If you visit Norway between late June and October, you will see families and friends wandering forest paths with small buckets and stained fingers. We are out gathering nature’s candy. Wild berries are a big part of everyday life here, from childhood memories of blueberry-stained smiles to Christmas desserts built on golden cloudberries. Picking is open to everyone who respects the land and follows simple rules.
Short answer: Thanks to Norway’s right to roam, you can pick wild berries freely in most uncultivated areas. The main season runs from mid-summer to early autumn. Learn the common species, pick responsibly, watch local rules in the far north for cloudberries, and bring basic gear. You will find bilberries and lingonberries almost everywhere, cloudberries in boggy uplands, wild raspberries along forest edges, and sea buckthorn on some coasts.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the world of berry picking in Norway.
The Right to Roam: What You Can Legally Pick
Norway’s allemannsretten, the traditional right to roam, lets you travel on foot and pick berries on uncultivated land. Forests, mountains, moors, and much of the coastline are open to respectful foraging. You cannot pick in fenced gardens or cultivated fields, and you must keep distance from cabins and private homes.
Important exceptions for cloudberries: In parts of Northern Norway, especially Troms and Finnmark, landowners may temporarily restrict picking of unripe cloudberries on their property during ripening. Once berries are properly ripe, picking is generally allowed again. If you see local signs, respect them. When in doubt, ask a local or pick somewhere else. Protected areas like some nature reserves may also have special rules, sometimes including a ban on berry rakes.
Essential rule: Leave the place as you found it. Litter stays in your bag, not in the forest.
Berry Season in Norway by Month
Norway stretches far north, so timing shifts with latitude and altitude. The following is a practical guide that works for most regions.
Late June to July
Wild strawberries appear first, usually on sunny, dry banks and meadows. In warm areas, early bilberries ripen by mid to late July. Wild raspberries also start showing up along forest roads and clearings.
August
This is the peak month for many areas. Bilberries are in full swing in forests from lowlands to mountains. Cloudberries ripen in boggy uplands and mountain mires, often earlier on the coast of Northern Norway. Wild raspberries are generous. In high mountain zones, ripening can come later in the month.
September
Lingonberries take over, glowing like red beads in heather-clad pine forests and dry moors. Bilberries linger at higher elevations. Crowberries are plentiful on coastal heaths and in the mountains. In the far north and highlands, early frosts often sweeten lingonberries.
October
The last of the lingonberries and crowberries hang on. Expect frost-kissed flavor. Many Norwegians make a final trip before winter sets in.
Where to Find the Big Five
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Called blåbær in Norwegian, bilberries blanket boreal forests. Look for them in light birch woods, spruce forests, and along paths. Plants are knee-high shrubs with soft green stems and matte, deep-blue berries that stain your fingers and tongue purple. These are not American-style blueberries with pale flesh. Bilberries are darker, with intense flavor.
Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
Known as tyttebær. You will find them in dry pine forests, heaths, and rocky ridges. The leaves are small, thick, and evergreen. Berries are glossy, bright red, and slightly tart. They keep well and are a staple for jams and sauces that pair beautifully with meat and game.
Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
We call them multe. They grow in bogs, peat mires, and wet mountain meadows. Flowers are low and delicate. Ripe berries turn from red to amber. When they are soft and golden, they taste like apricot and honey. If the ground trembles a little underfoot, you are probably in cloudberry country.
Wild Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)
You will find them along forest roads, old fields, powerline clearings, and avalanche paths in the mountains. Canes return after logging or disturbance. The berries are fragrant and soft. Bring a gentle touch and a shallow container so they do not collapse under their own weight.
Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)
Called krekling. Common along the coast, in mountains, and on heaths. The low shrubs have needle-like leaves. Berries are black and glossy, milder than bilberries, and excellent in mixed juices or when cooked with a bit of sugar and lemon.
How to Tell Lookalikes Apart
Norway has few seriously dangerous lookalike berries if you stick to the classic edible species, but caution is still smart.
Bilberry vs. Bog Bilberry
Bog bilberry exists but is also edible. The safest cue is the deep purple flesh of true bilberries that stains heavily. Garden blueberries, if you see any escaped plants near cabins, have pale flesh.
Rowan and Red Berries
Rowan berries are edible when cooked, bitter raw. They hang in clusters on trees, so you will not confuse them with lingonberries growing on low shrubs. Lingonberry leaves are evergreen and leathery, which is a good visual anchor.
Ornamental or Unknown Garden Berries
Avoid berries inside cabin gardens or around urban parks unless you know the plant. Right to roam does not include private gardens, and many ornamental plants are not for eating.
If you are unsure, do not eat it. Bring a basic field guide or use an offline plant ID app. Never rely on taste alone to judge safety.
What Gear to Bring
You do not need much, which is part of the charm.
Small buckets or rigid containers
Soft bags crush berries. I carry a couple of 0.5 to 1 liter plastic containers with lids. They keep berries safe on the hike out.
Light gloves and a long-sleeve layer
Bilberries stain. Gloves help, and sleeves protect from sun, brambles, and mosquitoes.
Waterproof boots
Many good berry places are damp. For cloudberries, you will cross bogs. Rubber boots or waterproof hiking boots are worth it.
Optional berry rake
Commonly used for bilberries in Norway. It speeds things up, but use gently to avoid damaging plants. Some protected areas forbid rakes, and I skip them in fragile sites. Hand-picking is kinder and you get fewer leaves in the bucket.
Insect repellent and tick check
Ticks are present in southern coastal areas from late spring to autumn. Tuck pants into socks in tall grass, and do a body check at home.
How to Pick and Handle Berries
Pick ripe, leave the rest.
Ripe bilberries are plump and detach with a light twist. Lingonberries color evenly red when ready. Cloudberries should be golden and soft, not orange and firm.
Be selective.
Take only what you will use. Picking everything in one spot is rude and short-sighted. Leave berries for birds, wildlife, and the next family coming along the path.
Keep them cool.
Berries keep longer if you place them in shade and avoid stacking. At home, spread them on a tray to sort leaves and twigs, then refrigerate or freeze.
Cleaning.
For bilberries and lingonberries, a quick rinse just before eating or cooking is fine. Do not wash before freezing, unless you dry them thoroughly. Wild raspberries are fragile, so rinse gently in a colander.
Safety and Comfort in the Norwegian Outdoors
Weather changes quickly.
Even in August, mountain areas can bring cold wind and rain. Pack a light shell and a warm layer. In the north, fog rolls in fast near the coast.
Navigation.
Forests can look similar. A charged phone with offline maps or a simple paper map helps. Mark your car or trailhead on the map before you wander.
Wildlife.
You may meet sheep, cows, or reindeer. Walk calmly and keep distance. Moose are usually shy, but give them space. If you bring a dog, keep it leashed where required.
Respect for land.
Close gates behind you, do not trample crops or hay meadows, and avoid stepping in peat cuts or restoration areas on bogs.
Regional Highlights Worth Chasing
Southeast Norway and around Oslo
Plenty of bilberries and lingonberries in mixed forests, with wild raspberries along sunny edges. Easy access by public transport to trailheads that start right at the city edge.
Western fjords
Bilberries and crowberries thrive on heaths and mountain trails overlooking the fjords. The maritime climate can give long seasons. Expect slippery rocks and quick shifts in weather.
Central mountains
From Dovrefjell to Trollheimen, look for bilberries and lingonberries in late August and September. Cloudberries appear in high bogs, usually earlier in August depending on snowfall and summer warmth.
Northern Norway
Prime cloudberry territory in coastal bogs and inland mires. Check local customs and signs regarding unripe berries. Crowberries and bilberries are abundant on coastal heaths and mountain slopes. The light up north can keep berries sweet late into the evening.
Coastal pockets for sea buckthorn
Along parts of the coast you may encounter sea buckthorn, with bright orange berries on thorny shrubs. They are powerfully tart and excellent for juice, but harvesting is prickly work. Clip small berry-laden branches at permitted spots and freeze them, the berries pop off easily later. Always be sure you are not cutting in protected dune areas.
What to Make With Your Berries
Jam and preserves
Bilberry and lingonberry jams are staples in Norwegian kitchens. Lingonberry holds its shape and flavor with minimal sugar. Bilberry jam turns a deep purple and works for pancakes, waffles, and yogurt.
Multekrem
A classic dessert made from cloudberries folded into lightly sweetened whipped cream. Serve with crisp wafers. It shows up on holiday tables for good reason.
Saft and cordial
Cook berries with water and sugar, then strain for a clean juice. Bilberry and crowberry mixes are refreshing and keep well in the freezer.
Freezing and baking
Freeze bilberries and lingonberries on trays, then pour into bags. Pull out a handful in January and bake a simple berry cake or stir into oatmeal. Wild raspberries are best used fresh or frozen quickly.
Practical Local Tips From a Lifetime of Picking
Go after rain breaks.
A light rain raises the fragrance of the forest, and berries loosen easily. Bring a dry cloth to wipe your hands.
Follow the light.
Sunny forest edges and clearings ripen first. If a north-facing slope is sparse, try the opposite side of the hill.
Look beneath the leaves.
Bilberries hide under their own foliage. Kneel and part the shrubs with your free hand. Kids are excellent at this, closer to berry level and naturally patient when the reward is sweet.
Share your spot, sometimes.
Norwegians can be secretive about cloudberry places. You will understand why when you taste them. For bilberries and lingonberries, there is usually enough for everyone.
Respect the quiet.
Part of the joy is how still it gets in the woods. Speak softly. Let the birds keep the soundtrack.
Sustainability Matters
The forest is generous if we are kind. Take a little from many places, not a lot from one patch. Avoid raking in thin or fragile stands. Leave unripe berries and enough ripe ones to seed the next generation. Stick to existing paths when possible in bogs to prevent damage. This way, you and I can return each year to the same places and find them just as full.
Picking wild berries in Norway is not only about the bucket you bring home. It is the walk, the scent of pine, the soft ground underfoot, and the shimmer of a lake through the trees. If you visit in season, carve out a few hours for it. The forest has a way of sending you back to the city quieter, happier, and carrying something you gathered with your own hands.