Norway 2009  - Sogne Fjord

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The 190 mile crossing of the Norwegian Sea to Norway was hot, calm and uneventful.  We had to motor most of the way, and stopped for a swim, which is rather unusual in open water so far North.

We saw a dozen or so oil platforms in the distance, and passed this on quite closely.  they are an impressive size.

(Double click to see full size, then use the back button on your browser to return here)
Our landfall in Norway was at the South side of the entrance to Sogne Fjord.  There are hundreds of rocky islands, initially quite bare, but as we worked through the narrow, deep and well charted channels between them, we started seeing trees clinging to the rock.  Most of the outer islands are uninhabited, but there are a few summer homes to be seen.
Our first stop was in Eivindvik, a small village about 20 miles in from the open coast.

Next morning we hiked up a network of paths above the village.

Milvina is tied up at the dock near the center of the photo.  Wiz, Helen and Watson were all feeling the heat, as I was.

As we entered the Sogne Fjord proper the next day, we saw the glaciers far inland.  The fjord sides are not very steep at this stage

 Spectacular waterfalls abound, particularly since we were early enough to see the snow-melt flowing, and lucky enough to have sunny weather almost all the time.

This one is in Sogne Fjord
We were surprised to seen many small farms in the fjords, on slopes that few North American or British farmers would consider worth working.

We have to admire the Norwegian farmer's tenacity.
We had to motor a lot in the fjords, due to lack of wind.

Notice the farm in the middle of this photo.  Now a summer place, it was somebody's living till a generation or so ago.We were constantly fascinated by the tenacity of Norwegian farmers.
Look at the angle of this fresh mowed hayfield, and also the tiny farm 2/3  way up the hill across the fjord.

The village of Undredal has a hundred or so houses and  a church.  It was accessible only by boat till a few years ago when a tunnel about 10 km long was cut through the mountains to it.
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