Pics Southern Norway 2013

Back to Scandinavia

This section covers the continuation of our trip from Trondheim to Oslo, via the fjords, islands, Alesund, the Atlantic Coast Drive, Bergen, Stavenger and the Telemark region. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Larger roads, even with a centre line!

We followed the new outer coastal route and really enjoyed the fantastic scenery.

Bridges and tunnels everywhere.

We arrived here at Tommervag just before the ferry was due to leave, but discovered that it had departed about five minutes early.

We waited for the next ferry from Tommervag to Kristiansund.

Kristiansund

Taken from a harbour cruise boat.

The dried fish woman at Kristiansund.

Part of the Atlantic coast road from Kristiansund to Molde

Again spectacular bridges.

Imagine this in rough weather!

Another impressive bridge.

On the ferry from Molde to Vestnes

The Hurtigruten ship arrives in Alesund.

This photo was taken from the great park place for motor homes in Alesund.

Alesund. The city was rebuilt after the fire of 1904.

The following text is from Wikipedia

In the night of 23 January 1904, the town was the scene of the Ålesund Fire, one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations to which Norwegian towns, once built largely of wood, have been subjected. Practically the entire town was destroyed during the night, a gale aiding the flames, and the population had to leave the town in the middle of the night with only a few minutes' notice. Only one person died in the fire, the 76-year-old Ane Heen, but more than 10,000 people were left without shelter. Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany had often gone on vacation to Sunnmøre. After the fire, he sent four warships with materials to build temporary shelters and barracks. After a period of planning, the town was rebuilt in stone, brick, and mortar in Jugendstil (Art Nouveau), the architectural style of the time. The structures were designed by approximately 20 master builders and 30 Norwegian architects, most of them educated in Trondheim and Charlottenburg, Berlin, drawing inspiration from all over Europe. To honor Wilhelm, one of the most frequented streets of the town is named after him.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85lesund

Alesund from a viewpoint above the city.

Boarding the ferry from Saebo to Slogen on one of only rainy days in seven weeks.

Looking up Hjørundfjord, note the huge road!

Swiss style hotel at the end of the fjord.

Foundations of the flooded huts.

The dam formed by the mountain slide.

The narrow 655 pass road at the dam site,

and further up the pass.

Looking up to glaciers to the South of the 655 pass road.

Looking up Geiranger fjord from Sunnylvs Fjord

Taking the early morning ferry to travel up the Geiranger fjord. We left the motorhome at the campground in Hellesylt.

The seven sisters.

Geiranger Trollstigen. (The road winding up the hill in the background.)

View from above Geiranger

Cruise ship in the end of Geiranger fjord.

The seven sisters again.

Briksdalbreen glacier

Briksdalbreen glacier

Briksdalbreen glacier

Innvikfjord

Cruise ship in Nord Fjord

Another part of the Jostedalbreen Glacier

Kaupanger stave church

Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway at 205 km and 1308 m deep.

Link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sognefjord

We crossed the Sognefjord from North to South around the middle, from Hella to Vangsnes.

Vangsnes in the distance.

Stave church at Vik

Stone church at Hove

Grass covered roofs.

Looking down over Vikøyri where the last two churches are.

Pass road above Vikøyri

The road we came down!

Ski resort, Norwegian style.    Fjellandsby

Closer view of the houses.

The road beside Hardanger fjord.

Hardanger fjord, not much room for the road on the right hand side of the photo.

Fyksesund bridge

Steindalsfossen near Norheimsund

Park in Bergen

Edvard Grieg Statue

Museum of Art

Memorial to Ole Bull

l

Downtown Bergen

A bear hug!

The fish market in Bergen

Fish soup.

Old German Hansa buildings including the museum on the corner.

Maria church, under renovation.

Path and gate leading to the Rosenkrantz Tower

Rosenkrantz Tower  

Renaissance monument and royal residence

Close to Håkon’s Hall you will find the Rosenkrantz Tower, which is considered one of the most important renaissance monuments in Norway. Parts of the tower are from the 1270s, but it has been extended on several occasions for the purpose of fortification and as a demonstration of power to the independent-minded Hanseatic traders. If you climb up the narrow and dark flights of steps you can climb right up on to the roof, which still provides impressive views.

The tower was the residence of King Eirik Magnusson, who was the last king to hold court in Bergen, until he died in 1299. Subsequently the tower housed less fortunate residents – the cellar contains the notorious dungeon, which was probably in use from the end of the 15th century until well into the 19th century.

View from the tower.

Håkon's Hall

Model of how the buildings looked after a German amunition boat exploded next to it in 1944.

This little fellow-

doesn't look very happy.

Edvard Grieg museum.

View from the garden.

His summer house.

Back of the museum with an auditorium.

This was his work room.

Cable car to the Belleview, 320 m above sea level.

On the way up

View from the top.

Hansa buildings and wharf from a harbour cruise.

Håkon's Hall and the Rosenkrantz Tower from the tour boat.

Heading South on the next ferry, again powered by Liquid Natural Gas.

A sister ship.

The picnic place where we overnighted.

An old fire watch tower in Stavanger.

View from the tower.

St Peter's church Stavanger

Old wooden houses Stavanger.

On the ferry crossing from Lauvvika to Oanes

The start of our hike to see Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen),

and it goes up!

Looking back down on the park place.

Board walk over a swampy area.

The walk goes up the hill and through the pass in the distance.

Not too easy going.

Eventually there, or almost.

604 metres above the fjord!

Straight down, quite a feeling,

and what a view! Looking East up Lyse fjord.

Another two hours to get down again.

Late evening view over the archipeligo.

We overnighted on this wharf on Frafjord,

with little holiday huts on both sides. Note the access road on the cliff behind.

We then continued East via the Sirdal -     (Dal = Tal = valley)

with its many lakes,

then down a rather steep slope to Dalen.

Note the two whip backs of the road just below.

Dalen Hotel

Hotel bus, not as old as it looks.

Coffe and cake

Quite a trout at 15.5 kg and a meter long!

From Dalen we followed the Telemark canal for some distance, through beautiful country.

One of the locks, which are still operated by hand.

Another wonderful overnighting place.

Early morning mist. This was a loop from an old section of the road.