The goal of many Norway trips: the Nordkapp on Magerøy. Nice to have been there,
but there are much nicer places in Norway...
My first experience with Norway (1965) as ship's engineer:
After loading fuel in the Esso refinary of Slagen (South Norway), via open sea to Honningsvåg
(on Magerøy), where a part of the load was discharged. After that some 400 km to the south to
Harstad on the Vesteråles, navigating between many islands. Nice weather, midnight sun!
Reindeer on the island of Mageroy, one already in winterpelt,
An enormous evolution to get on Magerøy in the 30 years time we got to Norway.
In 1976, the road over mainland was until Repvåg, from there by ferry to Honningsvåg,
some 1.5 hours with only 5-6 crossings a day (in the main season!). Later the road was
extended to Kåfjord and the crossing time was halved. Later on, a tunnel was digged under
the sund (or should we say dynamited!), in total 6871 meter long and 212 meter under sea level...
Hammerfest, the northmost town of the world.
The Alta river in the neighbourhood of the Alta Canyon.
Rock carvings in Alta.
The Lyngenfjord, north of Tromsø.
The Ice Sea cathedral in Tromsø, out and inside.
Panoramic view of Tromsø from the "Storsteinen".
The largest troll of the wereld, on the raod to Senja island.
Fog over a fjord of Senja island.
On the last ferry of the Lofotes.
The many ferries between the islands were all replaced by bridges and (deep) tunnels.
This ferry too will be replaced in 2006 by an alternative road...
Here the alternative road should come, lucky a Norwegian invented dynamite!
The wild Lofotes, beaten by weather and wind...
Smal villages against gigantic masses of rock.
Nice fisherman's villages...
...built on piles, where you can gather your fish meal from inside your house!
Narvik, the ice free harbour for iron ore from Kiruna (Sweden): statue of playing children.
The Saltstraumen, the strong tidal stream, south of Bodø.
Near the Svartisen ice field...
...and a little closer!
Cave, carved by glacier water in the Svartisen valley.
Monument at the polar circle.
Waterfalls everywhere...
...in all forms.
De cathedral of Trondheim...
...and the quay with the old warehouses.
Ålesund, beautifully situated on several islands.
The Trollstig pass from Åndalsnes to Valldal and further to Geiranger.
Was closed in 2004 for repairs, but would be reopened in 2005.
The Geirangerfjord viewed from the Ørnesvingen (the "eagle's wing")...
On the road to the Dalsnibba, from where one has a phantastic view on Geiranger.
Geiranger fjord from the Dalsnibba, with in the background the Ørnevegen. Without and with teleobjective.
The end of the Nordfjord. The left arm leads to Loen, the right one to Olden,
both valleys go further to glacier streams coming from the Jostedalsbreen (glacier).
Oldenvatn in spring...
...and in summer.
The Briksdalsbreen, part of the Jostedalsbreen..
One can go up the glaciers with a guide, here in a side valley to the Kjendalsbreen,
also an offshoot of the Jostedalsbreen.
Typical old farm with a grass roof.
Stavechurch in Lom, at the crossroads of Ottadalen and Bøverdalen.
A rented hut (former farm house) in Bøverdalen.
The best Norwegian buffet of the far neighbourhood: at Elveseter in Bøverdalen.
From Bøverdalen, the gravel road to the Jyvasshytta (Galdhø).
In Norway many summer passways are maintained by private persons/hotels. For that you have to
pay toll. A rule-of-thumb: the more expensive, the worst the road, but the more excellent the view is...
There he is, the Galdhøpiggen, the highest mountain of Norway. Now it still looks like that you are going alone to the top.
But that is only an illusion! In 1971 a group of only 30 persons per day, in 1976 already 70,
several times a dag,...
We are half way the top.
Again a little bit higher, view on the Glittertind, near as high as the Galdhøpiggen.
At last, on the top you are rewarded by a marvelous view...
...everywhere.
In 1971, there was only a first-aid tent near the top. In 1976 a complete café!
Back down, further in the Bøverdal, the Turtagrø hotel at the start of the pass towards the Sognefjord.
In the direction of the mountain in the background:
the start of a four day hike in Jotunheimen from hut to hut...
The map of the hike in Jotunheimen.
The first day: from Turtagrø to Skogadalsbøen, the climb in the neighbourhood of the Fannaråk glacier..
After that, we were a long time walking in fog, so the "path" was difficult to follow...
Over the pass, Skogadal (valley) comes into view.
In total during the 12 hours hike (8 hours, according to the DNT map, but that is for
born Norwegians!) we met seven persons and a few hundred sheep...
At the other side of the valley, still far away, at last Skogadalsbøen.
The second day: from Skogadalsbøen to Olavsbu, coffee stop after a though climb along a
Norwegian hiking path: On regular distances a red T painted on a pile of stones.
After the coffee, severe showers of rain, later snow and hale...
Lucky Olavsbu, a self-serving hut, is already warm, thanks to other hikers. Time for a cup of hot soup...
After a full day of hiking without meeting anyone, but in Olavsbu people comes together from different sides.
Yet some thirty hikers who will overnight tonight, including the Norwegian women's club...
Room for the snoring men...
Sunset at Olavsbu.
Third day: from Olavsbu to Gjendebu, man with dog (which carries its own equipment!)
going the opposite direction.
The Gjendevatn (water) comes into sight, lucky it is all down now (still stiff from the yesterday effort).
Gjendebu at the edge of the Gjendevatn comes into sight.
The last day: first with a ferry to Memurubu, de heavy backpack goes further to Gjendesheim.
Out of Memurubu, down here, a steep 700 m climb...
After a plateau a short descend: the famous Besseggen (from the story of Per Gynt), a ridge only 1.5 m wide,
300 m steep down at the side of the Bessvatn (left here), 700 m steep down at the side of the Gjendevatn.
Not recommended for people with fear for heights...
Beseggen a little closer, we on hands and feet upwards, the Norwegians walking down,
as if they were just going down from the stairs at home...
Once at the plateau, a marvelous view on the Bessvatn to the right, the Besseggen in the middle and
Gjendevatn to the left. Approximately in the middle of the Gjendevatn, to the right the bay towards Memurubu.
At the other side of the Gjendevatn, a sidestream which ends in the lake.
The end of the hike is near: Gjendesheim at the end of the Gjendevatn.
From the Bøverdal a sideway goes in the direction of Øvre Årdal, only open during summer months.
There we reach Øvre Årdal, with a large aluminium factory.
Somewhere a little farther in Årdalstangen, we take the ferry over the Sognefjord to Kaupanger.
The Sognefjord is the longest (near 300 km) and one of the deepest fjords in Norway.
From Sogndal via the Sognefjell pass to Turtagro, back to the Bøverdal.
The Fantestein, the highest point of the Sognefjell pass.
Again back Southwards, the ferry over the Sognefjord between Kaupanger and Revsnes.
From Revsnes in the Sognefjord, there is a ferry which goes via the Aurlandsfjord into the Naeroyfjord
until Gudvangen. This fjord in some parts is only 300 meter wide, while the mountains are up to 1100 meter high.
Very impressive! But is questionable if this ferry will remain in operation... By the finishing of the 24 km long
Laerdaltunnel, Aurland, Flåm and the Naeroydal are now connected to the main route from Oslo.
Traffic between Oslo and Bergen now has an alternative route, which isn't blocked by snowstorms, as is
frequently happening over the high plateaus...
The high mountains bordering the fjord...
The Naeroydal goes farther beyond the fjord, until a natural wall: the Stalheimskleivene.
In 1976 still to overcome via a small windy gravel road with a 22% grade. Nowadays
- what would you expect - via a long tunnel with a more "normal" grade...
This picture is from the top of the Stalheimskleivene.
On top stands hotel Stalheim, where that day, there was family reunion.
In many parts of Norway, this still is in traditional costumes.
Costumes differ in details from area to area, sometimes from village to village.
Here the family is from the town Voss.
That it is for the moment... If more slides are scanned, this photoshow will be extended...
This is only a small part of the thousands of slides and pictures we have taken in Norway. Beautiful country, beautiful nature!
