Flekkefjord is a town on the south coast of Norway, built around a narrow tidal inlet, and it is known as Little Holland, thanks to the old Dutch timber trade. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Dutch merchants bought timber here, and the old quarter, Hollenderbyen, is a district of white wooden houses with narrow lanes and small gardens, built by wealthy merchants and sea captains. The town has about five and a half thousand people, with a harbour, a bridge, a few shops and a pleasant waterfront. Fuel and supplies are easy, and Liknes and Moi are small towns nearby.
The town has a long maritime history, with shipping and shipbuilding, and the Flekkefjord Museum tells the story of the old trades. The fjord itself is narrow and sheltered, with steep sides and a deep green colour. The Dutch influence is visible in the architecture and in the street names, and the town is proud of its heritage. The surrounding area is a landscape of low, rounded hills, granite outcrops, forests and lakes, quite different from the fjords of the west coast.
The ride from Jæren is a quiet coastal route that follows the edge of Norway's southern tip, with a mix of farmland, forest and rocky shore. The road crosses a number of bridges and passes through tunnels, with views of islands and sea. The surface is generally good, the bends are gentle, and traffic is light. In summer, the weather is warm, and the south coast is one of the sunniest parts of Norway, so it is popular with Norwegian holidaymakers. Sudden rain showers are possible, and the wind off the sea can be cool.
Nearby, the Hunnedalen valley has an ancient route, and the Sirdal and Setesdal valleys lie to the north. The Jøssingfjord, further east along the coast near Egersund, was the setting for the Altmark incident of 1940, when the British navy boarded a German ship in the fjord to free British prisoners, an event that helped to drag Norway into the war. Food in Flekkefjord reflects the sea: shrimp, mackerel and fish soup are typical, and the cafes in the old town offer coffee and cake. A walk through the old quarter in the evening is a fine way to end the ride.