23

Near Halden (Norway), I saw a sign that said:

Camping forbudt

No camping

10-21
(10-21)
10-21

Image of a sign that says Camping forbudt, No camping 10-21 (10-21) 10-21

Taken literally, this would mean the camping ban only applies between 10 and 21, and spending the night is allowed, seven days per week (the times refer to weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays/holidays, respectively). But camping by definition (?) involves an overnight stay, so I find this interpretation puzzling. What exactly is prohibited here? I can sit and linger but have to wait until 21 to erect a tent? I can camp by night, including multiple nights, as long as I remove my tent during the day? Is it code for "tourists can spend the night, but no <insert unwanted nomadic minority community here> staying for weeks or months" (this would be redundant, as allemansretten has this restriction already)? Something else?

gerrit
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2 Answers2

28

If you found this sign in a parking lot, as clarified in the comments, I would (as a Norwegian) interpret the sign to only refer to camping with caravans and motorhomes and that it in a rather convoluting way is trying to say that it is not allowed to stay for more than one night with a vehicle. The Norwegian word 'camping' is not identical in meaning and coverage to the English word and in a Norwegian context usually only used to describe staying at a commercial camping site or living in a caravan (campingvogn) or a motorhome (campingbil or bobil). Staying in a tent outside a commercial camping site, would usually be referred to as 'telting' or in English 'tenting'. The English translation on the sign is simply sloppy and makes the impression that the restriction is much wider than actually ment.

As I already commented on lambshaanxy's answer, the freedom and right to roam is anchored in Norwegian law and the municipality or even a private land owner has very restricted legal possibilities to deny tenting on a property. Since Femsjøen is a source of drinking water, the municipality would in this case actually have the possibility to restrict access and conduct around the lake, but there does not seem to be any.

Staying in a caravan or motorhome is not covered by the freedom to roam, but may be restricted by municipal parking regulations. It is not uncommon that staying in a parking lot or at a rest stop is limited to one night.

Other municipalities manage to inform about such restrictions in a much clearer way than the sign you have found and posted in your question. The municipality of Nesodden uses signs like these, where for some reason only parts of the text is translated to English. The pictograms should perhaps already make it clear that the camping restriction only applies to caravans and motorhomes, but the Norwegian text makes it absolutely clear:

Tenting and other stays at the property are not allowed for more than two days.

enter image description here

Tor-Einar Jarnbjo
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16

It means what it says on the tin: you're not allowed to have a tent camper set up there during daytime hours.

Why the sign is there goes into speculation, but I presume the intent is to effectively ban multi-day stays.

Update: The comments have clarified that the sign was in a parking lot, which means this is applies to car camping (caravan/motorhome) only. Which also explains why it's using the parking restriction style signage with parentheses for Saturday and red text for Sunday.

lambshaanxy
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