With a tent through Vestland - Kristiansund and a marble mine
Another article in the series With a tent through Vestland- Kristiansund and the marble mine. The last point of the trip was the town of Åndalsnes. This time we headed towards Kristiansund. It was one of those days when the sun was with us all the way.
Kristiansund - the capital of dried cod
During our trip through WestlandKristiansund couldn't be missed. It is a small town full of life. Kristiansund is called the Norwegian capital of cod. As you stroll along the coast in the city center, you can see the mighty ships returning from fishing. One of the must-see points is Varden. It used to be a watchtower, now it is the viewing point at the highest point in Kristiansund.
Also worth a stop is Vanndamman Park, which is home to many species of birds. It is a place worth visiting with children, the biggest attraction was the peacock strolling through the park.
We spent the whole day in Kristiansund, stopping at probably the only campsite there. Close to the city, this is the first campsite where the price of accommodation included a shower without a time limit. (At other campsites usually a fee must be paid 15 NOK for 5 minutes in the shower.)
Atlantic road
Of course, while in Kristiansund, you cannot miss the famous Atlantic Road. It is a road roughly 9 km long that connects the island of Averøy to the mainland. Riding the bridges connecting the archipelago of islands, it feels like being in the open waters, but this time being in the car, not in the ship's cabin.
Marble mines in Bergtatt
We found the marble mines by accident. We bought the ticket online the day before the tour date. The price for an adult is 400 crowns, and the ticket for children cost 200 crowns. We arrived at the parking lot in the place given when booking. The bus came and took us all to the mine. On site, everyone was provided with a helmet and a life jacket.
We got on wooden boats, they looked more like big rafts with benches. The guide stood at the helm and talked about the history and what they were actually doing in the mine. Marble mining began around 1938. The team consisted of only 8 people who excavated tons of marble daily. The main product for which marble is used is high-quality paper. This type of paper consists of about 40-60% marble. Currently, the mining works have stopped because there is no market demand for such expensive paper. That is why this place was turned into a tourist destination.
Kristiansund and the marble mine
When you swim through the cave, you can see the transparent water flowing from the rocks. During the trip, we made a small stop. Everyone was given a small cup to try the highly mineralized water.
At the very end, the guide took us to the concert hall, entirely made of marble, where we could watch a movie about how the marble mining was going.
I admit that it was a very interesting experience. If someone is in the area, I recommend visiting the marble mines in Bergtatt.
The city of dried cod and marble mines were the next point of the Tent trip through Vestland. Another stop and more experiences thanks to which we have more knowledge about the country we live in.
