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Raet National Park
Built in 2016, Raet National Park was established to preserve and protect the area along Arendal’s coastal line. It spreads from Hasseltangen to Lyngør covering around 600 square kilometres of land and sea. The park owes its popularity to the existence of traces of the ice age that are almost 12,000 years old. It is now considered a hub for outdoor recreational activities like canoeing, diving, kayaking, and cycling.
The park derives its name from the Norwegian word rate which refers to the ice age deposits in the area, especially the round stones. This marine national park covers islands and coastal areas that have archaeological significance. It displays the impact of the formation of a moraine when an ancient glacier retreated in the ice age period. This resulted in sand, pebbles, and clay getting dumped into the sea and land forming gorgeous beaches that attract swimmers and surfers every year.
Home to some amazing spots worth touring in, Raet National Park is rich in many resident and migratory bird species. The island of Jerkolmen still contains much of the material from the moraine that got deposited from the retreating glacier. The Nidelva delta that has brackish water is a wetland habitat in the park. These areas are worth visiting during relaxing sightseeing tours to Arendal.