Ravnedalen

Ravnedalen was a bare rock gorge until 1874, when General Oscar Wergeland put soldiers to work over two decades hauling in soil, planting trees and building paths, ponds and terraces, turning the valley into a public park beneath cliffs sixty metres high. The result feels enclosed and unusually lush for the latitude, with rhododendrons, exotic conifers, a small lake and a cafe in a wooden pavilion. Paths climb to viewpoints on the rim, and one connects through to the Baneheia lakes and woods above. Since the 2010s the natural acoustics have been used for a summer concert series, with the audience on the valley floor and the cliffs behind the stage. Winter leaves the valley bare but the walking stays open.

What you actually see

• The planted valley - a garden built on imported soil under high cliffs.
• The lake and pavilion - a small pond with a cafe beside it.
• The rim viewpoints - paths climbing to the top of the cliffs.
• The concert setting - a natural amphitheatre used in summer.

When to go

May to September, when the planting is at its best and the cafe is open; the rhododendrons flower in late spring. Summer concerts fill the valley on event nights. Autumn colour is good in October.

Honest expectations

The park is small, walked in an hour, and can be busy on warm weekends and concert days. Paths to the rim are steep with steps. Facilities close outside the summer season.

Nearby

Baneheia's lakes and woods adjoin the valley; central Kristiansand and its beach are twenty minutes on foot.