NORWAY TRAVEL DOCUMENTARY | The Grand Norwegian Road Trip |Vivid Tourism
foreign from Majestic fjords to thundering waterfalls imposing Peaks to the nothingness of the Arctic Norway is a temperamental Empress reigning over enchanting landscapes but even more so she is the home of big and small and the playground of the adventurous 10 weeks 14 000 kilometers and countless Unforgettable moments this is the grand Norwegian road trip our road trip through Norway started by leaving the ferry in the poor town of christiansa instead of lingering however we immediately headed for the countryside our first destination was kepling business the southernmost point of Norway while to the South there is mostly water a signpost indicated the large distances we would have to conquer on our Northbound Journey but as we were in no particular hurry we first embarked on some rural gravel roads soaking in the sunshine following the coastline Westward we drove through Rocky landscape into spursed with lakes along the way we spotted the historic settlement of Heller which is conveniently sheltered by a large Rock overhang even though its roots date back to the 12th century the nearby city of starangir is much more modern this is in no small part due to Rich offshore oilfields that have powered the local development upon leaving the city the weather deteriorated and we experienced the first of many rainfalls in Norway despite having lost the warming Sunshine the landscape along the road retained its Wonder this was especially true for the scenery along Lucifer while we had frequently encountered villagers and holiday cabins earlier this road gave us a first inkling of Norway's grandeur our Alpine surroundings were dominated by smooth Rock surfaces with bubbling streams cutting their way through the rugged terrain after evading the traffic on the road which was made up by as many sheep as other cars but he drove down 27 switchbacks towards the Inland end of Lucifer this Fjord is known for its steeply Rising walls that in some places dropped down as far as one kilometer while we marble at this Ice Age Remnant the low-hanging clouds created a menacingly moody atmosphere early the next morning I set out on a popular hike the trailer to hierarch leads across an Alpine Plateau known for its turbulent weather swings therefore it was no surprise when I Came Upon large patches of snow because of my early start I had the famous hirak Bolton all to myself the view from right here is said to be one of the very best in all of Norway because this Edge drops one thousand meters down into the Fjord and the views are absolutely mesmerizing of course today as you can see there's absolutely nothing to see but rain and Fork are just part of a regular Norway road trip so we have to make the best of it and enjoy the views we get I waited for more than one hour to see if the clouds would disperse but aside from a very short glimpse of the fuel below my efforts were not rewarded one option to leave looser button is on the Waterway we decided to take the scenic Road once more heading further west the views didn't stop as was evident When We Came Upon several marvelous waterfalls before long it was time to board our first ferry and while the weather certainly remained unpredictable we scored a jackpot with our campsite nestled along the fjords Shoreline our view was entirely unimpeded revealing the Splendor of the Monumental Lucifer occasionally even the sun grounded us a few moments of her time thank you another well-known hike in the area leads to break a storm a rock Pulpit dangling precipitously above the Fjord with the cliffs dropping down 600 meters the views are nothing short of Staggering however visitors should not expect any type of wilderness feeling as the trail is so popular that hikers wait in line to have their pictures taken leaving lucifera behind we bait farewell to the deep south of Norway and started our northward journey not long into the trip we discovered every introvert's dream cabin has massive roadside waterfalls and drove through several heavy rain showers we also Came Upon a number of Old Farm buildings that date back to the 19th century when life in Norway was significantly more strenuous under a narrow travel road which overlooked a large Reservoir with no one else inside we found yet another magnificent Wilderness Camp true to the saying when it rains it pours the weather showed zero inclination of improving nonetheless we regularly found ourselves on Scenic roads offering sweeping distance without a doubt and always Landscapes develop a special appeal when clouded in rain and fog powerful environmental mood swings befit the creation of the country which was relentlessly shaped by the skillful craftsmanship of several ice ages although the glaciers of old have long retreated snow fields in July are a vivid reminder but this realm of icy Giants as we made our way through prehistoric Landscapes we couldn't help but wonder how awe-inspiring the scenery would look in sunshine those figments of our imagination quickly dissolved when we encountered a flock of sheep standing in the middle of the road yeah going for a short stroll through the Lush Uber darling we marveled at the fast-moving clouds dancing around the mountaintops in this early the dominating element is undoubtedly water with numerous streams carving their way through the countryside the one redeeming fact about the near constant rain is that there's so much water around that no matter which Mountainside you look at there will be at least one waterfall or many cases 10 to 20 flowing down the mountainsides and that is absolutely magical to look at a little further north the road was suddenly covered in even more water The Cheeky Rascal causing that vigorous spray is langfussy with a height of 612 meters this is one of the 25 highest waterfalls on Earth aside from its impressive size the waterfall is also beautiful to look at and above all easy to get to as the access road runs directly along its base our further Journey brought us to the shores of the hardangafior which compared to other fuels is not quite as steep as a result visitors will come upon countless orchards in the area which indicates that at least sometimes the sun must shine for now however the rain persevered as we made our way up a Mountain Road that teleported us straight back to Winter which has no surprise then that when you arrived at a ski resort shortly after athletes from all around Europe travel here to train during the summer when most other resource close water is at its purest in the mountains we took the opportunity to fill up our water tank with 100 liters of refreshing goodness even though we had almost given up on it the sun did make the occasional appearance in the subsequent days AIDS visits however were rather sporadic and often lasted for only a couple of moments needless to say that did not stop us from exploring especially when there were winding gravel roads to be discovered the area we soon found ourselves in is called hardangarvita Barren Mountain Plateau is characterized by countless rivers lakes and waterfalls best way to experience this treeless plane is on foot of course a number of hiking trails cut through the open land however going cross-country is equally accepted whereas we still spotted some cabins on the outskirts of the Villa soon after there was nothing but wilderness setting up camp in such wonderful surroundings allowed us to take in the Untamed Spirit of the environment the next day we continued North following the shoreline of several Lakes before ending up on an even higher plateau the trail across URL and CLA is also called snow rain translating to Snow Road which is a rather fitting name encountering snow banks in Late July is not uncommon at all even more picturesque over with a frozen legs which were just beginning to thaw Ed further down the road we came upon the borgun staffiar here an 800 year old wooden Church lending Norse mythology with Christian beliefs this Dragon adorned safe Church looked ominously fascinating Steve churches were once common in Northwestern Europe but today they are mostly found in Norway their General appearance differs widely but all of them are constructed with a Timber framing of vertically standing wooden planks most surviving safe churches date back to the 12th century during that period Scandinavia went through a phase of religious transition as the Norse paganism was replaced by Christianity not quite as old but equally fascinating was this abandoned Farmhouse along the road and today many Norwegian houses have sodroofs which not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also helps with insulation and noise reduction every once in a while these roofs turn into independent biotobes with trees sprouting out of them instead of mono-dimensionally pushing North our road trip through southern Norway involved several Loops so we would see as much of the country as possible in consequence we regularly drove several hundred kilometers in a day but of course with views such as these we didn't need much convincing to include frequent stops especially mesmerizing was the Eastern flank of yotunheiman National Park while the peaks in this area are not quite as high as for the west but then Plato delighted us with its clear streams and Blue Lakes the road leading through this area is designated as a National Tourist road which marks it as one of Norway's most beautiful routes gazing across the landscape was truly A Feast for the eyes before exploring the highest mountains of Norway we decided to proceed a little further north this morning we have set out on a hike in doverville national park because it is here that the last healthy population of Musk Oxen in Europe can be found and since we haven't seen them in five years since our trip to Canada and Alaska we are really hoping to catch a glimpse of them again so fingers crossed as muskox intend to prefer wet river valleys during summer we needed to head deeper into the park although the weather showed itself from its best side during our visit the local climate is generally harsh and ever-changing to survive such unpredictable conditions animals must be built tough and no animal is better suited for that than the musk ox cold temperature Specialists these Shaggy creatures thrive in Arctic climates to cope with temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius they can often be seen snuggling up on the last remnants of snow when they aren't resting much of their time is spent foraging for food interestingly all Norwegian Musk Oxen are of greenlandic descent as their ancestors were introduced to dorfiel in 1947. arguably the animal's most important adaptation is its ball which is highly priced as it is extremely soft and eight times warmer than sheep wool because we really enjoyed the atmosphere we settled our big backpacks and returned to the park for an overnight stay sometime later we arrived at the same spot we had forced at earlier and started to put up our tent soon after the sun had set and darkness embraced us after hiking out again we soon found ourselves heading into the home of giants the 29 highest peaks of Norway are all located in yotenheim which makes the national park an Eldorado for hikers it is just a couple minutes past seven in the morning and temperatures are around freezing so probably cold and I've started to climb towards Norway's highest peak which is called galloping and even though the climb is just around six kilometers long it climbs up 1.4 kilometers along the way so properly steep but luckily the weather's playing along so this guy and it's sunny so I'm hoping for some really nice views on top of the mountain fingers crossed whereas the first part of the trail was fairly easy for yields of rock soon made my life harder ly natural Refreshments were readily available oh the trail is starting to get rather strenuous as there are large snow fields that need to be crossed and if they are rocky passages such as in front of me they are usually covered partially in snow or ice as well which makes it rather difficult to walk on them so you gotta be really careful but luckily the sun is still Shining so the views are nice and I'm making good progress so not too far to the summit alas the higher I climbed the cloudier it got looking back I saw a snow clad landscape of incredible beauty the dark rocks offered a striking contrast to the purity of The Perennial snow on my last push towards the summit I was completely engulfed in the clouds which required me to be even more careful this is it right here that's the highest point of Norway the roof of the country so to speak and usually there are magnificent panoramas in every direction high mountain peaks all around but of course today at the summit the weather isn't really playing along and there's just clouds and fog everywhere but on the plus side there's a hut down here where you can buy hot beverages and just warm up a little bit and I'll definitely do that now before I'll head back down again claiming the title of first at the summit their day I had the entire hat to myself seeing all the other hikers on my way down I was grateful for the silence I had experienced on Norway's highest peak heading one Valley over we drove along a stunningly blue glacial stream into the awe-inspiring layer darling much less well known in other parts of Norway this Valley is still a Hidden Gem at the end of the road the pointy Mountain provided us with a spectacular sight oh even more impressive however was the Panorama from its Summit while the wind carried the clouds over the mountaintops the Deep Blue Lakes glistened in the sunshine amazingly one does not need to climb mountains for spectacular views in this part of Norway simply taking the road across sonjifila is enough to gain an understanding of the magnificence of the landscape following so much time spent in the snow we were ecstatic about the warmer temperatures along because it is fed by several glacial streams the fjord's water is of an unexpected torquist color above the Fjord this old sanitarium provided us with an interesting change of scenery with views such as these it is no wonder that there are plans to turn this spooky ruin into a luxurious Hotel a fuel behind we turned onto a minor Road and followed the course of an alluring River investigating the origin of the turquoise water which soon Came Upon one of the 28 Outlet places of yourstery largest closure on the European mainland because it is fairly easy to access this particular closure is a favorite for guided hikes as well as self-guided visits at its base little rivulets have recently melted water artfully engrave a pattern in the sediments before flowing into the lushly colored Glacier Lake to the up the valley we encountered a juvenile moose on the road initially it behaved rather inquisitively not taking any chances though it's sooner enough into the bushes as we also spotted numerous waterfalls as well as holiday cabins with hard to beat news because driving on narrow mountain roads is not challenging enough the weather decided to add in a Sprinkle of fog arguably the only place the view was even worse was in this claustrophobically unlit tunnel the nerve-wracking Drive was more than worth it though as we ended up in an imposing Valley surrounded by mountains glaciers and sheep from there on the only option was to continue on hook at the end of the trail the mighty osterdale's praying flows down from the island glacier's surface is torn apart by countless crevices highlighting the strength of the forces acting on the ice at the mouth of the closure massive icebergs are drifting in the lagoon forming Frozen ensembles of natural art thank you four kilometers Downstream we set up camp next to the river surrounded by glaciers and Charming little hamlets the landscape composed an image reminiscent of times when life in Norway was much slower foreign the following morning we were rather rudely woken by a herd of cows that mistook our car for a scratching post although it might be hard to believe but our next campsite was at least equally as glorious Nestle along the shore of jalan's Fior the site was perfectly suited to Simply relax once we left the area behind it was with a heavy heart but we were already eager to see what was next which is both the longest and deepest shore of Norway we needed to board another Ferry while mainly intended for vehicle transport the stupendous views quickly turned this into a Scenic Cruise on disembarking on the other side we headed up a road that felt quite familiar eleven days after we had driven up Ireland's Villa for the first time we returned to experience the mountain plateau and sunshine the difference between both visits was remarkable where before some of the Lakes had been entirely Frozen it now seemed as if summer had finally tightened its grip the remaining patches of snow combined with a sparse vegetation and the shimmering blue Lakes created a landscape of hard to grasp Beauty down the road we Marvel at the wonderful erlen's Fuel and then continued to what is perhaps Norway's most staggering inland characterized by its steeply Rising walls and adorned with countless little waterfalls nairobiore is the epitome of Norway to switch things up a bit we then paid a visit to the city of Bergen the coastal town is the second largest settlement of Norway and well known as a former Trading Post of the anziatic league to this day several of the historic Contour buildings have survived while going for a stroll the one-time German influence of the city was quite evident having spent almost two weeks exploring the central south of the country it was time for us to slowly head north needless to say we continue to do that on the smallest roads possible once more the Mountain Trails leading across the island were outstandingly scenic however in this part of Norway even the larger highways provide Travelers with breathtaking panoramas we arrived at the stunning order fed by several Outlet glaciers the large mountain lake is of an extraordinary turquoise color just past the Lake the walls started to draw closer providing us with one of the best roadside views of Norway the scenery along that was equal mountains glaciers and waterfalls created a spellbinding backdrop for the shimmering Lake every direction we looked at provided us with a picture-perfect post-cut scene with one highlight chasing the next we soon drove along a historic 19th Century Road today the road is classified as a National Tourist Road and oh boy it is deserving of that title opinion Trails such as these are what a grand Norwegian road trip is all about spending one last night surrounded by snow we headed down towards the world famous the next morning the 15 kilometer long Fjord is one of Norway's most popular tourist destinations looking upon the steeply rising walls and countless waterfalls it is easy to imagine why many visitors arrive via cruise ships as the trip through the Fjord is a sightseeing spectacle fascinatingly The Fjord also boasts a rich culture as several historic Farms can be visited nearby tourist Hospital only open during the summer months this Switchback Mountain Road is an engineering masterpiece a visitor platform provides Sublime bird's eye view of the 11 narrow bands during the day the road gets rather busy so frequent stops are necessary to pass one another however this moderate progress poses no problem as the drive down is an experienced best enjoyed and rushed after all the bustle of the previous day we were delighted when we woke up to a soothingly tranquil Lake the low-hanging clouds created a moody atmosphere which beckoned us to take things slowly as we sit there and enjoyed our morning coffee the wafts of fog performed a hypnotic dance for us at least equally as enchanting as the cloud belay was the thunderous martial dropping down more than 600 meters into the valley the water was one of the highest and most spectacular of Norway he snapped out of our reverie we continue to drive deeper into the valley shortly after we found ourselves heading up a gravel road but if anything the views got even more intriguing at least until we headed into a spookily dark tunnel having safely made it to the other end we proceeded on the remote Mountain trip compared to the well-trodden tourist routes we barely encountered another car which made the trail extremely enjoyable foreign landscape is also the habitat of the tarmigan a seasonally camouflaged bird belonging to the Kraus family during winter they are flawlessly white but in summer they transition towards a brownish plumage while the tarmigan was rather hard to spot the countless holiday cabins were not sometimes described as a national Obsession spending time in uhutto is an integral part of the Norwegian outdoor lifestyle with more than 400 000 such cabins spread around the country it often seems as if vast part of Norway are inhabited when in fact most of the buildings are solely used recreationally before finally heading to Northern Norway we decided to throw in one last Loop after walking up a zigzag Trail I arrived in a Mountaintop Viewpoint that offered a breathtaking Panorama of the Fjord as well as the surrounding Cliffs the intoxicating Vista was further enhanced by wisps of cloud dancing around the peak on a sunny day is this gazing at such staggering Landscapes almost causes a sensory overload it is hard to process how over time ice water and wind have chiseled inlets of such stupendous grandeur carrying on we drove towards the coast until arriving at the island of Runde while the views of the coastline were undoubtedly nice our reason to come here was another one following a wonderful Trail we walked above the Steep Cliffs until arriving at the Northwestern end of the island during summer are teeming with wildlife thousands of seagulls and get its migrate here to lay their eggs and to raise their young saying that most visitors come to spot a different kind of bird clad in black and white plumage with a brightly colored beak the Atlantic puffin is the social media superstar in the world of birds they're adorable looks and friendly Behavior make them a perfect subject for bird watching the breeding season puffins are out at Sea all day and only return to their Burrows in the evening once they decided his time thousands of birds take to the air one by one they start to clumsily land near their nests except they dry their wings which unlike their Downy under plumage gets wet at sea subsequently they invest a considerable amount of time in preening to keep their plumage nice and tidy we spent more than two hours watching these Birds go about their business which they often did only a few meters away right here when it was time to leave ruin the behind we continued our journey along the windy Coastline across across many bridges in the process soon however the mountains were calling us again we answered by heading to the queen in North Island a couple kilometers into our hike we arrived at the lovely hut which sits right beside a lake from there the path runs on towards the formidable innatastorne leading steeply upper Revan the trail is properly strenuous but luckily the views are more than worth it just below the summit some climbing is necessary so carrying a massive backpack is not the best idea from the peak far-reaching views into three different valleys invite visitors to linga looking down the Hut was nothing more than a little speck in the landscape four and a half weeks and five thousand kilometers into our trip it was finally time to leave Southern Norway behind after passing through the city of Trondheim which is most famous for its large Cathedral we started to head due north to drive to the north of Norway we have decided to take the coastal route and as it turns out that one is much slower than the Inland option not only because it follows the winding Coastline but much more so because there are several Ferry Crossings and if you're a bit unlucky such as we are right now you'll have to wait one and a half hours until the next ferry arrives but I mean with views such as these there is very little to complain about during the next days we spend a lot of time driving on Scenic Coast roads looking out for Animals such as Dolphins deer oremus and boarding no less than eight vehicle Ferries we also passed the famous torkatu a mountain with a hole in it a model that staggering Peaks along the roadside ferry ride towards yaktvik was not only incredibly scenic but also brought us across the invisible line of the Arctic Circle a somewhat diminutive statue along the shore marks this magical boundary but Heralds the land of the Midnight Sun Imagining the wonders of the road ahead we were giddy with excitement and we surely weren't disappointed shortly after leaving the ferry we spotted several arms of the large svartisan closure the Highlight however was this red fishing vessel which slowly made its way through the inlet polar opposite to the Tranquil Fjord of the day before waited for us at saltstrom this small street is known to have one of the strongest tidal currents in the world resulting in turbulent vortexes that rip the water's surface apart after a very short night we boarded a ferry at 2 30 in the morning three hours later our cloud cover destination came into sight the roughly 80 larger and smaller islands of the lowfort and are known for their extraordinary Mountain scenery rising steeply from sea level the Peaks over a stunning contrast the flat vastness of the surrounding Waters due to the influence of the Gulf Stream temperatures are generally mild however the same does not apply to the weather more often than not rain and Fork will at least partially hide the Majestic Summits from side aside from their peaks the little food are also famous for their little villages in the past those were mostly inhabited by fishermen as the waters around the islands are the world's richest cod fishing crowns therefore visitors will come upon many colorful horrible which is how the seasonally used fishing hats are called the most well-known of audio food and settlements is Rhino starting in town a steam hiking trail leads up to an exceptional Viewpoint it provides a sweeping Panorama of the village and the nearby mountains leaving the very busy town behind we drove across several bridges that connect the little islands with one another in an effort to escape the crowds we decided to focus on minor side roads generally that strategy worked well only the hike towards written was equally overrun the reason for the Trail's popularity is easy to understand though as it provides a staggering view onto a large Beach of course the beach itself is a popular destination as well especially among overnight campers our time on Louisville and the weather was generally erratic every now and then the sun peaked through revealing the incredible beauty of this island chain Most Fascinating to discover with a countless sandy beaches as well as the crystal clear water something most people would not associate with Norway equally surprising where all the wooden racks along the road while empty in summer these scaffolds are used to dry cod fish in late winter for that the fish are tied together in pairs by their tail fins and left out to dry for several months this technique has been practiced on low foot and for a thousand years as drying the fish is a great preservation method a fact the Vikings appreciated on their long Journeys stumbling upon another pristine Beach we suddenly spotted some movement climbing between the Rocks a Eurasian otter was patrolling its territory these otters are solitary animals and their range often stretches for several kilometers most of them live in fresh water but to our luck some prefer the coastline we couldn't believe our eyes when the Otto started to wallow in the scent directly in front of us foreign this technique is likely used to remove parasites from the fur and possibly to leave their scent whatever the reason it was the most adorable animal behavior we have ever seen once it was done with scent bathing it went out to hunt the euro is not as perfectly adapted to life in water it is an excellent swimmer has wet to feed and can close its ears and nostrils underwater when hunting it mostly preys on fish but we'll also add the odd Crest sea into its diet incredibly our lucky animal encounters didn't stop there just 24 hours later we met a distant relative of the Otto this quick-footed still it was running circles around us showing off his parkour skills in the process back on the road we drove along the lofford's main Highway before turning off onto a smaller Trail following that road we crossed a fascinating Inlet which during low tide reveals a large sand Bank thank you having explored much of the low Fortin we left for another group of islands called westerol whereas fishing is equally important for these islands the terrain also supports Agriculture and livestock farming coming upon a road conditions warning sign made us all the more intrigued the trail that followed was enjoyably bumpy while also providing some wonderful Seaside views even better we found a fantastic campsite which allowed us to enjoy the beautiful scenery all by ourselves the next morning we continued along the trail which offered us one of only a few off-road experiences in Norway I'd be lying if I claim that this hiking trail was anything but unpleasant but I hope that at least at the summit The View will be nice because the wind is pretty murderous and uh I'm not sure why I'm doing this to myself a day the weather took a turn for the worse and even though we didn't know it yet it wouldn't improve for another seven days oblivious of what was to come I hiked to the summit of Martin as wind and clouds whipped across the peak The View occasionally opened up feeling the rugged Coastline below luckily the waters off the coast were not too turbulent yet it's for the island of senya not so luckily the weather was downright miserable after nicknamed Norway and miniature zenya is known for its variety of Landscapes including including Jagged Peaks beaches fjords and Highlands however during our free days on the island we merely caught glimpses of that beauty as one vicious rainstorm chased the next no matter where we drove rain remained our constant companion this is certainly not the type of weather we had hoped for when we planned this Norway trip but at this point I'm doing many of these hiking trails just out of spite because I think it's better to still get out and experience the nature with the weather and the conditions that you have instead of just sitting around in the car so yeah rainy hiking trails it is Trail we're on a different level though leading straight through a block the only thing saving High cuts from the bottomless mud were slippery wooden planks oh my goodness the views from the summit were at least an indicator of how impressive the scenery can be laughs of course they couldn't return to the car in my mud-covered state so I decided to go for a Trailside wash even though we would have loved to see more of senya we left the island behind to proceed to the far north this time on rougher Waters when we arrived in termsu the weather was still much the same back in nature We Came Upon a red fox which was clearly on a prowl whenever these foxes hunt mouse-like animals they use their acute hearing to pinpoint the location of their prey once located they will pounce on the mouse often devouring it in a few bites celebrating the return of the sun we marble that the Fjord Vistas along the road following days of rain and clouds it was exciting to see the mountains in all their Glory again this also apply to Bluewater one of the most intensely Blue Lakes in all of Norway fed by a glazel waterfall the color of the lake is a Milky turquoise which is so vivid that it almost looks unreal that evening we witnessed a delightful Sunset over the Luna knobs a steep and little explored mountain range the same mountains also offered as a marvelous backdrop as we continued North the next day for the first time in a while we found ourselves on the main Highway of the country by this far north the E6 is very picturesque of course we still explored as many of the side roads as we could which mostly meant driving along vast fjords through mountainous Landscapes of incredible scale a Telltale sign that we had truly made it to the North was that reindeer replaced cheap as number one traffic hazard because of its low population density and the expanse of its Wilderness the far north immediately won our hearts so the sheer nothingness of the Arctic embraced us driving hundreds of kilometers each day we explored Norway's most remote regions of course so much time spent in the car also begs for regular breaks instead of heading directly to the North Cape we decided to First pay a visit to the northernmost town on Earth with more than ten thousand inhabitants hammerfest is a proper city that has recently experienced strong economic growth because of the construction of a large LNG terminal despite its Northerly location the mean annual temperature is above freezing a direct effect of the powerful Gulf Stream during summer the sun does not set for almost three months but in Winter it stays dark for no less than 59 days of our favorite roads in the north was to drive towards habusa the Tome of loneliness the scenic Road leads past wonderful rugged outcrops in an area that is rarely visited the most striking was the fact that such a Barren Untamed landscape on a Road the surrounding scenery was breathtaking in every regard changing from traumatic Ocean Vistas to rumbling waterfalls and perfectly reflecting Lakes at the end of the road we threw a glance at the fishing Village before setting up camp under a dramatic sky welcome by magnificent Sunshine the next morning it was time for our final push North once more we were blown away by the vastness of the land as well as by the viciousness of the Wind and considered a far north to be boring as there is barely any vegetation but for us this infinite emptiness was utterly alluring ironically the parking lot that the norka was the opposite of empty with countless over lending Vehicles creating a campground atmosphere just a couple more meters and there we were at the northernmost Road accessible point on Earth a dream destination for any road trip fan standing above the cliffs we looked out onto the open ocean feeling as if we had made it to the end of the world contrary to popular belief the North Cape isn't the northernmost point of Europe the reached at Geographic extremity you'll have to walk eight kilometers across the beautiful yet inhospitable Tantra thank you this is as far north as it gets at least if you want to stay in Europe because this little Peninsula marks its northernmost point it even stretches one kilometer further north than the North Cape behind me and now there's just the Waters of the Arctic and eventually the North Pole but other than that this is it surrounded by many more seagulls than people I took in the coastal landscape Brewing how lucky are a dead place on a day such as this but the Arctic weather is fit my way back clouds started to roll in quickly soon after I was swallowed by fog while the wind whipped ferociously across the plain to top it all off a heavy downpour followed whether swing such as this underline the importance of always carrying adequate clothing when exploring the outdoors seeking a sheltered Campsite in such wide open land was easier said than done especially as the rain had clearly left some marks following morning the water level was even higher but at least the sun came out of play as we couldn't possibly drive any further north we started to head Esports our goal was to explore as many of the remote Arctic roads of the finmark as possible compared to the rest of Norway the fin Mark is sparsely populated at best from time to time we passed the house or little settlement but mostly it was just us and the Untamed wilderness our opinion the finmark is an ideal road trip destination as it provides that intense feeling of Freedom that is only experienced on the open road conditionally the terrain is ever-changing and never loses its appear now it's standing in that regard was the journey to Mayhem leaving behind the coastline we headed Inland crossing the water-rich tundra in the process initially the countryside was predominantly green with rivers cutting through Lush Meadows but soon we climbed up onto a plateau and was suddenly surrounded by a Stony desert it was hard to rub our head around the quick changes as one moment the landscape appeared abounding in fertility whereas the next it was alien and inhospitable of course some animals are perfectly adapted to survive under such conditions reindeer are native to the far north preferring Arctic climates and Tundra landscapes technically however most reindeer and Norway are domesticated while some wild herds still exist in the South all of the animals in the north are owned by reindeer herders reindeer husbandry has been practiced for hundreds of years by the Sami people and many go as far as calling it a way of life the summer the reindeer brought to Rich pastures where they wander around freely during that time they feed on lichen as well as leaves sedges and grasses to gain strength for The Long Winter whereas in those other deer species only Bulls Crow endless in reindeer it is both males and females saying that the males antlers are usually much larger recurring them annually the entrance of balls increase in size over the years often reaching a formidable state of course reindeer aren't the only animals thriving in this habitat the ever adaptable red fox can equally be seen foraging or in this case scratching with the day drawing to an end our car started to throw a perfect Shadow onto the quickly passing Tundra just as the sun was about to set we passed through the village of gambling kilometers later we set up camp with inside of the northernmost Lighthouse of the European mainland oh the next day we crossed a futuristic looking bridge over the tanaelva before the river discharges into the town of Fjord it creates a large unspoiled Delta that is characterized by huge sandbags continuing North we headed towards the settlement of bear level one of the many astonishing things about Norway is that it always finds a way to surprise you because we are here in the northeast of the country in the Arctic no less and we have just come Upon This Magnificent big sand beach something you absolutely wouldn't expect in this part of the country or in this part of the world really and nonetheless here we are enjoying a pristine Beach all by ourselves it's just incredible the beach we had come upon left us Wonderstruck trolling across the soft sand we were reminisced about exploring remote beaches in Australia but never had we dreamed of encountering such a side in Norway moreover the water was fascinatingly clear providing us with a sight not easily forgotten tear ourselves away we followed the cause of the coastline and then embarked on a remote travel track our destination was a little holiday settlement at the literal end of the road all alone surrounded only by the wind and waves we found absolute Bliss in the secluded Tranquility of this site having driven more than 2 000 kilometers in the last five days we decided it was time for a break luckily we found the perfect campsite to Simply relax foreign Norway's easternmost town is the most point of Norway however can be found on a small island just off the coast instead of going over there with a boat we were content with following the Gaze of these two wooden figures taking in the Island from afar the last part of the road offered as an entirely New Perspective traveling through a moon landscape dominated by razor sharp rocks we felt like explorers of a different planet someone in the local community had an amazing idea which is providing Beach visitors with these types of trash bags and encouraging them to pick up any type of fishing nets or plastic bottles they may find and this is a great opportunity to visit a beautiful place but leave it even more beautiful and this sort of initiative is definitely needed as the amount of trash swept onto Norway's coastline is staggering even though some of these beaches look entirely pristine the negative impact of the fishing industry is undeniable to do our part we spend the next hour walking along the beach picking up any Trash we could find as a reward I decided to go for a skinny dip in the freezing Waters of the Arctic foreign with a very heavy heart we left this furthest North of Norway which we had learned to appreciate so much unfortunately there were still roads in the Northeast that beckoned us to be explored passing through the town of yerkiness we soon arrived at the external Frontier of the Schengen area Beyond which lies Russia in total the border between Russia and Norway is 196 kilometers long but at several points no more than a small stream separates both countries the same applies to the krenza yak observe here the Jakob self River discharges into the barrancy forming the border between both nations in the process it was interesting to contemplate how arbitrary National borders seem when the landscape on both sides of the river is impossible to tell apart you get to investigate the sentiment further we decided to embark on Norway's most remote Road heading into uhu Pacific National Park our path led us towards the hindmost corner of the country hitting the the last 20 kilometers of the road were nothing more than a bumpy travel trail less than 100 meters from the Russian border we set out on a hike the trail LED through calm forests as well as treasurer's boglin meanwhile the scenery was incredibly peaceful five kilometers into the hike we cross through the Border fence right now I am in Finland but if I only take a couple of steps I'm back in Norway and that's why this spot is really interesting it's not about the sweeping views but more about the symbolic value because this can right here marks the free country border between Norway Finland and Russia and while I can move freely between Norway and Finland merely touching the fence means crossing the border to Russia and that of course is strictly prohibited without a permit not bound by any such restraints with a wood crows we spotted nearby previously focused on exploring the northern Coastline it was now time for us to head into the depths of the fin mark standing on the shore of a Placid Lake with the sun in full display the moment had finally come to bring out our inflatable canoe for its maiden voyage once we had pumped it full of air we set it in the water and ventured out onto the lake okay we did it General the Inland of the fin Mark is dominated by low Downy birch trees with the occasional City offering some variation as the sun was about to set we drove through an impressive Canyon and spotted some shy Bull Moose on a clearing before leaving the fin mark behind we decided to go on one more hike which involved Crossing several small streams at the end of the trail we looked into the depth of the Alta Canyon 400 meters below the ever Restless Alta River has carved out no less than the largest canyon of Northern Europe aside from its Landscaping prowess the Alta Elba is also regarded as one of the world's best rivers to catch salmon two weeks in the far north went by way too quickly but now it was time for us to Drive South again along the way we headed on many gravel roads taking in as much of the scenery as we could special surprise awaited us at gocha Brewer yeah a roaring waterfall Thunders over the ledge with unbridled strength creating swirling clouds of mist in the process over the centuries the river has cut a deep gorge into the landscape ferocity of the water remains Untamed a little further south our path led us into uh dividal National Park but rarely visited Wilderness Area bordering Sweden we found the region to be perfectly suited to relax in the quiet of the forest as well as the forage for wild berries the next day an almost forgotten full return immediately causing Havoc along the road as well as reeling our view of stating Norway's National Mountain naturally that didn't stop me from going out hiking although the trail was not necessarily easy to follow oh my goodness little did I know what was waiting ahead there's a moose right there it's a female this doesn't have any of the antlers I think it's the closest I've ever been to a moose maybe 12 meters of distance between me and the mouse trying to be as still as possible not disturb it in any way amazingly this moose did not seem to mind my presence at all as it peacefully continued to feed nearby to retain their weight moves must consume up to 30 kilograms of plants each day which they do by browsing for young shoots bewildering was how an animal of that size can simply vanish behind some bushes shortly after I left the forest and was welcomed by a large waterfall dropping into an imposing Valley the resulting River Meander through the landscape forming many interesting shapes the only way to safely cross over the turbulent stream is via swinging wooden bridge and runs directly at the waterfall's crest sometime later a slightly smaller River denied me such a luxurious way of Passage officially leaving Northern Norway behind we continuously headed south while looking for a campsite We Came Upon the green border with Sweden before needing to cross a rocky Street supposedly there are plenty of moves in the forests of East and Norway which is why we put up our Trail camps each night however aside from ourselves looking at the stars we never captured anything well at least not at night one late evening we stumbled Upon A Norway lemming close to our camp this tiny rodent was no larger than the plum but it surely had an appetite munching voraciously on every cross stalk in its way it was surprisingly unafraid of our presence in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the lemming at its nest we set up our cameras but instead of a lemming we captured a skittish little shrew that evening the sunset was wonderful to look at he was only surpassed by the night sky and the faint climber of the Aurora was summer break returned to the dance floor similar to Sweden east of Norway is characterized by large woodlands and innumerable Lakes every day we were on the hunt to find another beautiful campsite which more often than not meant that we ended up on small Forest Trails sometimes that even required a bit of track clearing 9 out of 10 times our efforts totally paid off though towards the end of our trip we decided to go on one more Big Adventure my goodness having settled our backpacks we waited for the ferry that would take us across the large lake famous one hour later we stepped off the boat and started to head into the wild thank you have a good one passing through a marvelous carnivorous Forest we were embraced by silence in an area visited by few before long we left the trees behind and continued on an Alpine plateau here things got rather busy as we spotted one other human in the distance luckily we were all alone at the spot we had chosen as our campsite for the next two nights foreign whereas it had been cloudy on the day we walked in the sun came out on the second day taking things very slowly this was one of our favorite days in Norway snuggle up in our tent we spent plenty of time reading or simply marveling at the landscape especially striking was the pond behind our tent which had a row of trees reflect perfectly in the water thank you a core element of the Norwegian identity can be described by a deep connection with nature and that is no small part you to the elements the right to roam which gives every Norwegian the right to explore nature at their own liking and that of course includes walking on hiking trails or exploring across open country as well as putting up a tent somewhere in nature or picking wild berries and mushrooms yummy and I think that this is one of the reasons why Norway is always at the Forefront of Environmental Protection because it is only by experiencing nature and all of its Glory that you truly understand the importance of protecting it in the evening we started a little fire which only added to the ambience that night we left out the camera to shoot a night laps this is what it captured oh the following morning was equally mesmerizing a blanket of fork covered the valley below while the sun was reflected enchantingly in the lake tearing ourselves away from the magic of this place we set out on the trail as we had a 17 kilometer walk ahead of us to our Delight we soon spotted large groups of reindeer additionally We Came Upon a European adder and even saw Wolverine in the distance reunited with our vehicle we made our way through the forests of Southeastern Norway while this part of the country lacks the mind-boggling grandchild it entices with its Stillness dominated by undulating woodlands and Serene Lakes it is perfectly suited to wind down after a long trip always pushing sound we slowly made our way towards Norway's capital with a population of more than one million ush law is by far the largest city of the country as well as the residents of the Royal Family because it burned down several times in the past wolshlo is lacking a conventional Old Town only a couple historic buildings remain in a city that otherwise seems rather modern both in spirit and architecture adding one more highlight to our trip we visited a stunning Lakeside sauna that provides wonderful Vistas through its large glass windows and then on our last day Norway beat us farewell in a manner only fitting off this trip after 10 weeks having driven 14 000 kilometers our grand Norwegian road trip came to its conclusion arriving on countless roads too Scenic to comprehend we experienced all seasons of Norway often within a single day Norway taught us to look for beauty in the seemingly bleak to appreciate the small things as much as the monumental and above all to enjoy the ride for every road trip is a journey full of Wonders
2023-08-29 21:01
