Eidfjord - a slice of Norway heaven

Someone told me that Norway is like New Zealand on steroids and I think that is an apt description. Today we went up to the Hardangervidda to hike. It is the highest mountain plateau in North Europe and most of it is in Norway's largest National Park (4200 sq km).  It's average altitude is over 1000m, but it is a plateau so the walk was not difficult - rolling hill type terrain.

The drive from the fjord to the plateau made yesterday's driving look like child's play!  The road is single car width for all 11 km up with only a few passing bays. We did not meet anyone on the way up, and on the way down met oncoming traffic at convenient spots for passing.  Very lucky. There were so many hairpin bends, and also great views (which I missed on the way up as  was driving, but saw on the way down).

Here are a handful of the many photos we took today:

 the road up, and good view

 the trees are mainly birch

 at Vivelid there was a raging waterfall/cascade

 Vivelid houses on the left - we suspect these are used 

in winter for cross country skiers

 Jonathan in the distance

 the lakes at Vivelid

 a dead lemming on the track. It's a "lemming year" this year, meaning their numbers are way up, and there are lots of dead ones about apparently

 at the start/end of the walk there was some snow

 going down - showing the road

 a nice view from the car of the twin falls

After a rest, we headed up the side branch of the fjord near us to drive up 550m to Kjeaarson farm.  It has been farmed since the 1600's.  Now an 82 year old lady lives there alone. Hordes of tourists go up in the summer for the great view over the fjord. We were almost the only ones there at 4pm today.

Tomorrow we head north to Balestrand on Sognefjord, Norway's longest fjord (205 km) and the world's longest ice-free fjord. Hardanger Fjord is 179 km long; we are right at the end here at Eidfjord.