Alcatraz of Norway
The peak of Utegardsnipa affords a spectacular view of the Sørfjorden and its surrounding mountains near the town of Bruvik, Norway.
The family ate snacks atop the broad summit and attempted hand stands and backflips (to be clear, only the oldest son attempted a flip) while breathing in the open space and solitude. Far down the slope, we noticed a man making his way determinedly up the ridgeline at a relatively good pace. When he stopped to chat after reaching us, we learned he is a local, and he informed us that the island visible here was called the Alcatraz of Norway not long ago. Although it is currently owned by a trust that is attempting to develop it into a tourist destination, very recently it was owned and operated by the Norwegian prison system. The grounds served as a place where offenders completed the last portion of their sentences before re-integrating into society. There was little security on the island and people could move around out-of-doors. Apparently several people did swim the short distance to land and escape, but from an American perspective, escape attempts were surprisingly infrequent.
Alcatraz of Norway
The peak of Utegardsnipa affords a spectacular view of the Sørfjorden and its surrounding mountains near the town of Bruvik, Norway.
The family ate snacks atop the broad summit and attempted hand stands and backflips (to be clear, only the oldest son attempted a flip) while breathing in the open space and solitude. Far down the slope, we noticed a man making his way determinedly up the ridgeline at a relatively good pace. When he stopped to chat after reaching us, we learned he is a local, and he informed us that the island visible here was called the Alcatraz of Norway not long ago. Although it is currently owned by a trust that is attempting to develop it into a tourist destination, very recently it was owned and operated by the Norwegian prison system. The grounds served as a place where offenders completed the last portion of their sentences before re-integrating into society. There was little security on the island and people could move around out-of-doors. Apparently several people did swim the short distance to land and escape, but from an American perspective, escape attempts were surprisingly infrequent.