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Near Halden (Norway), I saw a sign that said:

Camping forbudt

No camping

10-21
(10-21)
10-21

Image of a sign that says Camping forbudt, No camping 10-21 (10-21) 10-21

Taken literally, this would mean the camping ban only applies between 10 and 21, and spending the night is allowed, seven days per week (the times refer to weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays/holidays, respectively). But camping by definition (?) involves an overnight stay, so I find this interpretation puzzling. What exactly is prohibited here? I can sit and linger but have to wait until 21 to erect a tent? I can camp by night, including multiple nights, as long as I remove my tent during the day? Is it code for "tourists can spend the night, but no <insert unwanted nomadic minority community here> staying for weeks or months" (this would be redundant, as allemansretten has this restriction already)? Something else?

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    Why not all of the above? No idea about this particular sign or Norwegian rules but why is that puzzling to you? I have seen similar rules (spending the night is allowed but you have to remove your tent during the day) elsewhere and a sign that reminds people of a general rule isn't particularly surprising either, be it for the benefit of visitors, to make sure people are aware of the rule, because someone complained people were abusing the rule, or to be able to point to it when enforcing the rule…
    – Relaxed
    Commented Aug 8 at 20:59
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    "the times refer to weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays/holidays, respectively" how do you know? I was wondering if it was just translated into different languages. Commented Aug 8 at 21:25
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    @FranckDernoncourt Saturday hours in parens and Sunday/PH in red is a common convention in the Nordics, you often see this in parking signs etc. Commented Aug 9 at 3:00
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    It does not presumably refer to the twenty-first day of October.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 9 at 10:19
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    @phoog I am not sure if your comment is in jest, but dates would never be written "mm-dd" in Norway, rather "dd/mm". Commented Aug 9 at 11:45

2 Answers 2

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If you found this sign in a parking lot, as clarified in the comments, I would (as a Norwegian) interpret the sign to only refer to camping with caravans and motorhomes and that it in a rather convoluting way is trying to say that it is not allowed to stay for more than one night with a vehicle. The Norwegian word 'camping' is not identical in meaning and coverage to the English word and in a Norwegian context usually only used to describe staying at a commercial camping site or living in a caravan (campingvogn) or a motorhome (campingbil or bobil). Staying in a tent outside a commercial camping site, would usually be referred to as 'telting' or in English 'tenting'. The English translation on the sign is simply sloppy and makes the impression that the restriction is much wider than actually ment.

As I already commented on lambshaanxy's answer, the freedom and right to roam is anchored in Norwegian law and the municipality or even a private land owner has very restricted legal possibilities to deny tenting on a property. Since Femsjøen is a source of drinking water, the municipality would in this case actually have the possibility to restrict access and conduct around the lake, but there does not seem to be any.

Staying in a caravan or motorhome is not covered by the freedom to roam, but may be restricted by municipal parking regulations. It is not uncommon that staying in a parking lot or at a rest stop is limited to one night.

Other municipalities manage to inform about such restrictions in a much clearer way than the sign you have found and posted in your question. The municipality of Nesodden uses signs like these, where for some reason only parts of the text is translated to English. The pictograms should perhaps already make it clear that the camping restriction only applies to caravans and motorhomes, but the Norwegian text makes it absolutely clear:

Tenting and other stays at the property are not allowed for more than two days.

enter image description here

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It means what it says on the tin: you're not allowed to have a tent camper set up there during daytime hours.

Why the sign is there goes into speculation, but I presume the intent is to effectively ban multi-day stays.

Update: The comments have clarified that the sign was in a parking lot, which means this is applies to car camping (caravan/motorhome) only. Which also explains why it's using the parking restriction style signage with parentheses for Saturday and red text for Sunday.

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    Why does it say it thrice, though? Commented Aug 9 at 6:27
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    @JackAidley See lambaanxy's comment to the question: it's "weekdays // (Saturdays) // Sundays or PH"
    – TripeHound
    Commented Aug 9 at 6:52
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    @Taemyr: why? many countries have similar rules (but not so explicit written): bivouac (night camping) permitted on most of land, but staying longer ("camping" can be done only one certain places). Commented Aug 9 at 7:37
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    @phoog All uncultivated land is covered under right to roam in Norway, regardless of ownership
    – Idran
    Commented Aug 9 at 13:24
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    Right to roam doesn't apply everywhere. Norway has paid parking, roads with stopping restrictions, etc, just like anywhere else. And there are restrictions close to residential buildings.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Aug 10 at 10:58

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