To the west coast by a new route

Tuesday, I set out for the west coast. I had originally intended to go the usual way over the mountains and down Lærdal to Sogndal, then along the Sognefjord to Fortun and up the hillside into the mountains. However, my landlady had tipped me that there was another road, going down to Årdal and then up into the mountains further east. So I took that one instead

The first deviation from the "normal" route comes at Tyin, where you take the road down to Årdal. The road takes you past still icy lakes, snow-clad mountains and waterfalls galore.

A couple of miles after you take off towards Årdal (road 53), is lake Tyin. In mid-June it was still mostly frozen.


From the lake, the river Tya runs through several small lakes down into lake Årdalsvatnet, which again empties out into the Atlantic Ocean.


There's tons of water coming down the mountainside everywhere you look.




This is Lake Holsbru, the last lake before the river starts falling deep, deep down into Årdalsvatnet.


The sign reads "Danger! Unsafe ice". I say.


Looking down on Øvre Årdal. There's construction work to improve the road with several new tunnels and stuff, but the present drive is somewhat terrifying... and magnificent, of course.


Down in Øvre Årdal, I took a side road along the river Utla to the waterfall of Hellefossen. Here, I stuffed face on a banana and some pastry I had bought up at Tyin. Driving the tiny bridge right in front of the waterfall felt like being inside a car wash. Look:


It's a mighty fine waterfall.


Looking back on the waterfall.


It's cool how the sunlight reflects in the plume of water spraying from the falls.


Beautiful colors. Ah do lubs me a summer meadow.


Where the road takes off into the Utla Valley, there's a memorial to the hardy men who built the road over the mountain that I had traveled so cavalierly. It took them 29 years to build.




The road from Årdal up into the mountains of Jotunheimen (Home of the Giants).


Looking back down...


There's even more rivers coming down up here...






Power lines cross the mountains. Hydroelectric power made Norway a wealthy nation long before the oil was found.


Then there were the mountains proper. The views up there are just gaaaah.






Almost looks like smoke from a volcano. Blissfully, the Norwegian volcanoes went to sleep millions of years ago.


The road goes ever on and on...


There's a small automatic toll boot up in the mountains. Cost me NOK90 (appx. $9-10).


Gaaaaah.


Once down in the valleys to the north of Jotunheimen, I went a few miles east and then back south again over a mountain plateau known as Valdresflye. I stopped at at restaurant called Bessheimen to stuff face on veal and caramel pudding. It was pricey, but good.




A cute little sheep was stuffing face just up the hillside.


Down in Valdres, I stopped to stuff face on a soft serve ice cream cone, because I'm a weak willed glutton. Don't judge me!