Mel & Trinity

There is only one word that can describe Norway, western Norway anyway, and that is exquisite (just bring a raincoat)!

When I entered Norway a week ago I only had an idea of what to expect; who hasn’t seen the photos of the fjords.

The ride up north from Kristiansand to Stalheim was full of surprises. It started out warm and with rolling green hills, becoming more dramatic the more north I rode. The mountains on the approach to Folgefonna National Park along route 134 were covered in snow and the temperature dropped to a chilly 8 degrees. Once over the summit temperatures rose again and I was riding along mountain passes.

There were three things that stood out for along my ride. The first thing was the number of waterfalls; they are everywhere! The second was the bus stops. I love the bus stops! They look like little hobbit houses with their grass roofs. So cute! They are the best in the southern part of Norway though. Finally, the tunnels. The tunnels are amazing! Some are miles long, others climb through the mountains. I rode through one which had two roundabouts / intersections within it. I’ve never seen that before.

I stayed at the Stalheim Hotel on Tuesday night. The view from there is fantastic and the ride from the hotel to Gudvangen didn’t disappoint either. The steep hairpin bends from the hotel to the E16 was flanked by two dramatic waterfalls. It was quite breathtaking. Below are a few photos of the ride (hopefully you can scroll through the set).

I was heading to Gudvangen to catch the ferry to Flam. The 2 hour ferry ride follows the two fjords within a UNESCO world heritage area. It’s quite spectacular seeing the fjords from the water. The contrast between the wide expanse of water and the steep cliffs is impressive. Just avoid sitting at the back of a diesel driven vessel; the fumes can be a little overpowering.

Below are a few photos from the ferry ride.

I was intending to take the 2 hour Flam railway ride but sadly it was fully booked until the late afternoon and I had made plans to meet my friend Sally near Viksdalen about a 2.5 hour ride away. Flam is gorgeous and certainly worth a visit. Next time I will spend a night there and take the train ride.

The ride to Viksdalen took longer than planned because I kept stopping to enjoy the view and take photos. It’s really hard not to! You’ll see why below.

It was great to spend an evening with Sal. As always we chatted and laughed until we fell into bed. We headed in opposite directions the next morning. Sal was ending her trip in Norway and mine was just beginning. Sal had given me a load of tips about where to go and I’m so glad I took her advice. The next two days were undoubtedly the highlight of my trip.

The view about half a mile from the Lote ferry terminal made me stop in my tracks. It was spectacular! I pulled off the side of the road just before the start of the tunnel and had lunch perched on the concrete barrier. It wasn’t the most romantic stop but the view was worth it! Sadly the picture does it no justice but here it is below, along with a video clip of the view.

Briksdalsbre and the area of Olden could come straight out of a fairytale. I felt truly blessed to be there and was so happy that there was a cabin available in the heart of the valley. I spent the night next to a stream surrounded by waterfalls, with the Briksdal glacier only a 40 minute walk away. I had walked up to the glacier when I arrived and was fortunate to see part of the glacier break off and come crashing down like a waterfall of ice. The noise from the glacier was incredible; like thunder during a storm. Below are a photos from the area. This area I would revisit in a heartbeat!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVXsaQGBs4j/https://www.instagram.com/p/BVdCN4ahz0C/

Next on my highlight list was the views around Geirangerfjord from the town of Geiranger. It is fair to say that it doesn’t matter which side you approach this town the view will blow you away. A definite must do if you’re planning a road trip to Norway. This was the view from the northern approach. The southern approach is even more spectacular.

The most north I travelled was to Tollstiegen; a view I was told not to miss. Sadly the weather did not play along and the valley was covered in fog. Nonetheless the ride down was spectacular. I could not see the waterfall from the top, although I could hear it, but I did see it on my way down the valley. The first photo below shows what I should have seen versus what I was able to see on the day. I will definitely return to see this view one day.

Sadly from here on the weather never improved. It pretty much rained solidly the next two days so I didn’t stop much. The two other things I would have loved to do were the skylift at Loen and to spend a night in Skei.

The weather was similar in Bergen. It stoped raining for about an hour, long enough for me to video call my dad for Fathers Day and show him around Bergen as I walked around. Then the rain started again so after lunch I spent the afternoon and evening in my hotel room watching TV and chilling out. After looking at the weather forecast I decided that I was going to head east towards Oslo. I was going to chase the sun and also see if I could avoid the ferry crossing back to Denmark. The idea of spending another 3 hours throwing up on a ferry appeals to me less than driving through Sweden.

I am currently sat in a cafe having lunch about 30 miles from Norway/Sweden border. The sun is shining and I’ve been reminiscing about the now 21 countries that I have travelled through by motorcycle. Without a doubt the USA and Canada still top my list but the Western Cape (South Africa), the Highlands of Scotland, the Swiss Alps and now Norway are on my ‘have to visit’ list.

On that note, it’s time to hit the road again! This time with the sun on my back…woohoo!! 🙂