Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Autumn & Winter Experiences in Norway
Adventurous fishing holidays at Bakkan Wahl Bakkan Wahl is a holiday centre for adventurous holidays next to a farm 50 minutes by high-speed catamaran from Norway’s third-largest city, Trondheim. It is situated just 150 metres from Valsfjorden and 600 metres from the ocean, perfect for deep sea fishing, and in the surrounding landscape blueberries and mushrooms can be picked during the late summer and autumn. By Stian Sangvig | Photos: Horst Schwarts
“Most visitors come to Bakkan Wahl to enjoy ocean fishing activities,” explains general manager Benn Wahl. Sales people stay a night while on the road, but most visitors are foreign tourists from northern and central Europe. “The key to success is to provide large boats
with solid engines,” suggests Wahl. A fleet of 20 boats at 17 or 19 feet with GPS, sonar and engines of 30 or 60 hp are available for tourists, and the centre also offers accommodation in nine houses with 58 beds, or three to 12 beds per house.
While the peak of the fishing season varies from breed to breed, April and May are usually good months to catch fish like cod, halibut, coalfish and haddock. “During spring, fish swim closer to shore than during the middle of the summer,” Wahl explains. Though the average fish caught weighs around two kilograms, last year’s records included a halibut of 40 kilograms, a cod weighing 24 kilograms, a coalfish of 13 kilograms and a 174-centimetre long ling weighing 28 kilograms. Bakkan Wahl is accessible by direct flights to Trondheim Airport from London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and other cities. For more information, please visit: www.bakkan-wahl.no
A Norwegian crab and lobster weekend While visiting the picturesque island of Smøla, the charming little hotel of Smøla Havstuer takes you fishing for seafood delicacies ranging from crab and lobster to cod and coalfish. At the end of the day, your catch is prepared for you by the staff. Enjoy a stay at Smøla Havstuer. By Ingvild Vetrhus | Photos: Smøla Havstuer
On Smøla, located just off the coast of western Norway near the cities of Trondheim and Kristiansund, you will find hotel Smøla Havstuer. Built in 2008, the hotel offers six high-standard rooms. Fishing and nature are the specialties of the hotel, which is located by the sea. Smøla thrives with wildlife and is the home of the white-tailed eagle, as well as hosting a beautiful archipelago consisting of more than 5,800 islands. The hotel’s fishing boat can take up to twelve keen fishermen and women on a guided fishing adventure. Your catch of the day will then be prepared according to local traditions by the hotel’s staff, providing guests with an exclusive culinary experience. Visitors usually fish for cod, coalfish and pollack. The hotel now focuses on a brand new
concept, namely exclusive crab and lobster weekend trips, where guests fish for the shellfish delicacies using lobster traps. Taking place during the autumn of 2014, the trips include spending two nights in comfortable double rooms, exploring brand new nature facilities on the scenic Svanøya island, and topping it all off with a gala dinner Saturday evening, enjoying your own catch of the day. Smøla Havstuer is an ideal place to relax for families and people who want a comfortable package deal. “Visitors tell us that they enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Our staff make sure that they get the experience they are looking for,” says owner Kjartan Stensønes. Smøla Havstue offers tailored package tours for small and large groups, and provides all the fishing gear needed.
For more information, please visit: havstuer.no
Issue 68 | September 2014 | 49