If the fjords alone aren’t enough to coax you to western Norway, it is also a wonderful hiking destination. The famous Stalheim Hotel was my base for a week of day hikes operated by UK-based tour company HF Holidays. Each day we had a choice of an easier or more difficult hike to explore destinations within easy drives from Stalheim. Each trip afforded a mix of beautiful fjords, rugged mountains, open fields, lakes and waterfalls. There were train and boat rides to boot.
Hike 1: Summer pastures of Brekkedalen
The day started with an exciting mini bus ride from the hotel up a very rough road, through tunnels hewn out of rock walls and into the remote valley of Jordalen. The walk began at a tiny school that has just five students and one live-in teacher. We proceeded up the valley and past farms and through meadows before beginning an up hill climb from the small hamlet of Nosi. The ascent continued through the delightful high summer settlement of Haugane with its turf covered roofs and a view down into Jordalen. The weather today was not very summery. In fact it was downright bleak. But the moody sky with the backdrop of mountains was very dramatic.
The trail eventually took us over the high mountain pass of Tierraldskaret and down into upper Brekkedalen. We passed through the pretty settlements of Kinnabrakken and Storestolen before finally reaching the lower part of the valley from where we walked back to our base at Stalheim Hotel.
Distance 16 kilometres
Ascent 330 metres
Descent 570 metres of descent
Hike 2: Over the twin peaks
Our second hike began with a minibus ride to the small hamlet of Ovre Lemme. From here we walked along a lovely balcony track, high able the lake of Lonavatnet and across the valley from the mountain of Lonahagi.
We reached the isolated farming hamlet of Liaset and then ascended gradually to the first peak, Koling segue. We continued over wide open and undulating terrain, descending then ascending gradually to the second peak, Skorseteeggi. From here we ascended to a beautiful wetland area and lake. We then descended steeply following bubbling streams and through woodland to a tiny hamlet called Oyjodi on the shores of the picture postcard Oppheimeisvatret lake.
Distance 13 kilometres
Ascent 580 metres ascent
Descent 630 metres
Hike 3: Flam valley and the Flamsbana Railway
To reach the destination for today’s hike we had the added treat of riding Norway’s famous Flamsbana railway. To reach the railway by the fjord at Flam, we drove through the 11 kilometre long Gudvangen tunnel, one of the longest tunnels in Europe.
The more difficult hike today departed from Myrdal station on the at the top of the Flamsbana line and descending on winding track for a short distance before turning onto a Ralllarvegan, an old navvies’ road. A short detour took us to the top of the mighty Kjossfossen waterfall. We retraced our steps back to the Rallarvegan to reach the high mountain lake Reinangavathet, drinking in the beauty of the mountain scenery.
The track then took 21 zig zags descending the upper reaches of the Flam valley on easy tracks, passing more impressive waterfalls, as far as Berekvam station where we again picked up the train to return to Flam.
Distance 16 kilometres
Ascent 70 metres ascent
Descent 605 metres descent
Hike 4: Handongervidda and the Jotenheimen NP
Today’s hike explored an area situated between Handongervidda and the Jotenheimen National Park. We been from Osterbro DNT, one of the network of public huts in Norway. We followed the valley upstream, initially by following a road before taking a delightful path ascending through woodland and over some rocky terrain. The path continued to ascend affording superb views back down the valley to Osterbo and the lake with mountains rising all around us.
The path left the woodland, shining round into a small valley, descending to cross. aster and then climbing back onto the mountain plateau. We followed a charming path to reach the magnificent waterfall in the Sauvaddalen Valley. From here we retraced our steps to Osterbo.
Distance 12 kilometres
Ascent and descent 340 metres ascent and descent
Hike 5: World Heritage fjordland
Starting again from Flam we walked alongside the Aurlandsfjord and began a steep descent of around 500 metres, passing Otterness and the settlements of Vikesland and Sell before descending again. We headed back down hill, steeply in parts, through the village of Lie too in the coast road. Following the coast road we walked into Aurland where we took a ferry to Gudvangen.
The day ended with a ferry ride on the World Heritage Naerohfjorden.
Distance 11 kilometres
Ascent/descent 505 metres of ascent and descent.
Tour undertaken in July 2011.