Frozen

Frozen waterfall and sunset over frozen lake - you get that a lot in Norway in November. 

Ahhh, winter is on its way and this year I really hope it will bring lots of snow :)

Styggmann

I think this was a hike to the mountain Styggmann in the Skrimfjell close to Kongsberg (it's been a while so I am not completely sure anymore). The only trouble was going in November ... there wasn't that much snow but water had been running down the hiking path and was frozen so we would have been better off with ice skates or at least some spikes on the shoes. I guess it's a nice hike in summer though ;). Due to the extreme conditions we also didn't make it to the top.

Vøringfossen in fall colors

A few more impressions out of the picture box. Unfortunately the hiking path all the way to the waterfall was closed due to the bad shape of a bridge so that was the closest possible I could get to it. Still impressive enough. Pieces of a truck were scattered all around the valley - probably had troubles with the brakes on the curvy road which leads down to the Hardangerfjord (didn't really want to take a picture of the stuff).

Hardangervidda - limitless

The Hardangervidda is also one of the places in Norway where I could spent months without getting enough. Lots of untouched nature and some kind of rough beauty with random rock formations, lakes, ice and snow make the area special. The Hardangervidda is the largest mountain plateau of Europe and therefore is blessed with a cold alpine climate all around the year. Yes, blessed! Call me spoil-sport but I really miss the winter (the real one not the last one which thought it could satisfy me with a few days below -20 °C). And don't tell me that I couldn't grow radish, spinach, peas, beans, chard and courgette/zucchini/green squash (take whatever you like best) which are all nicely sprouting in the greenhouse! I wouldn't mind half a year of growing some vegetables if I had half a year of proper winter ;) 

 One shouldn't underestimate the Hardangervidda though - it was a beautiful day but quite windy and in mid-October some proper winter clothing would have been appropriate. 

Petroglyphs at Bogge

A few more rock carvings which are ~6000 years old. Some animal carvings and boats. There were also some fishes but they had lost the red colour with which they are repainted and are thus extremely hard to see on the picture. The place is not so easy to find since there were not really any signs from the road from Eidsvåg and there are for sure more impressive rock carvings to be seen but a nice stop if you are in the area anyway.  

Nesset Prestegard

This is the childhood home of the Norwegian poet Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson (1832-1910; Nobel Prize in literature, 1903). Seven of the buildings are apparently still from his time but the place was deserted so just a few pictures of the buildings. I really like the vegetation on the roof :)

And to conclude some wise words from the man:

"I valg mellom falske venner og åpne fiender har jeg alltid foretrukket det siste."

 When chosing between false friends or open enemies I have always preferred the latter (my rather poor translation).

Molde Panorama

In Molde, you can hike, bike or drive up to Varden and get a glimpse of the famous Molde panorama of 222 partly snow-covered peaks. It was a bit hazy but you can't really pick the weather when travelling. Looks a bit like dawn or dusk but I think it was around mid-day.

Marble

Marble is not really that spectacular but this is the first orange coloured marble I have seen. And quite a bit of cat's gold plus a few mines the geologist just has to explore ;)

Atlanterhavsveien

Some time ago I have already posted a few pictures of the Atlanterhavsveien. Here are a few more impressions.

The bridge of no return:

Trying to spot some seals or whales but only catching some water:

Almost getting wet feet:

Spotting some animals after all. Well ok, caddisfly larvae are not really that spectacular and taking a picture without reflection from the water but not scaring them was not that easy either ;)

Romsdal

A few impressions of the valley through which the Raumabanen, a railway between Dombås and Åndalsnes has been contructed. Probably the most impressive out of the 103 bridges is the Kylling Bridge.

Mølen II

Some places have a special athmosphere. One of these for me is Mølen. Lots of pebbles meet the ocean and the Viking graves in the form of ships. And the wind ...
You can just sit there and listen to the waves and the wind and forget the rest of the world around you. I love places like that.

Rognstranda/Gea Norvegica Geopark

Rognstranda shows old ice-polished bedrock gneisses on the one side and a much younger limestone cliff rising on the other side of the bay. A geologist's paradise! It was very early in the morning just after leaving the ferry and the sun was not at the best spot for a good picture but I kind of like the athmosphere.

Moose petroglyphs close to Lillehammer

Of course, the moose rock carvings had to be visited! They are acutally closer to Fåberg, north of Lillehammer. It's also a nice hike down to the river (and not quite so nice going back up). Even the markers had moose carvings!