Photography by Tom Lane
Norwegian Fjords
We’d never been to the Norwegian Fjords, but always wanted to, and so in mid April decided to book a 12 night cruise, from Southampton, with P&O. Just a couple of weeks later, on Tuesday the 2nd May we boarded Arcadia for the two day sail to the first of seven ports we were scheduled to visit. We were extremely lucky with the weather, only experiencing rain on the one day in Bergen and totally enjoyed the trip. Below are some of the images from the ports we visited.
NOTE: larger and better resolution photo’s can be seen by clicking on any of the images.
For the technically inclined I took a Leica SL2 camera with the 16-35mm, 24-90mm and 90-280mm Vario SL lens, plus a Leica Q2, which really didn’t get used, but was just there ‘in case’.
All the above images were taken in Haugesund, our first port of call. Haugesund is in the northern part of Rogaland county, located in the south-west of Norway. The city, located between Bergen and Stavanger has plenty of history, culture and things to do, but most of the tourist attractions are located outside the city.
Above is Norfjordeid; the administrative centre of the municipality of Stad in Vestland county, western Norway. It is located at the end of the Eidsfjorden, an arm of the main Nordfjorden, west of the large lake Hornindalsvatnet.
Trondheim; with its colourful warehouses, waterways and wooded hills, Norway’s third-largest city is without doubt one of its most photogenic. Trondheim, the country’s historic capital, is a pleasure to explore, with wide streets and a partly pedestrianised heart. There are great cafes, restaurants and museums, plus Europe’s northernmost Gothic cathedral. Fishing boats putter around the harbour, gulls wheel and screech overhead, and beyond the city’s outskirts there’s a wealth of wilderness to explore
Andalsnes: famed for its high peaks and long mountaineering history. Andalsnes, in the northern part of Fjord Norway is known as the alpine village by the fjord. The assent of Nesaksla Mountain, either by hiking or gondola (guess our choice) is certainly spectacular as it provides a 360 degree view of Isfjorden, Romsdalen and Isterdalen and was probably the highpoint of our trip.
Above Alesund; where the mountains and fjords meet the sea.This is one of Norway’s most unique cities and we certainly enjoyed wondering around it. A devastating fire in 1904 left much of Alesund in ashes, but the rebuilding resulted in a city that contains some of Europe’s best examples of Art Nouveau architecture. There is an observation tower on Mount Aksla; a 418 step hike which we didn’t attempt, but looking at some of the images other people took from there, I wished we had.
Bergen; is located on the west coast of Norway in the heart of the fjords. As a UNESCO World Heritage City and a European City of Culture, the region has the ideal combination of nature, culture and exciting urban life all year round. Bergen is today Norway’s most international city, packed with history and tradition.
Our last port of call, Kristiansand, a city in southern Norway. Its old town, Posebyen features traditional wooden houses and the neo-Gothic Kristiansand Cathedral. The southeastern shoreline includes the Bystranda Beach where fishmongers sell their amazing catch.