Since 2010, the BBC has broadcast the Great British Railway Journeys series. As the name suggests, this series tells the story of a train journey around Great Britain with stories drawn from various places on the journey.

In 2012, presenter Michael Portillo took the train journey one “stop” further in his sequel The Great Continental Railroad. 11 years later, Portillo got off the train at Larvik station.

But what does Larvik offer?

It was geologist and Geopark general manager, Kristin Rangnes, who was allowed to answer. And after presenting several possible stories such as Kaupang, Viking Age, Mølen, Bøkeskog, the answer is clear. The BBC will make TV about Larvikitt!

– Why do you think the BBC chose Larvikitt?

– Larvikite is well known throughout the world, especially in England and is often used as a bar counter stone. If you see such stones around the world, you can be sure that they come from the Larvik area, Rangnes said.

Do you know?

• Larvikitt is named after Larvik
• Larvikitt was named Norway’s national rock in 2008
• Larvikite formed at a depth of about 30 kilometers between 298 and 293 million years ago
• Larvikite consists almost entirely of feldspar which is included in the most important group of rock-forming minerals and makes up 60% of the earth’s crust.
• It is the reaction of feldspar crystals to surface conditions that gives Larvikitt its blue color
• The element Thorium was first discovered in Larvikitt in 1828, and was named after Thor with his hammer
• Larvikitt has annual export revenues of at least NOK 700 million

Achieve the best

On Saturday 5 July, the BBC film team was in Rakke. In front of the camera is presenter Portillo with Rangnes who talks about the landscape, the ice age and Larvikitt. Although the geologist was actually on holiday, the decision was easy to make when the BBC called.

– Holiday or not, when the BBC asks if you can stand up for an interview, you stand up.

– What do you think about the BBC choosing Larvik and Larvikitt?

– I think it is very interesting and enjoyable to see such great information and entertainment value in Larvikitten. Since many people believe that it comes from China, this is a good opportunity to say that it is a Norwegian stone.

The episode is expected to air on the BBC in 2024, and the geologist believes you can see Rakke at his best.

– We shot on a perfect summer day, with people on the reef and boats on the water, he said.

Statue in Larvikitt

The BBC then continued to Stålakerbruddet in Tjølling where Thor-Anders Lundh Håkestad of Lundhs AS met them. The company is Norway’s leading natural stone exporter, and is best known for Larvikitten.

US Lundhs was in charge of security on this day, and took the film crew to the quarry where artist Martin Kuhn created the statue at Larvikitt.