Meeting Vikings

Having our fill of city life, it was time to move on to the Gudvangen camping grounds (well glamping, actually) at the base of the Songnefjord.  In the Viking era, Gudvangen, meaning “God’s place by the water” was a Viking settlement and an important market area.  In the 12^th c, the black plague decimated the entire population.  (Apparently the Brits carried this dreadful disease with them, unintentionally of course, to Bergen on a sailing ship!)  

Our host was a Viking, with a less than blood-curdling name.  And a pet Chihuahua!  But we forgave him as he’d arranged a tour of the area for us in his mini-bus. 

Our camping ground at Gudvangen was set in lush green fields amidst the most amazing scenery yet.  The lack of noise, other than the thunderous crash of waterfalls, was exceptional and the air so, so fresh and so, so crisp.   

We settled into cosy cabins then prepared for our next hike.  Oh yes, Sanni, our tour leader had another short hike in mind…

(Our camp offered a close & personal view of the Kjelsfossen waterfall with a spectacular rainbow - just for our viewing pleasure - as we sat outdoors eating our dinner.  If we got bored with that waterfall, then there were plenty more cascading down the mountains to gaze at. )

We started our tour with the best vantage point of the Naeroy Valley, the Stalheim Hotel which, in 1647, was a postal stop on the Oslo to Bergen mail route.  Eventually in 1855, a hotel was opened on the site, however current buildings date from 1959 due to serious fire.  During WW2, the hotel was occupied by Germans and set up as a home for children born as a result of “the occupation of Norway”. 

From the hotel, we passed the Per Sivle Memorial (a Norwegian Poet, 1857 – 1904) and took a spin down the Old Kings Road section with its memorable hairpin bends and 20% gradient, for a quick stop (and a short, warm up hike) to the Stalheimsfossen waterfall. 

Hmmm, our camping trip was turning decidedly physical!

 

Then, at a point some 5km beyond the Gudvangen ferry terminal, our Viking host abandoned us; though it was a pleasant stroll indeed, feasting on wild berries, meeting lots of interesting locals, including some elusive seals and taking rather too many photographs along the edge of the fjord. 

We made it back to the camp in time for a fantastic feast of local salmon, buttered potatoes and fresh salad prepared, in the Norwegian way, by the ever-energetic Sanni.

From Horse Whispering

to JUST plain annoying

Our stay in this Eden ended with a 2 hour cruise by ferry, with yet more breathtaking scenery, along the fjords to Flam (said Flom).  Here, once we'd made our way past a couple of cruise ship's worth of people, we caught the bus to Lillehammer.  This was the perfect opportunity to rest our weary legs, recharge our camera batteries and for our leader, time to devise even more exercise opportunities.  

When does it stop?  View from the ferry as we glided silently through the fjord...