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Norway 2007: The Fjords - north of Sognefjord |
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Monday 18th June: Åndalsnes - Geiranger (83 km) |
Over the mountain, under the mountain.
At Trollstigen the senses are overwhelmed by steep-sided mountains and raging torrents.
With so much natural beauty, it is easy to overlook the impressive engineering achievements that make it possible for the tourist to be here.
We can forget that it isn't common for a road to make its way up a steep cirque wall.
At Valldal the road to Tafjord goes past the ICA supermarket then straight into a mountain.
You don't see that at our local supermarket but here in Norway it is nothing special.
There are tunnels under glaciers, tunnels under the sea and a few tunnels with hairpin bends.
You will find the world's longest road tunnel in Norway, between Lærdal and Aurland.
Trollstigen
Trollstigen takes an improbable route up a cirque wall
High up on Trollstigen, the road will continue into the clouds
Back at sea level in Valldal after a long cool descent from Trollstigen
Eidsvatnet on route 63 between Eidsdal and Geiranger
Eidsvatnet on route 63 between Eidsdal and Geiranger
Geiranger seen from route 63 (Ørnevegen - the Eagle's road)
Geiranger and Geirangerfjorden from the Ørnevegen lookout on route 63
Geirangerfjorden and the Seven Sisters waterfall from the Ørnevegen lookout on route 63
Karen's diary:
Today was one of our shortest so far but one of the most scenic. Low clouds obscured the mountain tops as we set off - so for the second time we could not see the famous 'Troll Wall', a huge, sheer cliff. It didn't matter; there would be plenty of other things to see. The approach to Trollstigen ('The Troll's Ladder') is steep and we were soon peeling off clothes despite the low cloud and fog. Soon we were in shorts and thermal tops, powering up the steep hairpin bends with big smiles on our faces. Trollstigen is magnificent, a highlight in any cyclist's career. The steepness of the cliff face, the thunder of the waterfalls, the flying spray and the sheer drops make it a memorable ride. By the time we got to the top of the pass we were quite wet from the thick, drizzly fog so we rugged up in full battle armour for the descent.
There wasn't as much snow as the previous time but the warm clothes were very useful against the wind-chill. It was a long, easy cruise down to Valldal (past the strawberry farms) and a quick dash along the fjord to the ferry to Eidsdal, a lovely village at the base of the next climb. After a leisurely lunch we began the second climb of the day, 'Ørnevegen' or 'The Eagle's Route'. This is a no-nonsense ride up a long, straight valley. It is steep and does not allow many rests. About halfway up a crowd was gathered on the roadside and people were making speeches - it was the inauguration of a tiny hydroelectric power station. Everybody was clapping. We couldn't understand much but we took a photo of the official power-station Troll (looking like an oversized garden gnome) before continuing up the valley.
Suddenly the road flattened out and we found ourselves on the brink of a sheer drop. Hundreds of metres below lay Geirangerfjorden, and the village of Geiranger. By this time the clouds had lifted and the view was marvellous. Geiranger looked like a toy Lego village, far below. Down we went on the steeply hairpinned road, ogling the views as we descended. The campground is on the water's edge and the cruise liners are moored within 150 metres of our tent. Trollstigen and Geiranger are two of the most popular tourist destinations in Norway, yet they have not been ruined by tourism. It is easy to ignore the miniature trolls and Viking ships in the tourist shops and simply admire the wonders of nature that surround us.