Car Tripping Through Fjordland - The Highlights

As usual, so much has been happening that updating my blog has taken a back seat. I've been biking, climbing, doing cabin trips, and just downright enjoying life. On the larger scale though, I was able to do a 10 day car trip from Trondheim down to Bergen and back to take in all the larger than life, world-class sights that are the epitomy of what one thinks of when they think of Norway; majestic fjords, steep vertical mountains, coastal communities and of course, mountain hiking.

This all happened as Kim and I had a visit from Shane and Sonja from Victoria who would be over for a two week period to enjoy the best that Norway has to offer. With over 1000 photos taken of the many places we visited, here is a selection of the highlights for me.

The Atlantic Road

Definitely a highlight was Trollstigen (small switchback road) and Trollveggen (highest vertical drop in Northern Europe. Here is Shane, Sonja and I at base of the Trollstigen climb.

Trollstigen is inhabited by a colony of Trolls

Trollstigen Looking down from the top

On top of Trollstigen

Too big to get into one photo, here is the best to get an idea. If you don't know about this road, if you've seen any base jumping videos or guys flying in wingsuits, this is where you have likely seen them. Check out this video to see wingsuit jumpers flying beside the road!

From Trollstigen, you can hike right up to the top of Trollveggen to get an impressive view straight down to the valley floor!

Hiking to Trollveggen

The impressive backside of Trollveggen (it is nearly vertical on BOTH sides!)

Looking out from Trollveggen

The extremely steep face of Trollveggen

The view of Trollveggen from the other side

The Unesco World Heritage site of Geiranger Fjord

One of many many many waterfalls and glaciers we saw

Hike to the foot of Jostedalsbreen glacier

Hiking up the 1848m Skaala Mountain from sea level. There also happens to be a mountain race here with substantial prize money to anyone who can beet the course record (currently 1:08:39). That is crazy crazy fast considering...

...this is what people are running up!

The top of Skaala

A beautiful morning

A small small road that we found to get to the below campsite

Cows interested in hanging around and licking our tent

Small peak hike in rock land!

Exploring the City of Bergen

Drive up the Flambosa Valley

Hiking in Jotenheiman National Park

On top of the 2nd highest peak in Northern Europe (2nd by 3 meters)

The quaint town of Lom

Having fun on a ropes course!

We went through a lot of tunnels on the trip including the longest tunnel in the world at just under 25 km. On that day, I think we went through 46 tunnels!

And, the little Yaris that took us everywhere. Here, exploded and used for drying our gear!

It was absolutely amazing to see so many of these world class sites. Definitely making the best of our time here!

TNO