If you happen to’re occupied with bicycle touring in lovely Scandinavia and exploring the deep water fjords of western Norway, you’ve come to the suitable place!
I just lately accomplished The Fjord Biking Route Bike Tour supplied by a Norwegian firm referred to as Berg Fritid. I loved the bike tour a lot, I’d prefer to take a second proper now and share with you the entire essential particulars of the journey to get you inspired and in your method. As you learn via this text, one can find all the main points of this self-guided bicycle tour; plus a abstract of the Fjord Biking Route Bike Tour alongside the Sognefjord; an outline of the inns you’ll keep in all through the tour; and naturally, lovely pictures from alongside the route.
Essential Bike Tour Info
Title: The Fjord Biking Route
Tour Firm: Berg Fritid
Official Tour Web site: www.bergfritid.no
Bike Tour Sort: Self-Guided
Tour Size: 5 days / 4 nights
Beginning/Ending Location: Matre, Norway
Complete Biking Distance: 203 km / 126 miles
Value: 5,350 NOK (about $645 USD)
Non-compulsory: This tour will be made longer by reserving additional nights at any of the inns alongside the route.
Earlier than The Tour Begins
With this self-guided biking tour (organized by Berg Fritid) you might be in for an actual deal with! All it’s a must to do is get to Norway for the beginning of the tour!
The tour begins and ends within the small city of Matre, Norway. Matre is a 90 minute bus experience north from Bergen – the second largest metropolis in Norway. Bergen is price a go to for its many sightseeing and vacationer actions and is well reachable as it’s dwelling to a world airport. Take into account staying in Bergen’s metropolis middle a minimum of an evening or two earlier than the tour begins. The following day (the beginning of your tour) you possibly can simply discover the central bus station in downtown Bergen and take the 8:00 am or 12:30 pm bus (#430) into Matre.
Tour Overview
After arriving to Matre within the early afternoon on the primary day of the tour, you should have time to go to the Bjorn West Museum the place you’ll study the historical past of how the world was affected throughout World Warfare II. It’s straightforward to see how nature has performed a task within the historical past and improvement of this small city. Studying about Matre will get you enthusiastic about all that you will notice within the few days of biking forward of you; most particularly the character you will notice, really feel and breath in on the bike.
From Matre, you’ll cycle simply 17 kilometers north-east till you attain your first resort, the Stordalen Fjellstove. There’s a steep uphill problem throughout this primary day of biking, however the surroundings is so fascinating you’ll hardly really feel the burn.
You might want to add an additional evening onto the tour right here on the Stordalen Fjellstove to benefit from the lakefront resort and surrounding space – particularly the mountain biking (climate allowing). If you’re occupied with mountain biking, Berg Fritid, will give you mountain bikes on the resort. I may have stayed any variety of additional nights at this resort (or actually any of them alongside the best way). I used to be particularly taken by this lakefront resort’s views, the cabin-like really feel, the beneficiant downstairs seating, nice meals and pleasant employees.
Your second day of biking (and longest at 66 km) will take you farther north to the waters of the Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and deepest fjord. Biking alongside the sting of the highway the place the land meets the water was spectacular! Being on the bike will can help you totally respect and absorb the great thing about this really distinctive space.
You’ll finally flip to the west, biking alongside paved roads that observe the water of the Sognefjord, which provides attractive views of calm waters, inexperienced foliage, pink cabins and snow-spotted mountains. It’s right here that you’ve got the choice of stopping on the Massnes Wildlife Museum, which is a unusual assortment of an area man’s passions for nature and animals, which you will notice within the quite a few taxidermy shows. It’s nicely price a go to as you’ll study in regards to the many animals of the world and certain be enamored with the proprietor. Plus, it provides a break from the bike earlier than reaching the resort Brekkestranda.
The Brekkestranda (your resort for the evening) is an architectural magnificence with darkish wooden partitions, a grass roof, loads of home windows and never a single proper angle. The view of the Sognefjord from the resort is eternally imprinted in my thoughts and can undoubtedly make an impression on you as nicely. We loved a three-course dinner there and wakened with a plentiful breakfast buffet.
The third day of biking is a 46 kilometer bike experience that can take you to essentially the most western a part of the Sognefjord, then south into the small historic city of Eivindvik. This was my favourite day of the bike tour as we encountered an extended downhill the delivered us to a path proper close to the water. Being on the bike on that type of a highway was such an adrenaline rush. All of my senses have been engaged, together with scent when the salty air blasted us proper earlier than we reached the underside.
I keep in mind a troublesome hill towards the top of the day that took us handed the small city of Djnga, however I additionally keep in mind waterfalls trickling down the edges of the mountain, simply close to our highway.
The Eivindvik fjord resort is correct on the water and and centrally situated within the small city so you possibly can simply discover, or calm down on the balcony and simply take within the views. On the Eivindvik Fjord Lodge, I used to be delighted by the hospitable employees and recent brewed espresso within the afternoon once we arrived. I additionally loved the recent baked bread supplied as one of many many choices within the breakfast buffet.
The fourth day of the Fhjord Biking Route bike tour begins with a ferry experience to town of Mjømna. There’s a direct ferry (lower than thirty minutes), or an extended one (simply over an hour) that you may take to see most of the small islands across the western a part of the nation. From Mjømna, get pleasure from spectacular views as you cycle 32 kilometers over bridges connecting completely different islands and previous the world’s second largest oil refinery.
The final stretch follows alongside a river the place one can find the Froyset Gardsmat – your charming farmhouse resort. As soon as on the resort, you possibly can select to regroup for a little bit of dust highway path using in a close-by valley or maybe a brief native hike. Or in the event you favor, you possibly can merely sit and calm down on this charming farmhouse. I personally couldn’t get sufficient of this farmhouse and would love to return to spend extra time there.
The final day is a 42 kilometer experience that takes you principally alongside a river and again into the tiny city of Matre the place the tour started. You’ll be able to select to cease within the small city of Solheim earlier than the final leg of the journey, however control your time in case you are headed again to Bergen. During which case you’ll want to permit time to return your luggage, reorganize and catch the 16:50 bus. The previous few hundred meters of your tour are a bumpy downhill on an outdated highway that can take you straight again to the Bjorn West Museum.
Being an energetic vacationer offered such a way of accomplishment, which was an awesome feeling to take dwelling with me, together with the various great recollections.
Click on right here to see extra pictures from my private bicycle touring expertise on the Fjord Biking Route bike tour.
The Motels & Lodging
I used to be charmed by each one of many inns on the bike tour and I’m certain you may be too. Some language and cultural boundaries must be anticipated when touring in overseas nations; however each resort employees member we met spoke English and was useful, pleasant and accommodating. Each resort had free wi-fi and was capable of cater to particular dietary preferences.
STORDALLEN FJELLSTOVE
The lengthy kitchen counter is the place one can find your room key whenever you test into this charming resort with its lovely pink exterior. The placement, located on a small lake, is right because it provides lovely views of lake water, snow-spotted hills, waterfalls and occasional sheep passing by. The eating room provides a number of seating, and adjoining sitting rooms are excellent for sitting again with a cup of tea or espresso. The rooms are charming with wooden accents (we had picket bunk beds!) flannel curtains and spotless white loos.
BREKKESTRANDA
You’ll acknowledge this resort whilst you’re nonetheless on the bike, using in the direction of it. Its roof is a grassy garden – a brilliant inexperienced distinction to the resort’s darkish brown, picket exterior. What actually stands out is the structure. The architect that designed the resort had specs that there wouldn’t be a single proper angle within the resort. Even among the home windows and doorways that appear to have proper angles are tilted by a minimum of one diploma. The variety of home windows is really spectacular – most of them a distinct form. The home windows supply loads of pure gentle into the well-designed rooms and a beautiful view exterior of the waters of the Sognefjord.
EIVINDVIK FJORD HOTEL (Gulen Lodge)
As you experience into the candy, small city of Eivindvik, you’ll be hoping that your resort is correct within the middle of city. You’ll be pleased to seek out that it’s, plus it’s proper subsequent to a grocery store and located on the water’s edge. The inside is extra fashionable than the opposite inns on this bike tour; it feels prefer it was just lately reworked. We loved the lengthy balcony that missed the water.
FRØYSETH GARDSMAT
Selfmade indicators on poster board will enable you discover your method to this outdated farmhouse that has been transformed right into a resort. Shortly after, you’ll meet the couple that owns the place and the husband’s mom who does the entire cooking. The farmhouse has just a few rooms to select from – all of them furnished with antiques; the beds coated in handmade quilts. You’ll have entry to the kitchen, newly refinished rest room, laundry machine, and lovable sitting room. The encircling space provides mountaineering, strolling or extra biking in the event you so select. You may make your journey longer by staying at any one in every of these charming inns; however this one was my private favourite.
Who Is This Bike Tour Designed For?
This self-guided bike tour in lovely fjord Norway is right for these capable of cycle for a number of hours a day and canopy reasonable distances. The whole tour is on paved roads, however there are many uphill (and downhills) every day. If you’re intimidated, be mindful that a mid-morning begin every day permits for loads of breaks for taking within the surroundings, consuming, re-hydrating, or simply resting! Moreover, you possibly can request so as to add an additional evening’s keep onto any of the inns alongside the best way to have a break day the bike.
Additionally, take into account that you gained’t be touring with a information, so cyclists will have to be assured in map-reading/navigating and repairing their bikes. It is a self-guided tour, which means you may be offered the instruments and supplies to finish the journey by yourself. The corporate is at all times out there by cellphone however you may be anticipated to observe the map and instructions and perform any vital repairs.
Benefits of a Self-Guided Bike Tour
I discovered {that a} self-guided tour suited my journey model and has many advantages:
1. Eradicate the planning – your bikes, your route, your inns and your meals are all organized for you prematurely by the tour firm, Berg Fritid.
2. Select your journey companion – This isn’t a bunch tour, so that you resolve who you wish to journey with. You’ll be able to even journey alone in the event you like; Norway is a secure nation with low crime charges.
3. Go at your personal tempo – No must sustain with a big group. You’ve the map and the instruments to get you thru every day and you’ve got loads of time to get pleasure from every day, or in the event you favor, to race alongside at your personal tempo.
4. Keep at a resort every evening – The inns are organized for you alongside with breakfast, lunch and dinner at each – a beautiful begin and end to a day of biking.
Extra Prices
Your inns, breakfast, lunch and dinner will probably be supplied with the price of the tour, however you’ll wish to have some more money available. The Norwegian forex is the Norwegian Krone. It’s out there for change on the Bergen airport and out there to withdrawal at ATMs alongside your route. Debit and bank cards are broadly accepted however I prefer to journey with a minimum of a little bit of native forex.
Listed below are a couple of of the extra bills to remember:
Bus tickets – you’ll have to pay in your bus experience to and from Matre in addition to any transportation the day earlier than and after your tour.
Ferry experience – The fare for the ferry experience on the fourth day of the journey isn’t included. It price 95 Krone and will be paid for with money or card.
Snacks and drinks – All meals are included with the bike tour, however you may wish to cease for snacks or drinks alongside the route. There are some supermarkets alongside the best way and likewise a couple of small shops the place you possibly can cease for a relaxation and get one thing to drink.
Lodge in Bergen – All resort lodging is included alongside the best way, however it’s endorsed you keep in Bergen the evening earlier than the journey begins.
Fjord Biking Route Bike Tour – Abstract
Norway has a lot to supply: historical past, hospitality, nature and surroundings. I discovered extra on this journey than I had imagined and I received to benefit from the nature and surroundings by being proper in it on the bike. I used to be overwhelmed by the kindness of all of the folks we encountered alongside the best way. I used to be pleasantly stunned by even the smallest issues, like not having to lock our bikes and consuming recent water out of the faucet. I loved the worry-free ease with which we may journey as a result of Berg Fritid took care of the entire logistics for us. And I do know you’ll get pleasure from many comparable issues whereas additionally creating your personal distinctive expertise whenever you observe The Fjord Biking Route.
If you’re occupied with studying extra about this journey, you may wish to learn the day-by-day of my very own expertise right here: www.bicycletouringpro.com/bike-across-norway/
Save
Save