The Western Fjords - Norway - page 470

1 Cruise between Geiranger and Hellesylt in the embrace of the towering
cliffs of Geirangerfjord .
2 Ride the dramatic Flåmsbana railway between wild Hardangervidda and
Flåm.
3 Take the other-worldy Trollstigen road between Åndalsnes and Valldal.
4 Get your boots damp on a tiny icy tongue of the vast Jostedalsbreen ice-
cap .
5 Immerse yourself in the Jugendstil era in architecturally unique Ålesund .
6 Witness the ferocious power of the sea along the Atlantic Ocean Road, At-
lanterhavsveien .
7 Drive or ride the spectacular Snow Road, SnøVegen , between Aurland
and Lærdal.
SOGNEFJORDEN
Sognefjorden, the world's second-longest (203km) and Norway's deepest (1308m) fjord,
cuts a deep slash across the map of western Norway. In places, sheer walls rise more than
1000m above the water, while elsewhere a gentler shoreline supports farms, orchards and
villages. The broad, main waterway is impressive, but cruise into its narrower arms, such
as the deep and lovely Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, for idyllic views of abrupt cliff faces
and cascading waterfalls.
Getting There & Away
Norled ( www.norled.no ) operates a daily express boat between Bergen and both Flåm
(Nkr750, 5½ hours) and Sogndal (Nkr645, 4¾ hours), stopping along the way at 10 small
towns including Vik (Nkr510, 3½ hours) and Balestrand (Nkr545, 3¾ hours). Several local
ferries also link Sognefjord towns, and there's an extensive, if infrequent, bus network.
Flåm
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