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In 1936, Lifjorden was the site of Norway’s first fatal civil aviation accident. Classified as a “controlled flight into terrain”, the crew of the seaplane Havorn didn’t realize they were off course in a thick fog and flew the aircraft directly into the 2,513-ft (776m) cliff Risnesnipa, pictured at left above, killing all seven on…

Hoyanger, at the end of Hoyangsfjorden in Sognefjord, has several good hiking trails. Notable among them is Trappene (The Stairs), where 1,268 steps follow a hydropower penstock up to a height of 1,200 ft (360m) with wonderful views, and a tunnel, en route. With the run only 1,300 ft (400m), the grade is an incredibly…

With the short daylight hours of the Norwegian winter, we were underway in the dark for much of the time, particularly when making trips in longer waterways such as 110-nm Sognefjord, Norway’s longest fjord. This is more difficult than during the day, but can also be more enjoyable with beautiful night views. From Skjolden at…

At the extreme head of 110-nm Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway, stands the dramatic metal sculpture Jonsok in the town of Skjolden. Created by Wisconsin artist Kati Casida, the sculpture symbolizes the bond between Norwegians and their family members who emigrated to America. We continued our detailed exploration of Sognefjord, and the…

Laerdalsfjorden is a short branch of Sognefjord just east of Flam. It was the inspiration for Kjempeviseslatten, the most famous work of Harald Saeverud, one of the most significant Norwegian composers of the mid-1900s. Laerdal also is the terminus and namesake of the Laerdalstunnelen, the longest road tunnel in the world at 15.23 miles (24.51…

We first stopped in Flam, near the head of Sognefjord, in the spring of 2018 with snow still on the ground in the surrounding mountains. We returned in late fall of 2020 to snow on the peaks, but this time it was the first snows of the winter. On both visits, we took a ride…

From Finnafjorden we continued our detailed exploration of Sognefjord and travelled a short 15 miles miles to Balestrand. We anchored there for three nights, exploring the area by tender and hiking up through snow to the day cabin at the top of 3188-ft (972m) Raudmelen. Below are highlights from October 26th through 28th, 2020. Click…

Spectacular Finnafjorden (“the hidden fjord”) is a branch of Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord. While Finnafjorden is one of the shortest arms of Sognefjord, what it lacks in length it makes up for in amazing scenery. Particularly impressive is nearly landlocked Finnabotn, where 4,000-ft (1,200 m) mountains encircle the bay, giving the feel of…

The complex waters around Bergen are a diverse combination of coastal islands, high-current waterways and mountain fjords with equally diverse attractions. Northeast of Bergen, the country’s largest inland island, Osteroy, has several excellent hiking trails. Extending about 30nm along Norway’s exposed North Sea coast directly west of Bergen lies the island group municipality of Oygarden,…

The Gulating, in Gulafjorden, was the site of Norway’s annual parliamentary assembly from 900-1300AD, believed to have been established by Viking king Harald Fairhair. After 1300, the assembly was held in Bergen, where the Gulating Court of Appeal still sits today. In 2005, a memorial erected on the site to commemorate the 1,000 years of…