The Active Vacation Planner - Norway - page 64

each.) A 4-hour fishing excursion, with all equipment included for up to six pas-
sengers, costs 4,600NOK ($653). In midsummer, full-day excursions depart
from Bergen's harbor and are usually scheduled from 9am to around 5pm.
The best salmon-fishing tours take place in central Norway, especially along
the Guala River, one of the country's best-known salmon-fishing rivers. Ursus
Major ( & 99-22-49-60; www.ursus-major.no) offers weeklong fishing tours in
Trondheim, which cost from 16,500NOK to 24,900NOK ($2,343-$3,536)
per person, including meals and accommodations.
The River Gudbrandsdalslågen, running through a beautiful valley and Haf-
jell Hunderfossen, is one of the best fishing rivers of Europe, set against a back-
drop of the Øyer mountains, with its many fishing lakes and rivers. The main
types of fish caught are burbot, trout, char, and grayling. Many lakes in the
mountains have rowboats for free use, and permits are easily obtainable at gas
stations, grocery stores, hotels, or inns. For more information, contact the Øyer
Tourist Office at & 61-27-70-00.
3 Biking, Hiking & Other Summer Pursuits
BIKING For the serious cyclist, there are two great routes in Norway: the
North Sea Cycleway and the Old Navvy Road. Each of them is only partially
paved. The coastal route is much easier, whereas the Old Navvy Road runs across
open mountains, passing through pastures and meadows en route down to the
nearest fjord. You can pick up detailed maps of these routes and how to reach
them in tourist offices throughout Norway.
Since the Old Navvy Road follows the Bergen-Oslo train tracks for most of
the way, the usual starting point is Haugastøl, known for its herring and jazz.
The North Sea Cycleway stretches for 296km (183 miles) and is mostly rural,
with woodland, moors, and crags, passing many a meadow. It runs through such
ports as Flekkefjord and Egersund, passing such larger towns as Sandnes and
Stavanger.
The Old Navvy Road, called Rallarvegen in Norwegian, was built from 1895
to 1902, starting in the tree-lined east and climbing into the open mountains,
with panoramic views of snow-covered slopes; high-altitude, incredibly blue
lakes; and the Hardangerjøkulen glacier. The most dramatic point along the
route is from Vatnahalsen where the road descends the 21 hairpin bends of
Myrdalskleiva, continuing down the Flamsdal Valley to Flåm. The road has been
a cycle track since the 1970s.
Bikes can be rented in just about every town in Norway. Inquire at your hotel
or the local tourist office. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (see
“Hiking,” below) provides inexpensive lodging for those who take overnight
bike trips. For suggestions on tours, maps, and brochures, contact Den Rustne
Eike, Vestbaneplassen 2, N-0458 Oslo ( & 22-83-52-08 ). The only large bike-
rental firm in Oslo, it can arrange guided tours in the Oslo area and elsewhere
in Norway. Tours last from 3 hours to 14 days.
In July and August, 7-day bike trips run through the Lofoten Islands. They
offer moderately rolling terrain, dramatic scenery, traditional rorbuer (fishing
cottage) lodging, and hearty regional cuisine. Prices begin at $2,598. Tours are
offered by Backroads ( & 800/GO-ACTIVE; www.backroads.com).
To cycle through the splendors of Norway, you can join Britain's oldest
(1878) and largest association of bicycle riders, the Cyclists' Touring Club,
Cotterell House, 69 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey GU7 3HS ( & 0870/873-
0060; www.ctc.org.uk). The fees for membership start at £11 ($18), which