Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Reshjemveien. You'll be lucky to find a square inch of space at festival time. Take a bus
from the centre in the direction of Seljord.
Norlandia Telemark Hotel
BUSINESS HOTEL €€
( 35 01 20 88;
www.norlandia.no/telemark
; Torvet 8; s/d Nkr900/1150; )
The
memberofstaffwhoshowedusaroundapologeticallypointedoutthatthis,thetown'sonly
hotel, 'Is not like the Sheraton'. Indeed it's not, but it's friendly enough and charges the
same year-round. The hotel is closed for around 10 days at Christmas.
Getting There & Away
BetweenthetownsofKongsbergandNotodden,Timekspressenbusesrunonceortwicean
hour (Nkr100, 35 minutes).
AKKERHAUGEN
POP 400
The attractive waterside village of Akkerhaugen sits on the northern fringes of the pretty
Norsjø lake, which is in itself a branch of the Telemark Canal system. The village is a pop-
ular place from which to begin or end a half-day Telemark Canal boat journey.
A SLOW BOAT THROUGH TELEMARK
Every day from June to mid-August, a variety of different boats (mostly old-fash-
ioned steamers) chug along the canals of Telemark. Although full-day trips are avail-
able, for most people a half-day package is sufficient. One particularly good route in-
volves catching the boat (adult/child Nkr300/150, 3¾ hours, daily at 10am) from Ak-
kerhaugen, 24km south of Notodden, from where you travel to Lunde, where a bus
takes you back to Akkerhaugen at 1.55pm. The trip can also be done in reverse by
leaving your car for free at the Norsjø Hotell in Akkerhaugen and taking the 12.26pm
bus to Lunde (it stops at the hotel) from where you catch the boat at 1.45pm and sail
serenely back to Akkerhaugen, arriving at 5pm.
For a full-day trip you can make the leisurely 11-hour journey between Skien and
Dalen (adult/child Nkr930/465; late June to mid-August). Boats leave Skien at
