Hello all,

I'm not a regular poster here but I always try to post reports on my adventures I get up to as a gesture of thanks for the advice everyone provides on here when I do post. This trip I did in July last year, a month after I got married and had enjoyed 10 days in the Maldives …all inclusive not a great way to prepare for the undulations of Norway.

So, for those who haven't been to Norway, I will start off by saying…I think it changed my life and is an outdoor lovers paradise. I had visited Bergen and its surroundings when I was about ten years old…me and my parents with a pickup truck, pop-up camper and canoe on top for good measure…touring around for two weeks was amazing, but it was a place I always wanted to go back to as an adult.

The route I chose was very much based around two iconic sites I wished to see…Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten which both lie on the Lysefjord near Stavanger. However, I wanted to make the trip a bit of physical adventure also, so decided to do it all via the help of my Felt mountain bike.

The trip did take a few months to sort, mostly around sorting the best routes to take…or should I say, the least uphill routes. Then we (I went with a friend) had to factor in ferry times and possible campsites along the route we could stop at. With a nice BA flight booked for £120, including 23kg checkin allowance which covered my bike and extras, I was pretty much set.

Gear List

Probably more but here's the main things I can remember taking...

REI Lookout 40 rucksack
Trespass 2litre bladder
Water filter straw
Vango Helix 100
Gelert ultralite 800 sleeping bag
x2 shorts x2 tshirts
Torch
Coleman ultralite stove
Mess tin + Spork
Portable power pack (invaluable)
Smash + beef jerky
iPod + Camera + selfie stick

Day 1
So upon arrival in Stavanger it was bright sunshine which certainly did boost our morale through the roof. I had arranged to leave our bike cases at the airport parking attendant office (20krones for the week). After putting my bike together though it was soon obvious my bike had taken a battering enroute and I would learn the hard way why it's worth investing in a hard case. The sprocket was bent and the gearings were all over the shop so the first 10 miles from the airport to the city were pretty tough…especially with a tent strapped to your bike + 17kg on my back. As we trekked on, indefinitely our iPhones became of great use searching for local bike shops, however, the two we found simply said I had to book my bike in and they could not fix it here and now. At this point, my morale instantly dropped as I knew my bike wouldn't last the course of the trip. However, we had one more shop lined up, right next to a camping shop and boy was I lucky. The polish bike technician in the shop was able to fix my bike inside an hour, giving us time to get some stove fuel from the shop next door. An hour later and a few hundred krones lighter, my bike was fixed…well near enough. It felt good and we carried on to the ferry port in Stavanger where we aimed to get across to the start of the fjord before nightfall.

In total on our journey we would take 3 ferries…one from Stavanger to Tau, then Forsand to Lysebotn, then Lyseboton back to Stavanger. The ferry from Stavanger to Tau was pretty cool and really showed what life was like in a Norwegian coastal city in summer. People along the quayside in bars and restaurants, people out in there speedboats all whilst families and travellers crammed onto the ferry to head out of the city. The ferry only took about half an hour and it gave us a chance to rest our legs and try a real Norwegian treat…a hot dog with crispy friend onions and spicy mustard. By the time we had go to Tau it was around 5pm. We had been up since 4:30am and running low on sleep but decided we felt we could cover a bit further and find a quiet spot on the fjord to camp…and boy were we rewarded. Our first night we spent wild camping on the edge of a bay, with mountains towering over either side of us. We had pine trees all around us with some clearings for the tents and had the midnight sun to keep us company as we settled down for some smash and beef jerky.

Day 2 & 3
The next morning we awoke early to an old timer out in his boat, fishing with nets. He didn't batter an eyelid at us, just knowing we were some lads out camping and that we would leave the spot as we found it. This was something I loved about Norway. Everyone loves the outdoors, and everyone seems to trust everyone not to abuse it. The fisherman could have come over and asked a hundred questions and watched us straighten every blade of grass back up…but he didn't and I'm sure if he checked after we left he would have been happy. On with the day and we had a short bike trip up to Preikestolen campsite where we would set up our tents and plan our next moves. We paid 30 krones for 2 nights which included showers and were also informed of a helicopter fjord tour which was on in the evening and we could pay to do We decided to change our plans slightly and spend two nights here, day 2 looking around the local area then day 3 doing the Preikestolen hike and helicopter tour.

Preikestolen we actually ended up seeing from the top, from above and from the bottom and from every angle it was truly amazing. The hike up took about 2hrs and was fairly busy. At the half way point we found some mountain lakes where people were swimming and cooling down which was much appreciated…although I was keen to press on and sit on the edge of a rock I had dreamt of visiting for a while. The walk to the top was definitely worth it though and I did shamefully take a selfie sat on the ledge. We spent about half an hour up there in the sun…taking in the views before making our way back down which would be made easier by using a zipline service on offer Whilst this was really cool and a great way to end the hike, the highlight of the day would be the helicopter ride. 50krones for 15mins up to Preikestolen. Expensive but truly amazing. At the end of the day, we ended up sharing a bottle of Tullamore Dew and a few cans of Norwegian cider with some Dutch guys who were spending 2 weeks seeing Norway before finishing in Tromso. Despite at 6am start to cycle for a ferry we finished the booze and slept well

Day 4
Today we would cycle to Forsands and catch a ferry to Lysebton which is at the end of Lysefjord. As we awoke from a tents, it certainly was fresh, but again the sun was out and we were the first ones up and riding downhill…taking in the fresh nordic air. After a few uphill stages, we came to a LONG downhill section with a tunnel in. We had been warned about some of the tunnels in Norway so whacked our lights on and got our speed up. It felt like forever going through the tunnel but we got through and were soon at Forsands where we found a small shop just opened which served us a truly tasty Norwegian pastry called Skollerboller…which I washed down with a coffee as we looked out of Lysefjord watching the fish jump about.
The ferry we caught was a tourist ferry which did tours of the fjord so it cost 40krones although it was well worth it. The fjords really are a wonder…the mountains either side make you feel quite insignificant but at the same time truly chilled as the lush blue water glistens in the sun. The ferry took 2hrs to get to Lysebotn where we would setup camp…and I have to say…I thought camping at Inverie (Knoydart) was amazing…my tent looking down the fjord though was awe inspiring.
By now my mates knee had started to give him some grief and he decided rather than risk ruining the whole trip…he would sit out climbing to Kjeragbolten. So, I filled my bladder and my pack with a few snacks and got going…catching a lift with the base jump club minibus up to the start point who kindly also let me throw my bike in. This trek was less busy…perhaps because I started about 3pm but as I trekked across the mountains with just me and my iPod, I couldn't stop looking at the views…and I had 3G so did a quick FaceTime to the wife. From the start point it took me 90mins to get to Kjeragbolten…and by this point I was fully set on walking on to it…despite having hesitations about actually going on it before I left. Some Scots who were touring on motorbikes also kindly took some photos of me on it. Again, this was a truly great moment for me as I'd wanted to visit the spot for years…and thus I took another selfie. When I got back down to the start point I knew I hadn't completed everything on my trip…I still had the 27 hairpins. One of the greatest roads in the world…all downhill….zigzagging through the mountains and even with a long tunnel section. What a way to finish. Sunset…cool summer breeze and some Kygo (a Norwegian DJ) to keep me company as glided all the way down…then some sold beer at the camp bar to top it off. As we had some beers, we even managed to watch some base jumpers coming down…although one did end up smashing into the mountain and require mountain rescue out. 2hrs later they found him alive and he was taken to Stavanger. I believe he lived thankfully but whilst it looks an amazing sport, it's something that looks endlessly dangerous. Anyway, alcohol helped me sleep that night and rest my head happy.

Day 5
Today we awoke early again and packed up to catch the first ferry back to Stavanger. Today was our day to explore the city, eat at the food festival and try and take in a bit more mainstream Norwegian life. We had a camp site just near the city centre in a park which was cool and then we were able to cycle into the food festival (Gladmat). We found quite a cool play park made up of old sailing / fishing related things before we headed to the old town and quayside for food and drinks.

Even though our trip was only 6 days…we managed to pack loads in and it was great to finish in the city…fully washed, without ferries to catch and we could just chill and reflect on a truly great adventure. We still had a small cycle back to the airport in the morning but that was nothing now…we'd conquered Norway (in our eyes anyway).

This whole trip (MINUS bike repairs) cost me about £350. Alcohol is really expensive out there (£10/pint roughly) BUT…if you camp and book your ferries in advance, it can be done on the cheap. I am now planning to go to Trolltunga (Bergen) this summer before hopefully going to Nepal later in the year.

I tell people Norway changed my life and they always ask me how? To be honest, I'm not really sure, perhaps it's the incredible landscapes or the fact the people truly love the outdoors. Either way, it has a place firmly in my heart…and my leg …Jeg Ønsker Å Leve …or in English…"I Want To Live"…from Oscar Wilde's famous quote…"I don't want to earn a living, I want to live".

Please see my YouTube videos below. One is a full video of the trip and the other is a video of riding down the 27 hairpins. Also enjoy the pics.

Do not hesitate to contact me for any advice if you want to do a similar trip. I have loads of links for ferries, campsites etc etc.

Thanks for reading this essay.

Josh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3yak1L_5g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZsJ4FOH6o