle, Langesund
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 20
Langesund Bad, Langesund
28 km - Langesund to Langangen
Langesund, Langangen
Langesund, Stathalle, Langangen
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 21
Comfort Hotel Grenlandsporten, Langangen
63 km - Langangen to Sandefjord
Langangen, Nevlunghavn, Stavern, Larvik, Sandefjord
Langangen, Helgeroa, Stavern, Larvik, Sandefjord
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 22/23
Hotel Kong Carl, Sandefjord
0 km - Physical recup day / 57 km - Sandefjord to Horten
Sandefjord, Tønsberg, Horten
Sandefjord, Jarlsberg, Tønsberg, Horten
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 24
RS Noatun
few km to Ferry terminal / Ferry to Moss / 60 km Moss to Fredrikstad
Horten, Moss, Fredrikstad
Horten, Moss, Fredrikstad
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 25
Gjestehuset Borggata, Fredrikstad
73 km - Fredrikstad to Strömstad
Fredrikstad, Strömstad
Fredrikstad, Borgen, Skjeberg, Svinesund, Strömstad
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 26
First Camp City camping, Strömstad
60 km - Strömstad to Fjällbacka
Strömstad, Fjällbacka
Strömstad, Tanumshede, Fjällbacka
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 27
Fjällbacka Camping, Fjällbacka
62 km - Fjällbacka to Uddevalla
Fjällbacka, Uddevalla
Fjällbacka, Hällevadsholm, Munkedal, Uddevalla
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 28
Hotell Viking, Uddevalla
51 km - Uddevalla to Stenungsund
Uddevalla, Stenungsund
Uddevalla, Ljungskile, Stenungsund
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 29
Surfviken Camping, Stenungsund
57 km - Stenungsund to Göteborg
Stenungsund, Kungalv, Göteborg
Stenungsund, Kungalv, Göteborg
Where:
Date:
Today:
Eat or drink:
Groceries:
May 30/31 & June 1
Hotel Liseberg Heden, Göteborg
0 km
Göteborg
Göteborg