Adventures in the fjordlands of Norway – Luxury Travel Blog

The Scandinavian word ‘hygge’, the idea of ​​being calm and relaxed at home, has become very popular around the world in the last few years. Norwegians have a word for ‘friluftsliv’, which is a philosophy of embracing outdoor activities and immersing oneself in nature. What better place to do this than in the Fjordlands. Whether you’re visiting the beautiful cities, boating in the fjord, driving, hiking or skiing in the magnificent Sunnmore Alps, this part of Norway has some of the most beautiful scenery in Scandinavia.

The boat cruises through the glassy waters of the fjord. The tall stone walls stretched dramatically above us. Abandoned farmhouses cling to the cliffs, and slender waterfalls cascade down to meet the peaceful fjord. We are in the heart of the Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO world heritage site, an area of ​​outstanding natural beauty and a sapphire-colored jewel in Norway’s western fjords.

We disembarked from the ferry in the small town of Geiranger, climbed 327 steps, on a path that cuts across the bottom of the Storsæterfossen waterfall, to our hotel, the very large Hotel Union. The hotel is where Norwegian princess Märtha Louise will tie the knot with American shaman Durek Verrett. Preparations for the wedding are underway, so, apart from the architect, we have the place to ourselves, while we get a taste of what the upcoming private wedding ceremony and the following days of festivities will be like.

For an afternoon excursion on the fjord in a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) arranged in the afternoon from the hotel, we will go down to an old boathouse on the water’s edge. Dressed in insulated dry suits, we board the boat. When we zip out, zoom in and zag in the water. The air is cool, fresh and clean. Jagged cliffs tower above us as the boat navigates high-speed rapids. I don’t think I’ve ever accepted an outside job, or my seat, so hard! This is the fastest way to see the fjord.

We sail deep into the heart of the fjord. The captain cuts the engine. There is a sudden silence, interrupted by the eerie cry of an eagle and the distant rumble of waterfalls cascading down the mountains. It feels like we’re in a nature documentary, except instead of watching it on the Discovery Channel, we’re in the middle of it all. We watch the seals and foxes that often call these waters home and think about the hard lives of the people who once made a living in the abandoned farmhouses on the cliffs above us.

Two hours from Geiranger and the next stop on our trip, Ålesund could have been taken straight from the pages of a fairytale. A catastrophic fire in 1904 had left a large part of the city in ashes, but it was rebuilt, Ålesund now not only has the most beautiful Art Nouveau buildings in the world, but is located between the sea, islands and the best fjords in Norway, making it a very beautiful place . a base for exploring this amazing part of the world.

We lace up our walking shoes and hit the cobblestone streets of Ålesund. After a short visit to the Art Nouveau Center & Art Museum KUBE, to learn more about the city, its history and its architecture, we climb the 418 steps to the view of Mt Aksla. Braving the strong wind, we look at the panoramic views of the city. Next on our agenda is Atlanterhavsparken, Northern Europe’s largest saltwater park and marine science center. We arrive just in time for the daily sheep feeding and are much admired and entertained by the seals and their keepers – who knew seals had such funny personalities?

Ålesund is sometimes called the ‘Venice of Norway’, because of its canals and narrow streets. The next morning, we decide to spend some time on a guided kayak tour of the beautiful Brosundet canal, which runs through the city. The colors and textures of the buildings that line the canal can be seen on the water, and the aroma of coffee wafts wonderfully over the water from the small cafes that run along the river.

When we pass under the low bridges along the canal we can hear the commotion of people crossing above us. We come to the end of another canal, pass under a bridge and go outside near the docks. We can see cruise ships and passenger boats above

d, ready and waiting to go. On the other side of the canal, we pass the small red Molja Lighthouse, which has been standing here, guiding ships in the harbor for over a century and a half.

Ålesund is home to Norway’s most important fishing port, so seafood is definitely on the menu. On our way to lunch we visit one of the fishermen, wearing his bright yellow waterproof overalls, who sells the fish he caught directly from his boat on the canal. We love his prawns, cod and salmon, but we don’t have a place to cook for ourselves, so we go ahead and find a restaurant.

Leaving Ålesund behind, we head out of town. Driving along winding roads into the country of Norway, we pass through some of the most stunning scenery imaginable. Nordfjord is our next destination – between the wild coast of Norway and the Jostedalsbreen glacier, the largest in Europe. In Loen, a small town inland of the Nordfjord, we decide to try skiing and snowboarding. The Skylift takes us from the edge of the fjord to the top of Mt Hoven in minutes. Once I’m up it’s clear that my snow skills are lacking in some way! Fortunately, the panoramic views over the fjord below more than make up for it. Stopping for lunch at the restaurant, sitting on the edge of the snow-covered cliffs, feels like we’re dining in a scene from a James Bond movie.

After a night at the beautiful Alexandra Hotel, we decide that skiing is on the cards. If you love to ski, then the Norwegian fjords are the place to be and while Norway may not be on your radar for ski resorts at the moment, there are plenty and skiing here is more affordable than skiing in the Swiss or French Alps – Insiders look at the Norwegian Alps as one of the best places in the world for skiing.

We go to the nearby ski resort of Standafjellet, in the scenic Sunnmøre Alps, with seven ski lifts, 18 hills and possibly Scandinavia’s best free skiing area. Waiting for the gondola, skiers of various ages, but undeniably talented, skied down the slopes towards me, skiing with ease, their skis cutting new tracks in the snow. I feel nervous and when I got off the gondola and met my guide, I was actually very happy to see that he had snowshoes and not skis waiting for me. It had rained the night before, and the slopes were too icy for someone like me, who hadn’t been able to ski properly in years. Better to be safe than sorry. I leave the slopes for the skilled, stylish skaters, I walk in my shoes, looking like a determined penguin.

After an hour or so of wandering around, we come upon a row of bright red chairs in the snow. It’s the perfect place to sit and look out over the bright blue fjord far, far below, and with a warm solbærtoddy (black tea) in my hand, I decide I’ll have to come back and try skiing sometime. This area is also popular with hikers, which I’m pretty good at, so I think maybe I’ll come back in the summer and visit some of the trails instead.

For me the fjordlands of western Norway were the perfect combination of natural beauty and amazing outdoor adventures. From the calm, misty waters of the Geirangerfjord, to the ski slopes of the Sunnmøre Alps or the canals of the beautiful Art Nouveau town of Ålesund, this part of the world is all about embracing the outdoor life – friluftsliv!

Sarah Kingdom

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Africa at the age of 21, Sarah Kingdom is a mountaineer and guide, travel writer, yoga teacher, trail runner, and mother of two. When he is not climbing or traveling he lives on a cattle farm in central Zambia. He guides tours regularly in India, Nepal, Tibet, Russia, and Ethiopia, and climbs Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania several times a year.