Victorian Salmon Fishing Adventures in Norway

Renowned angling historian and fly fisherman, Morten Harangen, will share a remarkable chapter in Norwegian salmon fishing history in-store at Farlows on 19^th October from 6pm.

 Just as with sports such as mountaineering and hunting, the gentle art of angling was introduced to Norway by British aristocrats in the 19th Century. Officers, diplomats, politicians and well-to-do gentlemen were all enthralled by the wild, beautiful and unspoilt country and for a salmon angler Norway, with all her rivers, was a dream come true.



Hundreds of travel books were published and, filled with exciting essays, lovely sketches and photographs, they tempted increasing numbers of tourists to visit. By the 1880s, Norway was experiencing what can only be described as the early days of mass tourism, a growing business that led to major changes in Norway’s infrastructure, economy and, in the long term, whole way of life.



London was pivotal in this development. Magazines like The Field; gentlemen’s clubs where anglers met; Lumley & Dowell, the company that offered a variety of Norwegian fishing beats and stores such as Farlows all played important roles in promoting salmon fishing in Norway.

In his talk, Norwegian fly fisherman and angling historian Morten Harangen will share a fascinating overview of this highly interesting chapter of the common angling history shared by the UK and Norway.



He will paint the bigger picture, as well as introducing us to the British era on his local salmon river - the Numedalslågen, located south of Oslo, and fished by gentlemen such as Sir Hyde Parker, Sir Horace Rumbold, Sir Henry Fairfax and the grandfather of Sir Ludovic Kennedy, Edward Briggs Kennedy.