A few years ago my Dad sent me an email with a picture of a spectacular scene and jokingly said, “I have found the hike for you!” It was part of a collection of the “Best Hikes in the World” and the picture was of Pulpit Rock, a rocky cliff overlooking a fjord in Norway. I looked at the picture and suddenly Norway was on my radar. I had never thought about travelling to Norway, however Pulpit Rock looked like somewhere I would like to go someday!

The kids are growing up. Lexi is working full time and Jack and Ross both worked all summer during their university summer break. The only time we could travel between summer jobs and the start of school was the final ten days of the August. I knew that we had to plan something remarkable to entice the kids to join us for a family vacation and continue our tradition of summer family trips. I wanted to choose somewhere none of us had been and somewhere “off the beaten path”. I remembered my Dad’s email and started to research travelling to Norway. I called my friend Ingrid, a travel agent and got the ball rolling. I gave her the dates and the sites we wanted to see. I told her that we were seeking an adventure a day. We could hardly wait to get to what National Geographic Magazine described as, “The best unspoiled travel destination in the world”.

The journey to Norway is a long one. We flew overnight from Toronto to Copenhagen, then to Oslo and finally to Stavanger. We left home at 5 pm on a Friday afternoon and arrived at our first hotel on Saturday at 4 pm (10 am Toronto time). Stavanger is located at 60 N latitude (along the same line of latitude as Anchorage, Alaska) and 6 E longitude, (along the same line of longitude as Geneva, Switzerland).

Our hotel was situated on Stavanger’s bustling harbour, full of tourists and locals, out enjoying the sunshine on patios in front of colourful wooden buildings. We found a restaurant a few doors away and enjoyed our first taste of delicious Norwegian cuisine. I vowed to have fresh seafood every day of our holiday, as we sleepily devoured mussels, salmon and halibut. With 450,000 lakes and 25,000 km of coastline, Norway is the second largest exporter of seafood in the world.

The next morning we were met by Atle, the captain and owner of Athene, a Hanse 445 sailing yacht, our accommodations for the next two nights. Worried about seasickness, we all took seasickness medication and hopped aboard. We were greeted by Arvid, our chef and Atle’s Gilligan. Arvid could have stepped out of a Viking picture book, sporting a rustic skirt and a mane of thick red hair tied back in a bun. We couldn’t have asked for two nicer guys to be our hosts. We settled into comfy deck chairs on the foredeck and savored fresh cups of French pressed coffee. Shortly after our launch, Jack quickly accepted the challenge of being hoisted to the top of the mast, 20 m above the deck- “Look at me, I am the captain now!”

Following a delicious lunch, we met our hiking guide, Johanas, ready for our first adventure and the inspiration for this trip- Pulpit Rock! The weather was perfect with clear blue skies and 20 c. Pulpit Rock is 604 m above sea level and the manageable hiking trail is made up of stone steps, built by Nepalese sherpas. Feeling remarkably good, despite our jet lag, we scrambled up the mountain in no time. Pulpit Rock was full of tourists, everyone looking to get the quintessential photo of this dramatic location overlooking Lysefjorden. Lonely Planet rated Pulpit Rock as having, “The best view in the world” I don’t disagree, it is stunning! Dad, I am so glad you sent me a picture of this place. It was worth the journey!

We stood in line with the throngs of tourists from all over the world, all waiting to get a picture on the edge of the cliff. Some people daringly dangled their legs over the edge, however we stood as a group, while Johanas knowingly positioned himself for the optimal shot. The trip down the mountain took no time at all, and Johanas kept remarking at how we were the fastest group he had taken on this hike. At this point we were getting weary and ready to get back to our yacht. Johanas taught us a Norwegian tradition, to say, “Tak for turen”, meaning “Thanks for the hike”, at the end of a hike. This is a tradition I will seek to continue.

Arvid had spent the afternoon preparing a traditional meal of lamb shanks and mashed potatoes, cooked onshore over a roaring fire. We toasted our day with a shot of Aquavit, a Scandinavian spirit made of 40% alcohol. “Skål”, is “Cheers” in Norwegian, “Bånnski” is “Bottoms up”. We were all smiles as we enjoyed our feast, nestled in sheepskins, on the shore of a fjord with our yacht floating next to us. What a day! Soon it was time to crawl into our bunks, and in no time we were rocked to sleep.

The next day was Ross’s 19^th birthday and my objective was to make it as memorable as possible. After breakfast, Atle pulled up the anchors and steered our vessel along the fjord towards our next hike. We floated alongside a waterfall, pouring into the fjord, where Ross filled a horn of some of the world’s freshest water, perhaps containing some magical everlasting-life properties. Norway is home to ten of the highest waterfalls in Europe. Waterfalls also provide hydro-electric power, the main power source in Norway.

Today was the day for the Kjeragbolten Hike, where a boulder is wedged in a mountain crevice, 1000 m above sea level. Johanas met us at the trailhead and at the same time it started to rain. We were dressed for inclement weather, however when the rain comes down sideways with a blustery north wind, it is chilly and you get wet! There was some grumbling from the young people, yet the choice was simple- come with us or sit in the van for five hours while we go on one of the most famous hikes in Norway. We followed Johanas, as he taught us how to best navigate the slippery rocks and loose scree, 6 km uphill to our destination. To get on top of the famous boulder, one had to shuffle along a narrow ledge with no tether or harness. Paul, Jack and I quickly declared that we would not be taking this challenge. Our fearless Lexi announced that she would go first. Paul positioned himself to take the perfect photo while I hid my eyes and looked the other way. A thirty second scare gave us a few more gray hairs, when Lexi briefly panicked when she noticed, just as she was stepping off, that her shoelace was undone. All we heard from Ross was, “Lexi is in trouble”, as he ran around the corner to get Johanas. Thankfully, Lexi soon followed, after sidestepping carefully to avoid tripping herself into the deadly crevice. The birthday boy was next, courageously stepping up, posing for the ultimate Instagram photo and then down, without hesitation. I vigorously hugged them both and gave my head a shake- what was I thinking putting this challenge before them?!!

Johanas brought a bottle of Arvid’s homemade beer, for Ross to have his first legal beer at the top of Kjeragbolten. The rest of us drank a hot, traditional berry beverage, munched on chocolate bars and the sun came out. With the summit behind us, we carefully made our way down the mountain and back to our floating cabin. Arvid and David had been busy preparing a wood-fired hot tub on shore for our chilled and tired bodies. The hot tub easily fit the five of us, where we reflected on our day and enjoyed some beer, anticipating another gourmet meal. Back on the boat, and hot from the hot tub, Ross bravely jumped off the stern of the boat into the chilly fjord. He was in and out in no time because it was cold! It is my hope that Ross will never forget the day he turned 19!

The next morning our water-taxi (a RIB zodiac boat) picked us up after breakfast and whisked us back to Stavanger. We were thankful for the survival suits they provided, as it was raining as we sped along. To the boys’ delight, the driver turned the boat into the large wake created by passing ferryboats, causing us to be briefly airborne. Well, I did promise an adventure a day… yikes, more gray hair!

We picked up a rental car and started our 4-hour road trip to Hotel Ullensvang. We were impressed by the smooth, clean roads and countless long tunnels. Norway is a mountainous country, which would be difficult to navigate without the expertly constructed tunnels. Norway is home to the longest road tunnel in the world, which is 24.5 km long. It also has the deepest road tunnel in the world, which is 8 km long and 287 m deep. We even went in a tunnel that had a roundabout in the centre of a mountain with four roads heading different directions. In 1971, oil production began in Norway’s North Sea, forever changing the country and its economy. Now one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the infrastructure is the best I have seen in my world travels. In the rural areas, the roads became narrow, yet Paul expertly dodged oncoming tour buses and herds of sheep. We stopped to take pictures of one beautiful waterfall after another. Wherever we looked the scenery was glorious!

Our rooms faced the stunning Sorfjord with glacier-capped mountains in the background, towering over us. We chose to stay in this region, as it is the home to another iconic hike- HM Queen Sonja’s Panoramic Hike. Queen Sonia is married to Norway’s King, King Harald V. King Harald vowed to remain unmarried for life when his family said he could not marry his true love whom he had been secretly dating for nine years, a commoner and the daughter of a cloth merchant. He won that argument and they have been happily married since 1968. Queen is 80 years old and considers this to be her favourite hike in Norway. She hiked her trail just a few days after us! This hike is 17 km of changing elevation and beautiful scenery and was my favourite of our holiday.

Our hiking shoes were soaked from the previous day’s hike in the rain, so we all wore our running shoes. Lesson learned- always wear waterproof footwear when hiking in Norway as the trails are always wet. Our wet feet did not slow us down or dampen our spirits as we hiked this alpine wilderness trail. As we rose above the clouds, the kids found another dramatic ledge to pose for pictures and a rainbow appeared, like icing on a cake. On this hike we decided that going steadily up a mountain is far easier than steadily down. The final 8 km of downhill walking included descending 616 steps built by Monks and winding through ripe apple orchards. Our weary legs and wet feet could hardly wait to relax in the hotel’s sauna and hot tub.

The next morning, we headed to Voss, driving through more spectacular fjord landscapes. Voss is the playground hub of this part of Norway and a place where I wish we had stayed for more than one night. Not only a destination in the summer, there is a ski resort in Voss, with a run 5 km long. As we entered the town we saw a sports equipment store and made a stop. Our only souvenirs from the trip were purchased here- new waterproof hiking shoes for all, Norwegian style!

We stayed at Store Ringheim on the outskirts of Voss. Our first impression was that this was the Norwegian version of our favourite inn, The Fisher’s Loft, in Newfoundland. We were thrilled to spend a “quiet” day at this inn and loved our delightful rooms, Eldhuset and Opstelemmen. By far the nicest accommodations of our trip, the rooms just oozed Norwegian charm. We were booked to spend the day with Svein, the owner of the inn and we were not sure what to expect when we hopped in his van. Our day included gathering chanterelle mushrooms, fishing in a mountain river, a gentle hike up a mountain to a rustic cabin, herding some sheep and a delicious lunch with stunning views. That night, back at the inn, the chef prepared our mushrooms and the trout, caught by Jack. Our only regret about Store Ringheim was that we only stayed one night. What a special place!

After a delicious breakfast, we got back in the car for a short trip to Bergen. We checked into the Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret and then made our way by car to Oydarden to meet up with our bouldering instructor, Cato, an expert climber and schoolteacher. This was a hiking adventure, perched on the rocky cliffs of the North Sea. We climbed over whale-sized rocks, descended into steep crevices and rappelled down a sea cliff. Cato cooked up an epicurean lunch on a makeshift barbeque on the rocks- salmon and veggies in foil packets. Our favourite meals on the trip were the ones cooked and eaten outdoors. Earlier in the day, the kids had all grumbled about, “another day of hiking”, yet this outing was a huge hit. Tak for turen, Cato!

The next morning was a very early start, as we had to be on a train into the mountains, leaving the Bergen Station at 6:50 am. The young people were not impressed and immediately fell asleep once the train left the station and missed the stunning scenic trip to our first adventure. We were signed up for, “Norway in a Nutshell”, a 14-hour adventure tour. Our first stop was Berekvam, where we met a guide and were given some mountain bikes and helmets. We embarked on an 11-km downhill ride, starting at 345 m above sea level with magnificent views of the valley, waterfalls and glaciers. We wished we had thought to bring our gloves, as the mountain air was chilly on our bare hands as we zoomed down the mountain. We finished in Flam, a little jewel, nestled at the foot of mountains, beside Aurlandsfjord and Naeroyfjord. These two fjords are branches of the Sognefjord, the largest ice-free fjord in the world. After a delicious snack and hot coffee at a café, we boarded the Norway Active RIB boat for an exciting ride along the fjord to Gudvangen. As porpoises chased alongside our boat, our driver gave us a history lesson and told stories about the secluded settlements along the fjord. We saw the village that was the model for the movie Frozen.

The final nut in our “Norway is a Nutshell” experience was a thrilling white water rafting trip, down a frigid, glacier-fed river with level 4 rapids. Our skilled raft captain, named Tabs, from Zimbabweh, expertly steered us down the river without incident. We wore wet suits and hoped not to get too wet, however a swimming test at the start was a refreshing lesson in how cold the river was. Our adventurous day ended in Voss, where we boarded a train back to Bergen and happily reflected on what a wonderful day it had been!

Our final day in Norway was spent in the small city of Bergen and the weather was perfect- likely the nicest day of the year in Bergen, with sunshine and 22 c temps. We took the Florian Funicular to the top of Mount Florian (along with hundreds of other sun-seeking Norwegians) for incredible views of the city and harbour below. The 3 km hike down the mountain was our final hike of the trip, however the boys rebelled, saying enough was enough and insisted on riding down on the funicular. We enjoyed lunch in the Fish Market, a trip around the city on a “Hop- On, Hop-Off” bus. At last it was time to relax on a sunny patio sipping beer, before the start of the long journey home.

Along the way, we learned a lot about this beautiful country. The name Norway means “Path to the North”. The population is 5.1 million and the capital city is Oslo. The government in Norway is a parliamentary representative democracy and constitutional monarchy. After the discovery of oil in the 1970s, Norway has built the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, worth over one trillion dollars. Norway is the home of the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded in Oslo since 1901. The Scream, a famous painting was painted by Edvard Munch, a Norwegian. Norwegians are avid book readers, and per capita read more than anywhere else in the world. The famous children’s author, Roald Dahl was born in Wales to Norwegian parents. Norway is the birthplace of modern skiing. The word “ski” is Norwegian for “piece of wood”. This country has won more Winter Olympic medals than any other country. Each Christmas season, Norway provides a huge Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square in London, England, as thanks for Great Britain’s help during WW2. In Norway, the public universities are free for students from Norway and anywhere in the world. Norway is ranked #1 in the world for wealth and well-being. It is no wonder that Norwegians are considered the happiest people in the world. Norway is a remarkable country and should be on everyone’s bucket list! National Geographic had it right- Norway truly is, “The best unspoiled travel destination in the world”!

This family holiday was a huge success and we hope the kids (and future partners) will continue to join us on our adventures abroad- “Oh the places you’ll go!”

Tak For Turen!

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