Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and Mediterranean culinary traditions. It uses local produce wherever possible (why, even
thecrockeryisfiredbyalocalpotter).Dineonthebroad1st-floorterraceorinsidethecosy
glass house, where fresh herbs and cherry tomatoes climb the panes. Do savour one of the
desserts of organic fruit from their orchards, enhanced by a dollop of equally organic, loc-
ally made ice cream. Ciderhuset is signed from the road that runs beside the campground.
Me Snakkast Café
CAFE €
( 915 62 842;
www.detgylnehus.no
,
in Norwegian; salads Nkr75-90, snacks & sand-
wiches Nkr65-135)
Next door but two to the tourist office, this quaint little place is in-
tegrated into Det Gylne Hus, the Golden House, a small, eccentric art gallery. The food,
by contrast, is simple, unpretentious and great value. Sink your teeth, for example, into its
Grizzly Burger ('No bears were harmed in the making of this burger', we're assured). Eat
intherathercrampedinteriororonthesmalloutsideterrace,itstablesadornedwithfreshly
cut flowers.
Information
The
tourist office ( 57 69 12 55;
www.visitbalestrand.no
;
7.30am-6pm Mon-Sat,
10am-5pm Sun mid-Jun-mid-Aug; 10am-5.30pm Mon-Fri May-early Jun & mid-
Aug-Sep)
is opposite the ferry quay. It hires out bicycles for Nkr30/75/140 per hour/half-
day/full day.
Getting There & Away
Express boats run to/from Bergen (Nkr485, 3¾ hours, twice daily) and Sogndal (Nkr155,
45 minutes, once daily).
InJulyandAugust,acarferry(Nkr215/325oneway/return,1¼hours,twicedaily)follows
the narrow Fjærlandsfjorden to Fjærland, gateway to the glacial wonderlands of Jostedals-
breen (in May, June and September there's a daily passenger ferry run).
Express buses link Balestrand and Sogndal (Nkr94, one hour, three daily).
The scenic Gaularfjellsvegen (Rv13) is an exciting drive to Førde, on Førdefjord, negotiat-
ing hairpin bends and skirting Norway's greatest concentration of roadside waterfalls.
