A long afternoon drive took us westwards, alongside stretches of water and through lush valleys …
… until we started climbing to the Storefjell Resort Hotel, which has views across the mountains.
We stood on the deck in the sunshine after dinner and counted the number of small farm buildings with grass growing on the roof!
These grass or sod roofs were commonplace in the countryside and despite more modern materials, are making a bit of a comeback. The turf is laid over layers of birch bark and provides excellent insulation, helps to absorb rainwater and reduce runoff, with the weight of the sod compressing the logs to make the house more airtight.
Everyone in the hotel had an early start so breakfast was like an Olympic event, collecting food and cutlery in relays, then speedy consumption so we were on the coach by 8am!
Our day was action packed, beginning with a drive through the Lærdal tunnel which at 24.5kms is the world’s longest road tunnel – plunging us in the dark for 20 minutes!
We continued to Flåm, situated on a branch of the vast Sognefjord, Norways longest and deepest fjord. Here we boarded the Lady Elizabeth …
… for a 2hr cruise down the Aurlandsfjord and then into the Nӕrøyfjord to Gudvangen.
It was breathtaking … the snow capped mountains were high, the waterfalls gushing, the fjord clear and blue and the sun shining.
The coach returned us to Flåm, were we had free time to get some lunch. We also had time to paddle …
… and to look round the museum which told the story of the building of the Flåmsbana, a 20km stretch of railway linking Flåm with the Oslo-Bergen line. Built in the 1920s with 20 mainly hand-dug tunnels, it took 4 years to complete. It is also the steepest standard-gauge railway in Europe so fortunately the trains have several sets of brakes … just in case!
Once we boarded …
… photos were a little tricky but we were treated to more incredible Norwegian landscapes …
The highlight was the stunning Kjosfossen waterfall, which has its own station just to allow tourists to get off the train and take photos. We were also entertained by a woman in red, resembling the mythical Huldra, dancing to strains of mystical music!
Back on the coach, we had a final waterfall stop …
… then headed westwards to Bergen.
Off Travelling Together 