Walking in the Flam Valley and Riding the Flam Railway
2 Nights at an Historic Wilderness Hotel
Summer
Walking in Norway
Discover the natural wonders of the Fjord, fell and moorlands of Western
Norway the walking way! This is a multifaceted trip, a heady mixture of
highland walks, with different levels of difficulty, through the
magnificent landscapes carved by ice. You will visit beautiful Sognefjord
and go right up to the edges of the retreated glaciers that created this
rich scenery so long ago. Then there are the lusher, pastoral settings of
the Flam and Aurland valley: forests, dreamy waterfalls and traditional
churches. You leave the area on the steepest standard gauge railway in the
world with some of the most spectacular scenery that you could wish for.
On reaching Oslo, the Norwegian Capital, you take the train up to Geilo at
the foot of the Hardangervidda Plateau. From here a choice of routes
either take you high into the Hallingskarvet Mountains for a mountain hike
boasting rarefied panoramas or more gentle walking around the local lakes.
The following morning you take the train to the little mountain hamlet of
Finse.
With peaks and glaciers all around, you can see why Captain Scott decided
to do his Antarctic training here! From your hotel you can climb high to
the spectacular viewpoint of Sankt Pal or you can wander onto the
mountainsides under the Hardanger Glacier. Alternatively from this
accommodation (for a local payment) you can, in reasonable weather, decide
to don crampons and head up onto the blue ice of the glacier on an
excursion led by a local guide.
Continuing by train to Myrdal, we then walk down towards Sognefjord via
the green Flam valley accompanied by the sounds of the waters cascading
down dozens of waterfalls from the valleysides to the sea. After a night
here a ferry is taken to Aurland, and you could continue to do a half day
mini Norwegian cruise!
Time in Aurland and Flam is spent by the fantastic Sognesfjord, which
carves its way an impressive 204 km from the coast – the longest fjord
in the world - and at 1300m depth, it is also claimed to be the deepest
and narrowest. Depending upon the weather there are a mixture of walks you
can do from here, one of the best is to take a local bus to Ovstebo and to
follow the valley tracks through the Mountain Ash, valley cascades and
farms to Vassbygdi, returning in the evening to Aurland by local bus.
Duration: 7 nights/8 days Tour Code: JNO Grade: Moderate - Challenging
(long day options and snow at altitude). Day Stages:
Minimum 10km, max 20km.
(4 - 8 hours walking)
7
nights/8 days - Our first hotel for two nights is in Geilo,
located on the Hardanger - Vidda mountain plateau and boasts a small
indoor swimming pool, a sauna, tennis court and bar; as well as
modernised rooms that nevertheless retain that historical touch. The
following two nights are spent in a splendid ‘mountain cabin’ in
Finse. It was built for the opening of the Bergen line in 1909
as a shelter for snowbound trains and their passengers and was later
rebuilt into a multi star hotel. It is a place out of the ordinary
with an outstanding location in a true wilderness situation. It has
a first rate kitchen, a pub which is inspired by the railway history
and again an historical atmosphere. To sort out any walking aches,
there is a sauna, ice baths and a Turkish steam bath. In Flam
for one night we are right by the waters of the Sognefjord in a more
basic, but cosy pension. The dining room has a panoramic view over
the fjord on which, on those long summer evenings you could even
rent a canoe. The final two nights are spent in beautiful Aurland,
once again overlooking the fjord. Our hotel here boasts excellent
rooms and memorable meals.
Note:
The hamlet of Finse is in a beautiful location and there are no
roads in or out. You have to use the trains between Oslo, Geilo and
Finse, and Finse to Flam. On these movements between hotels you have
to take your luggage with you, but there is little walking distance
involved. (Trains not included in cost).
Sherpa
Notes
Waymarking
The areas are generally well waymarked. The walking terrain has
numerous trails, cairns and paint marks provided by the Norwegian
Mountain Touring Association (DNT).
Accommodation and
Meals
Half board accommodation - dinner, bed and breakfast each night in 3
pleasant hotels & 1 more basic pension. Packed lunch items can
be obtained from all the hotels. Two picnic lunches are included.
The hotel will explain that you make this up from the buffet
breakfast.
Start and End of Tour
To reach the first hotel at Geilo take a train from Oslo (approx 3
trains a day, takes 3.5 hours).
Return to airport early morning bus or taxi from Aurland to Flam
taking 15 mins, then an hour on the scenic train from Flam on
Sognefjord to Myrdal and onwards arriving mid afternoon in Oslo (not
included).
We
would recommend customers have an extra night in Oslo as there is a
lot to see.
