Traveller's Tales: Norway's Fjordland with Chris Weiss

Chris, drawn by his son's Norwegian ancestry and their shared desire for a rugged adventure, found the perfect Fjordland itinerary with Walkers' Britain & Europe. Read how this father-son duo explored the natural wonders of western Norway's pristine fjords and what they did to prepare themselves.

Why did you choose your trip?

My son has some Norwegian ancestry and lives in a part of the US that is heavily populated by Norwegian immigrants. We've talked about travelling to Norway for a long time, but the logistical hurdles always seemed too overwhelming until we found Walkers' Britain & Europe. We were looking for a rugged adventure in a cool climate where we would not have to carry all the equipment required to backpack. The Fjordland tour offered by Walkers' Britain & Europe seemed ideal for us.

How did you prepare?

Walkers' Britain & Europe was very helpful. The detailed logistical reference book provided prior to our trip answered almost every one of our questions, including topographic maps, step-by-step hiking directions and the flexibility to choose from a variety of hikes at each location. Although the maps provided were very adequate, we ended up buying the original Norwegian maps in Geilo, which gave us a broader perspective of the tour.

Before the trip, we watched the weather closely and packed our clothing in anticipation of a wide range of conditions. We're used to hiking in the Rocky Mountains and understand the need for lightweight, breathable clothing that can be layered for both summer and near-winter conditions on the same day hike. On our day hikes, we each carried four or five lightweight upper layers and three lower layers including a rainproof shell, and we used them all on more than one occasion.

We've been stranded by weather in the outback before and always carry enough water, food, shelter and fire starters to make such an event tolerable if not comfortable. The trick is fitting all of this, along with a hearty lunch, into a very small day pack.

What was the best part of your trip?

We loved so many parts of the trip, especially Finse and the Flam Valley. We chose to depart from the plan and rented bicycles rather than walk the road through the Flam Gorge — I would recommend adding this option for anyone who enjoys the Fjordland adventure. The cycling was beautiful and provided plenty of time to stop, enjoy lunch and take in the amazing views, including several worthwhile side trips.

We also loved Aurland. The hike from Ostebo to Vassbygdi was a huge highlight, and the following day we added a kayak rental in Aurland from a wonderfully relaxed operation along the shore in town. The weather was marvellous and we kayaked to the other side of the fjord and went cliff diving into the deep, cool waters.

And the most challenging part?

The hike from Ostebo to Vassbygdi was marked as "challenging" in the route notes and it certainly lived up to that. At the same time, it was one of the biggest highlights of the entire trip.

Your favourite destination?

Finse was stark and wonderful. The hikes to the north of the lodge are like nothing we've ever experienced — the contrast between the rock and the colourful mosses and lichens made the place feel almost otherworldly. Our bike ride through the Flam Gorge was breathtaking, and Aurland, though quiet and relaxed, offered the best hikes of the trip: rugged, beautiful and utterly memorable.

We especially loved kayaking along the fjord opposite Aurland's shore, diving and swimming in the frigid waters at the base of thousand-foot waterfalls. We also chose to take the Express Ferry from Aurland to Bergen rather than return to Oslo through Flam and Myrdal, which meant we saw the entire length of the breathtaking Sognefjord as a fitting end to our journey.

Best food and drink?

The food was great. The best were the wonderful roadside markets and the buffets in Geilo and Finse. Beer and wine was a little expensive for our tastes and we were hiking too hard to do much more than sample a small taste of the local brew. The clear water that spills everywhere along the trails was clean and wonderful — we treated it with a UV light just in case, but it was some of the best water we've ever tasted.

>> View the Fjordland self-guided walking holiday