"Dømmesmoen Trail" in Grimstad

Our most beautiful walks, 2 km north of town, offering open-air and cultural adventures.

From the tourist office, follow Storgaten. Then turn right and continue along Frivoldveien. Take the E18 underpass, walk past the riding school and follow the peaceful gravel road until you reach the Garden of Eden - a spot often used by the renowned Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun. As you climb the hill, you’ll se a curly/flame birch “tree-cloning” area. On your left, as the road levels out, is Ibsen’s Herb Garden - a collection of herbs used when Henrik Ibsen was an apprentice pharmacist in Grimstad.

If you continue past the Rhododendron area and cross the road, you’ll reach Den Vestlandske Hovedvei leading all the way to the Norwegian Museum of Horticulture.  Across from the car park is Kjølbergsplass where you can pick up the “Dømmesmoen Trail”, a forest walk leading to the Observation Tower. Climb to the top of the tower and enjoy breathtaking views of the town, sea and countryside. Continue along the trail and you’ll reach Raet, a moraine from the last Ice Age. As you return to the park, comprising one of the country’s largest collections of trees, shrubs, roses and perennials, you’ll walk past the pond and the towering oak. The oak is around 500 years old, with a stem circumference of 7.15 m.

In addition to the above, Dømmesmoen can offer a vast network of trails, such as a floodlit route and a path leading to Kollen – both waymarked. The floodlit option is a figure of eight loop with a hilly section. The trail loops around the Rossholt Tarns featuring a wheelchair accessible fishing quay.

Duration: Approx. 30 min. to the Garden of Eden

Terrain: Varied, gentle and exciting countryside. Sturdy shoes and a reasonable level of fitness are required.

Level of difficulty: Medium

Suitable for: Parts of the Dømmesmoen Trail w/ the Observation Tower and sections of the floodlit trail are not suitable for wheelchair/pram.