Water Falls

An amazing country - with incredible vertical scenery and lots and lots of water, in the fjords, on the ground, flowing down rivers and falling from the sky. Lots of rain (though not continuous) at the beginning of this week ensured the numerous waterfalls were well supplied with water. The last few days have seen us enter the fjord region with a short diversion to Bergen to see the historic Bryggen region - a fascinating part of the old town where the wooden fish wharves have been rpeserved from the 1500's. Made all the more atmospheric by continuous drizzle. Apparently it rains for 300 days a year in Bergen. Anyway the short stop was worthwhile before we hot the big fjords - Hardanger and Sognefjord. Extraordinary vertical scenery, numerous waterfalls ranging from gushing, through pretty to delicate. After a while you become blase - just another mighty waterfall which would be a major tourist attraction in the UK.
We have found some amazing places to stop overnight by fjords with stunning views to wake up to in the mornings.

Driving around the area we have travelled back and forth between months each day - driving through snow covered roads and an hour or so later through orchards of apple blossom. So many hills the Landy has had to work hard.

The roads are incredible, even when they climb 3000 ft, they are never particularly steep, and one had incredible twisting tunnels which cut through a sheer cliff with one tunnel directly above a previous loop. In fact tunnels we seem to spend a lot of time in tunnels - the longest so far has been 24kms, and they think nothing of building in a roundabout and road junction inside the tunnel! It must have taken days to get anywhere before the roads were improved. Ferries have become another feature of the trip - even many of the main trunk roads require a ferry crossing, and yesterday we managed four, all of different sizes, from accommodating around 6 cars to perhaps 100 on the major routes.
The last couple of days have been fine, and even almost warm today, so only one fleece, when we have driven a snow road, driven beside alpine looking lakes and mountains and climbed up to a glacier which flows from the largest ice sheet in Europe. The weather makes an incredible difference as the scenery comes alive in the sun, with greater contrast between the snow capped peaks and the dark cliffs plunging into the fjords.
Its not just scenery - we visited Urnes Stave church - an amazing wooden structure most of which dates from 1050 or 1100 by the Vikings and situated in a very peaceful small community accessed by a ferry. (Bryggen and Urnes are both on the World Heritage List so very special.

Another day around the Fjords tomorrow - especially Gerainger Fjord, then we head north to Trondheim and start the 1500kms to Tromso.