What to do on a saturday in September – Hamresanden, Norway

In the outskirts of Kristiansand you will find one of the most popular beaches. It is elongated with lots of space. There is also both a campsite and hiking opportunities here. It has always been a nice place to go for walks outside of the busiest tourist season. One Saturday in September I took the trip along the beach and out to the southernmost point. My plan was to pick rose hips.

This is where the beach starts. I followed the beach. To the right is the road that goes through the small town which is also called Hamresanden. I also pass the campsite. Hamresanden has both a campsite and an Appartements Hotel. The beach is popular with locals but also tourists. In the summer months this it's hard to find lodging. At weekends when the locals also go to the beach, then it is full here. However, I follow the beach out to the tip of "Pynten". As soon as you get away from the campsite, you are in a large natural area with a lot of bird life.

Lots of benches where you can sit on a sunny day and just enjoy the view. You can even sit under a roof! There are barbecue pitches so you can bring your own food. It is most popular in spring and autumn.

When I reach the southernmost point, I walk inside to get to the rose hips that grow here. Many dog owners walk their dogs on this beach. To avoid the bushes that are low and by the path, I have to go further into the bushes to get to the taller ones. Just to make sure no dogs have been here.

After a couple of hours of picking, I have manged to get almost 2 kg. Rose hips are a rich source of vitamin C and are found wild in nature. It takes some time to clean them. The berry is full of seeds so it must be split into halfs and the seeds has to be removed. It did take me a few hours. But when the job was done, I have a good supply for the winter. The berry can be used for jam, together with oatmeal or smoothies. Just as usable as most other berries.