Bliva bathing place

About

Bliva beach in Skien is a small and family-friendly bathing place at the river Bøelva, in the north of Skien municipality. The bathing water is shallow and there are nice resting areas on both sides of the river. It is facilitated with litter racks and a toilet at the parking lot. Here the water flows calmly in nooks and crannies, and sand and gravel have settled down, giving a soft riverbed and nice grassy areas.

Tour tips
If you get tired of sunbathing and swimming, Bliva is a good starting point for hiking excursions into Vestmarka. E.g. you can walk the marked hiking trail to Geitebuvarden. From the cairn you get a great view. You can also make the trip up Skådalen or into Smørhullet and up to Bygdeborgen at Bjordamskollen.

Fishing
Members of Grenland Sports Fishermen have permission to fish in the river. Here you can catch both salmon and sea trout on the hook. But remember that in salmon-bearing waterways, everyone over 18 must pay a fishing fee to the state.

​​​​​​A little history
The Bratsberg railway that runs between Porsgrunn, Skien and Notodden passes Bliva. In the old days, it was common to take the train to Bliva to swim. By agreement, the train stopped on the tracks and everyone who was going to bathe got out; families, groups of friends and others had day trips up here. In the evening the train returned and took the bathers down to the city again.

How to get to Bliva swimming spot
Follow Hoppestadveien from the center of Skien, further on Valebøveien. About. 13 km from the center of Skien.