Bizarre Hobbies
Alesund – 14th June
Today was going to be a 2 hour 30 minute drive to Alesund (see map photo left) but instead of taking the time to have a rest day we made it into a 3 hour 40 minute driving trip plus breaks (see map photo right).
The longer trip meant we could go island hopping via a ferry, tunnels, bridges and causeways, preparing us well for when we come to do the Atlantic Ocean Road trip next week.
To the left, some goats who came to check us out when we stopped on the side of a road.
Enjoy!
We drove from Stryn to Volda and stopped for lunch before making the detour off the normal route. The unimpressive lunch included a dry cranberry and white chocolate scone. I’m not sure if bakers include a lot of sugar to justify charging more for the sugar tax or whether they think Norwegians are deprived of sugar because of the tax and therefore they load it up, it was overly sweet, a bit like their bread and muesli.
Just north of Volda our island hopping started with Hareidlandet and then onto Gurskoya, the photo (left) was taken from a very busy bus stop. We didn’t realise how populated these islands were before we came here, there were constant waves of traffic caused by the various ferries arriving, school pick up and locals working on the mainland.
The next island hop was to the small island of Lanternen which has a marina, campground, cabins, restaurant and café (actually they are all one place). We found a cool geocache, push the button and it shines a light on a code why you peep through a hole, and then you undo the combination padlock. The camp shop sells pistachio ice blocks to tourists while the campers in the restaurant stare and the 12 year old boy serving breaks out in a sweat because the English speaking tourist with the German number plates don’t speak Norwegian. He did very well, maybe next term pleasantries will be on the school curriculum.
The next island was Leinoya, then Remoya and lastly onto Runde, which is the end of line before your GPS tells you to do a u-turn and go all the way back. The roads are very narrow and the passing laybys very infrequent. The islands are linked by causeways, tunnels and interesting bridges. To accommodate the ferries and large fishing fleet that operates from the Heroy Islands, the bridges have to be very high, but because there is only a short distance from one island to the next they make the bridges extremely steep. They are one lane, and because you can’t see the other end of the bridge they have a passing bay right at the top.
On the island of Runde are two viewing areas to see Puffin and complete geocaches, imagine our surprise when we unexpectantly found around the far side of the island hundreds of bird watching enthusiasts. Not only were there fields and car parks of motorhomes but there were walkers and cyclists on the narrow roads and in the tunnels. Cyclists and pedestrians aren’t allowed in the tunnels in Norway because of the dangers from fast moving vehicles and the carbon monoxide fumes, however on Runde they are allowed because the tunnels are short and airy from the sea breeze.
Unfortunately they think they have full right to the middle of the road, possibly they do, but we have to give way because they have weapons (poles and bikes) and we don’t want an insurance claim. I managed to take photos of law-abiding tourists with the bizarre hobby of puffin perving; of course geocaching isn’t bizarre.
We caught the 24 minute ferry from Hareidlandet to Alesund, the photo is suppose to show the barren hills in the background and the treats left by our Airbnb hosts. They must have known Roger likes bananas and cucumber, not!
Today’s ABBA tribute is ‘Eagle’ (1977) for all the crazy bird watchers who come from miles, hike tall mountains and sit endlessly in the cold to simply see a bird. Also, for the tall steep one lane bridges we went over today, quite a surreal feeling being so high up above the sea with little around you.
Flying high, high, I’m a bird in the sky
I’m an eagle that rides on the breeze
High, high, what a feeling to fly
Over mountains and forests and seas
And to go anywhere that I please