If you're here for the iconic Norway photos (and not the sparkling commentary) then strap in: we got 'em!
Of course, the best place to see the fjords in Norway is from atop the mountains surrounding them, so we decided to take a trip out of Bergen to do some serious hiking. We had a lot of choices, but eventually settled on spending a weekend in a little town called Lofthus, and doing the well-known Dronningstien hike (also known as Queen Sonja's hike, as it is apparently the Queen's favorite hike.
Getting there
Lofthus is south of Bergen, so we took a bus from the city to the fjord, and then a small ferry boat down the fjord to our destination. As usual, the views from the ferry were outstanding!
The ferry took us right to our hotel, Hotel Ullensnvang which you can see on the shore. (big white building to the left)
Getting situated
The Ullensvang Hotel is a beautiful and quite old property, located right on the fjord with over the top facilities that included an indoor/outdoor heated pool, swim lanes overlooking the fjord, hot tub, indoor tennis and lots of other amenities -- including swimming in the fjord! (Not actually as cold as you might imagine).
A short walk to get our legs
Once we arrived, we had enough time left in the day to do a short hike through apple orchards up to the nearby waterfalls. This area of Norway produces a lot of its fruit, and is also well known for its ciders. From our vantage point beneath the waterfalls, we could see part of the hike we would be doing the next day.
Dronningstien
The next morning we caught a ride up the coast to the start of the hike. It was a point-to-point hike that would end in Lofthus, back near our hotel. This was a hike where you hike up through very steep paths immediately to get onto a ridge, and then you simply follow that ridge all day long while enjoying the fabulous views!
Till next time!
We are sorry to say goodbye to Norway, the land of stunning mountain vistas, beautiful fjords, gracious and welcoming people ... and, yes, a little rain:). But it's on to Scotland, where we plan to hike in the Cairngorms, which is a beautiful national park in the highlands that we have never been to. We hope you are all well, and we miss you all.
