Combined info and Norwegian Lesson! See, this is going to be very helpful for you…
Allemannsretten as a concept might not be unique, but it is actually law in Norway and as far as I know that is pretty much unique. The literal meaning of the word is ‘everyman’s right’ and that’s exactly what it is: It’s the legal right to make use of Norway’s nature (which is pretty wonderful, more on that later) – regardless of who owns the land. The law distinguishes between ‘innmark’ and ‘utmark’ (‘in land’ and ‘out land’), ‘innmark’ is land that is in domestic use, such as the farmyards, gardens, fields with crop, grazing meadows and so on, where the public would be a nuisance to the owner. This land is off-limits unless you have the owners permission. On the other hand, ‘utmark’ is where allemannsretten comes into play. That nice bit of beach that just happens to be on your land? Want to put up a ‘Private’ sign? Well, tough luck, you can put up the sign but it won’t do you any good. That nice meadow by the stream, perfect for camping? Well, anyone can camp there, as long as they treat the place with respect (i.e. don’t start forest fires and pick up their litter when they go).
Of course, considering the cost of overnight accommodation in this country, being able to camp practically anywhere in the less populated areas is a very good thing. Remember to bring a tent when you next visit ;)