Scandinavia - Day 8

After a rough sleep camping on a hill, we made coffee and oatmeal in the van before leaving Geiranger and heading - you guessed it - UP. We should come to expect crazy steep switchback roads by now. Again though, at least our early departure made for minimal oncoming traffic up the narrow road. We also noted that a cruise ship had come into the fjord in the night.

Continuing our trek along Road 63, we took the toll road up the spiral peak at Dalsnibba, where the mountain continues to narrow as you wind to the summit....where there is basically room for a small parking lot and a visitor's centre. It was cold, and extremely windy. We had the place to ourselves, but did not linger long for fear of losing a phone or van door to the wind. Still, it did afford a stunning panorama of the road and fjord below, complete with "tiny" cruise ship visible at the village.

We branched west on Highway 15 and followed several long tunnels towards the serpentine river valley and glacial lakes that lead to Stryn. As the rain continued, we took the roundabout in the middle of Stryn and headed for Loen and beyond. We drove a single lane road (not lane and a half narrow, but single lane narrow) around blind mountain curves to get a glimpse of glacial lake Lovatnet. Thankfully there was the occasional pullout.

Back in Loen, we checked the webcam at the top and decided it was worth the trip up the Skylift in spite of the fog and rain. It was a scenic ride up, and we enjoyed coffee and warmth in the restaurant at the top before soaking in more panoramic views outside. The rain did abate and the fog lifted some too.

Back on the ground after a very steep descent, we back-tracked to Stryn and made a grocery stop at Kiwi. With the help of a friendly local, we even tried out the automatic bread slicer that is ever-present in various grocery chains....and some more local potato chips to sample.

We continued west on 15, before jumping on E39, eventually catching the ferry from Lote to Anda. The rain intensified, as we followed E39 south now through high canyons and minimal visibility with water running off and flooding everywhere. At Skei, we stopped for coffee and a mental break at the Circle K.

Reinvigorated, we forked southeast from Skei and followed Road 5 down to Selseng, where we found a free park-up for the night at a very quiet public rest station on a lake. We boiled hotdogs, dug into the new paprika chips, and tried some sweet Norwegian brunost (brown cheese) on our fresh sliced bread.

Coffee and a "quick lunch".....for breakfast!

Geirangerfjord far below - that's a cruise ship down there, just for some sense of scale

Cold and windy atop Dalsnibba

Another long climb up some crazy roads

Mike and Winston negotiate a sketchy descent with little room for error

 

Cool authentic building at the Glacier Centre near Stryn

Grocery run in Stryn

Bread comes unsliced....then you slice it yourself right in the store!

Glacial lake at Lovatnet

Heading up the Loen cable car on a miserable day

The view from the top

Lovatnet to the left and Innvikfjorden to the right

Luckily the fog and rain relented a little later

Free park-up for the night at a rest stop

Sorlands chips win again!

But this was a little different!

The stunning drive back down from Dalsnibba

Scandinavia - Day 7

We left camp early on a Sunday morning in light rain - what we thought was instant coffee in the van turned out to be latte, so only Mike could have coffee before we left, using the handy electric kettle at the camp. Given what we were about to tackle, the driver most definitely needed caffeine!

We had specifically chosen to wait until a quiet Sunday morning, rather than a busy Saturday afternoon, to take on Trollstigen. The road itself (aka Troll's Ladder) is intimidating enough, narrow with crazy hairpin switchbacks and limited visibility, so adding traffic (in particular tour buses) did not seem fun.

We only passed one car on the way up - stopping at a pull-out to let him pass - and between the steepness and the hairpins, Winston did the entire climb in second gear. We stopped at the top to exhale a big sigh of relief and take the obligatory and epic pictures of the road below in the wind and rain.

We followed the very scenic Road 63 through verdant valleys, stopping for coffee and cinnamon rolls at an artsy but serene cafe at Gudbrandsjuvet. As a smaller road continued past Validal, we instead dropped down the water and boarded another ferry at Linge to cross the fjord to Eidsdal. 

Further down Road 63, we stopped again - this time before starting the equally harrowing descent into Geiranger on the Ornevegen (aka Eagle's Road). More hairpins, more traffic, this time downhill and still in the rain. Winston again favoured second gear, this time to avoid braking too much. At least from above, I could see cars and campers approaching the hairpins from below, giving me time to stop before the curve to give them room to make the turn.

Once down the hill and into the village of Geiranger, we miraculously found free parking and wandered the tourist town. In spite of the less than perfect weather, we opted to do a one-hour cruise along the beautiful Geirangerfjord, which included drifting up close to the base of a few waterfalls.

After a very peaceful cruise up the fjord and back, we spent a little more time in the village, finding a small patio on the water at a local brewery. We also hit the local Joker grocery store for coffee, an oversight on our earlier shopping trip since we thought there was some in the van. They also sell beer (up to 4.7%) in their grocery stores......but on Sundays it is not allowed, and they literally just pull a curtain across the beer shelves.

Rather than moving on, we decided to get a campsite nearby and dry out for the night. Just up the hill on the outskirts of the village, we found quaint Vintje Camping, with a grassy roof (very common in Norway), a view of the Geirangerfjord, and its own waterfall. 

Jane also chatted up the camp owner, advising him that she was in fact 2% Norwegian according to Ancestry. He also affirmed the rumour we had been hearing that Norway is often called "Little Canada" by a lot of Northern Europeans due to the stunning scenery.

The first few sites we tried were so muddy after all the rain, we found ourselves sliding sideways and almost got stuck.....luckily we extricated Winston and moved to higher (though un-level) ground.

We fired up the diesel heater in the back to take the chill off and dry our shoes, while making a simple dinner of boil-in-bag dehydrated meals we brought from home for just such occasions. 

Gut check time before tackling Trollstigen

Heading up the Troll's Ladder

The driver looks concerned....

Stigfossen waterfall across the Trollstigen

Almost there....

The view from the top - we just drove that!

A bus negotiates a hairpin below

Nice cafe at Gudbrandsjuvet

The flowchart works!

Tasty pastry in a scenic spot

Boarding the ferry at Linge to cross Storfjorden.....

....and rolling off the other side at Eidsdal

Starting down the Eagle's Road into Geiranger

More switchbacks down the Ornevegen (Eagle's Road)

Geirangerfjord

Ornevegen from below after our drive down

Naughty treats....

....for a naughty boy!

Gjerdefossen

A nice cruise on the Geirangerfjord

Some refreshments back in town

Our campsite for the night.....

....complete with its own waterfall!

A quick and easy dinner for a rainy night - just add water!

Multiple stalls but Shared Accommodations

Scandinavia - Day 6

Leaving the Atlantic Ocean Road park-up at 645am, we back-tracked down Road 64 to Molde, where we grabbed coffee at Circle K the moment it opened. From there, we meandered through the town and onto the ferry, minutes before it was departing. Like all ferries in Norway, you just drive on and they bill your license plate (or transponder) later - no tickets, no delays! This crossing between Molde and Vestnes is literally considered part of the E-39 highway.

We took the E136 through more steep scenic fjords and long tunnels (2 to 6 km each, which seemed long at this point!), before arriving in the town of Andalsnes, where we stopped for another coffee at the Circle K. We found parking up the road and wandered to the cable car up the mountain. Interestingly, a mountain climb race was also going on the same morning, so up ride up gave us glimpses of runners and walkers, along with climbers taking the via ferrata. 

The view from the top was EPIC - fjords to the right and the Romsdalen valley to the left, with two rivers snaking through colourful fields, the valley cleft in half by another mountain. We enjoyed our thermal coffees while marvelling at the views and the crazy locals running up a mountain.

Fully caffeinated, I grabbed a nice Ringnes pilsner from the mountain-top cafe, and continued to soak in the stunning panorama. Not wanting to leave, we finally made our way back to the gondola and enjoyed the steep ride back down. After grabbed a few hoodies across the street, we also hit the Circle K again for hotdogs and the first tank of diesel at a cost of 20.80 Kroner per litre (about $2.60/L CDN).

We took Road 63 out of Andalsnes and out into the valley we had just viewed from above. We opted to get a proper campsite for the night at Trollstigen Camping, partly to enjoy a shower and partly to be in close proximity for what was coming tomorrow. 

We had a relaxing evening sitting out in the scenic valley, after making a quick dinner of fusili with delicious Dolmio bolognese sauce, which we remembered from Iceland. We also tried our first local potato chips, greatly enjoying the Sorlands plain.

After cleaning up the dishes, we set up the bed and settled in to listen to "The Testaments" by Margaret Atwood on audiobook before drifting off for the night.

First ferry crossing from Molde to Vestnes

Passing the sister ferry partway across the fjord

The ferry is part of the "road"!

Tresfjord Bridge and the E136 towards Andalsnes

Heading up the Romsdalsgondolen at Andalsnes

Epic is an understatement!

Soaking in the view

End to good morning....

...and the start of a great afternoon!

Heading back down....

.....as people continue to walk up!

Road 63 into the valley

Bikers caper while trolls portend the morrow

Popping the Top at Trollstigen Camping

Making dinner in the van

Just enjoying my morning coffee!