Great nature hike in the middle of the town centre, as it only takes you 5 minutes to easily walk away from the high-street of Kristiansand to the amazing lakes of Barneheia.Lots of trials ( short and long ) for all parts of the family, and I'm sure you will all love it.Don't miss a swim in the lake, 3 stampe in the summer.

We stopped in Kristiansand on a cruise ship for a day and decided to just take a walk around the town. While the waterfront is beautiful all the way up the river, when we made the turn along the back of town we discovered a trail leading up the hill. What a surprise when we reached the top and looked out over the entire town! We kept going further and further, along trail after trail, discovering several small lakes and many picnic areas with benches, and one magnificent view after another! The trails up are a little steep but certainly not impossible, make sure you take a picnic lunch with you as you will never want to come back down!

Baneheia extends right up to Festningsgata St. (main street) in Kristiansand, and is a much used walking, exercising, swimming and recreational area. The nature park was developed and planted by General Wergeland and his troops in the 1870-80's, after many years use as pasture and for woodcutting. We were on a cruise that stopped in Kristiansand for the morning and after walking all around the old town we noticed on the map a group of lakes just north of town. Not realizing that this was a park we took the 10 minute easy hike up to Baneheia. What a pleasant surprise. There are rambling paths around a series of lakes with secluded areas to sit and relax as well as some excellent swimming areas. We spent over an hour in the park and could have stayed there for another 3-4 hours but our ship was leaving soon. If you are in Kristiansand for at least half a day and have seen the old town, make sure you take an hour or two and go to Baneheia or Ravnedalen Naturpark (a little longer walk from old town).

We found this wonderful natural parkland on spending a day in Kristiansand from our P and O cruise ship and what a great place it is. It's a really natural hilly wild area where the paths wend around small lakes amidst rocky outcrops. Stunning vistas keep opening up as you walk, with lots of well kept picnic areas created amongst the rocks and the trees. There's lots of bird life to see and a peaceful cal to enjoy.About a mile from the port and on the edge of the historic fishermen houses it's a wonderful place to stretch your legs and to find some peace and quiet in very beautiful natural surroundings.

We took bikes here and rode them partially up as it got quite steep. This is a great area for walking or jogging and as Kristiansand is not a large place, it′s easily accessible from just about corner in town.

If you have some time to spend, this is a really nice place to take a walk. Paths ranging from little trails to wide shingle covered paths. Bathing possibilities, benches to have a rest in the shade and lots of nature to be had.

We were looking for a hike last summer that didn't require paying the cruise company to guide us and without the crowds. Picked up a tourist map from the kiosk at the end of the cruise pier and it showed hiking trails on the other side of Kristiansand. We made our way there for what we thought would be a fun way to get some exercise. What we found was so much more. Its a large area with hilltops, beautiful ponds with blooming water lilies, and rock formations. The terrain was varied. Some areas were smooth, we saw a man on a motorized scooter and some were more rocky.There were no areas that were too much for infrequent hikers, two adults in their fifties and one eleven year old, although when we arrived at the Baneheia we took the trail that was farthest left and that was our most challenging climb. When you first get to the top of the hill there is a nice view of the city but other than that it doesn't seem all that special, but carry on. Apparently there is a parking area on the North side of the park if you happen to be out in a car. We had beautiful weather, the flowers were blooming, and that may have contributed to our love of the area. You could go for an hour or all day. It was a magical day. Fantastic! Will certainly go back again if we have the opportunity.

In my job, as a receptionist at Yess! Hotel, i recommend this place for our guests. You will feel that you have been running after this trail - it's a hilly terain! You can also bathe in nice, warm wather during the summertime. Also perfect for families.

Luckily I was staying 5 min walk form Baneheia for 2months in Kristiansand. This is where you can walk by lakes and woods. what good about Baneheia is, that it's just next to Psebyen (the old town, residential area) and yet, you can expect beautiful Norwegian nature. When I was there, it was middle of winter, so lakes were frozen, and apparently local people walked on or skied on the frozen surface!! So I did as locals did, it was such a cool experience, walking on snowy lake, in the white winter world. you will see locals walk with dogs or on their own, the view from the up hill was amazing too. You can see town, sea side and surrounding mountains.

This park is really close to the centre of Kristiansand, yet once you're in it, you'll fell like you're in the countryside. We went on a sunny July day, with the intention of swimming. One of the lakes in the park is known for swimming. At the time we went the water was 22 degrees, which was really nice. There's no facilities that I could see, but that didn't seem to stop anyone. Strip off and jump in!

It's a beautiful and great place for hiking but also jogging! During the summertime you can chill along the water!

A great place for walks/hiking, nice trails, and small nice lakes great for a dip in hot summer days. Nice view. A great place for running/jogging.

This place is so close to the city you CANT go there. Just take a walk to the top of "markens" and go into the woods, there you will find great paths to follow and small lakes everywhere.Bring BBQ and friends and you will guaranteed have a great time.

Not far from the City centre, in-fact the trails extend up into Baneheia just at the top end of Kirkegata. Well made paths wind around the woods past lilypad ponds, ducks and larger lakes that are popular for wild swimming to connect with trails that will take you further out and onto Ravnedalen Natureparken. Quintessential Scandinavian forest landscapes are captured within 1km of the city centre without the intrusion of the city. Great views of the city can be gained before entering into the woods and is well worth the 30 yard detour to take a few snaps from the viewpoint.

If you want a little peace and quiet nearly in the middle of the city. Bring your own food, and take a bath - enjoy!