Norway - Classic Fjords - 2006 /2007
Our starting point and gateway to this stunning area is
Bergen. A place of quaint streets with wooden houses that rise up from
its bustling waterfront. From here we depart on a beautiful train
journey in and out of tunnels, beside peaceful fjords, rushing rivers
and placid lakes until we reach Voss, where our cycling begins.
Over the next seven days we pedal through some incredible scenery. Our
first treat is the thrilling descent of the Stalheim Pass with its 13
hairpin bends. In complete contrast following this is the cruise along
the narrow Nærøy fjord beneath peaks soaring 1,800
metres to the skies above, the crossing of the Sogne fjord (the
world’s longest and deepest) and our visit to the tiny Stave
Church at Urnes (built in 1150 AD), now World Heritage listed.
Our cycling continues to Jotunheimen National Park, which
encompasses Norway’s 27 highest peaks and offers an
exhilarating descent from northern Europe's highest pass the Sogne
Fjell.
When you thought it could get no better we visit the spectacular
Geiranger fjord, considered the most spectacular with its many graceful
waterfalls and embark on the 1,000 metre descent of the impressive
Geiranger Pass. Finally, we reach the Art Nouveau splendor of the port
of Ålesund where we board one of the luxuriously appointed
coastal cruise ships, ‘Hurtigruten’, for the
beautiful voyage back to Bergen - the final treat of this amazing
Norwegian journey.
If you
require any further information
call:
+47 9321 4596 (Norway) or Skedaddle: 0191
2651110 / 07785 973754 (England)
For
information by e-mail send your request
to:
info@activenorway.no
You may also contact Skedaddle by e-mail
on:
info@skedaddle.co.uk
View
pictures relating to this tour
on:
Classic Fjords Gallery
DEPARTURES
BER06/01 02 June 2006 to 11 June 2006 £1275
BER06/02 30 June 2006 to 09 July 2006 £1275
BER06/03 11 Aug. 2006 to 20 Aug. 2006 £1275
BER07/01 01 June 2007 to 10 June 2007 £1275*
BER07/02 29 June 2007 to 08 July 2007 £1275*
BER07/03 10 Aug. 2007 to 19 Aug. 2007 £1275*
*Prices to be confirmed December 2006
Flight Price: £100 - £150 (approx.) Bike Hire: £120 Insurance: £35 Grade: 3
ITINERARY
Day One
Arrive Bergen, check in at our hotel then check out the town, Norway’s second largest and one of Scandinavia’s most popular destinations for more than a century. We make our choice from a broad range of sights – the UNESCO-listed medieval Bryggen wharves and Hanseatic Museum; the colourful quayside fish market, the 13 Century Håkon’s Hall commanding the harbour entrance; the nostalgic streets of old houses in Old Bergen Museum. Late afternoon / early evening we meet and head up to the 'roof of the town' - at the top of the Fløibanen funicular, 8 minutes and 320 metres above the harbour. This is a great viewpoint for the port of Bergen and for those wishing to stretch their legs can walk back down into town or alternatevily hop back on the funicular.
Dinner of own choice in town.
Day Two - Distance - 25km/16miles approx.
Following breakfast in the hotel we depart by train to Voss – a spectacular hour in and out of tunnels, beside peaceful fjords, rushing rivers, towering mountainsides and placid lakes. After a quick wander around this lively market town and winter sports centre the time has come to get on your bike. A long but gentle climb brings you up into the mountains to Vinje and the traditional wooden hotel of the town, where a well-earned dinner awaits. For those in search of a little post dinner wander then the hillsides closeby offer some lovley short evening strolls.
Dinner at the hotel.
Day Three - Distance - 45km/28miles approx. + 1 ferry
Following breakfast we leave Vinje and head to the famed Stalheim Pass whose 13 hairpin bends and thrilling 1 in 5 descent await you after your hearty Norwegian breakfast. Take time to savour the steep mountainsides and rushing waterfalls before reaching salt water a short time later. Boarding the ferry at Gudvangen, you get to glimpse the peaks 1800 metres above from the waters of the narrow Nærøy Fjord before crossing the broad expanse of the Sogne fjord, the world’s longest and deepest. Once at Kaupanger we continue along the edge of the Sogne Fjord ( this time by bike ! ) to Sogndal and our hotel on the of the fjord.
Dinner of own choice in Sogndal.
Day Four - Distance - 70km/43miles approx.
After breakfast we leave our fjordside hotel in Sogndal and hop on our bikes once more and head a little further into the mountains. Our target today is Jotunheimen National Park and the famous hotel of Turtagrø with today without doubt the most challenging of the trip. Our initial ride takes us to the Lustra Fjord (the innermost arm of the Sogne fjord) with a short ferry journey taking us across the water. Once here we visit the tiny UNESCO-listed stave church at Urnes (built in 1150 AD). Our cycling then continues alongside the fjord to Skjolden on a lovely traffic free road. From here the challenge of the day begins with the climb to Turtagro where we will stay for the evening. Situated at the far end of the Sogne Fjell this steep twisty climb is a real challenge, but never fear as our trusty support vehicle is never far away if you fancy avoiding some of the steeper sections!!
Dinner at the hotel.
Day Five - Distance 65km/40miles approx.
Turtagro is the 'home' of Norwegian mountaineering and rightly so!! Situated in the very heart of Jotunheimen National Park, which encompasses Norway’s 27 highest peaks. The views from here are stunning and the walking opportunities vast. With this in mind we have the choice of taking a morning walk to one of the many classic viewpoints near the hotel before heading off late morning. For the more adventurous there is the option to ride to the top of Northern Europe’s highest pass, the Sogne fjell or why not just hop in the support vehicle if you are wishing to rest your legs! Either way, what awaits is well worth it as we embark on a superb ride of some 60kms ( 75% downhill ) to the town of Lom in the valley below and where we will stay for the night. Of particular interest in the town is the large Stave Church that we will be able to visit. Following this we check into our hotel, with the evening meal taken in Lom itself.
Dinner of own choice in Lom.
Day Six - Distance - 65kms/40 miles approx.
Today we head out from Lom to the Stryne mountains through a truly gorgeous valley. You'll notice today a big change in the scenery and landscape of the area with the valleys now heavily wooded and more sheltered than yesterday. Look out as you cycle for spectacular waterfalls and river of this area - you may even be lucky enough to spot a moose during your ride! Today's ride undulates its way up the valley and ends with a gradual yet long climb to the mountain hotel of Grotli, where we stay for the evening.
Dinner at the hotel.
Day Seven - Distance 70kms/43miles + two ferries.
After another filling breakfast and a look around this renowned ski area, the day starts with a final gradual climb to the highest point of the road, a lake some 1000 metres above sea level. If you really feel energetic you can continue climbing a further 450 metres to a spectacular viewpoint with one of the most famous views in Norway, looking down to and along the Geiranger fjord. From the lake the road now starts to descend in a series of twists and turns hewn into the mountainside and shored up with the most impressive masonry – all done by manual labour in 1889 and winning it a prize at the World Exposition in Paris!
There are several good views of the Geiranger fjord, considered by many to be the most beautiful in Norway, before you finally reach the fjord itself. You can now relax aboard the ferry for a couple of hours as you cruise gently along past the graceful waterfalls and sweeping mountainsides with isolated farms perched in the most impossible places. Once ashore, there is a climb up to a narrow mountain pass forming the entrance to the Alps of Sunnmøre, of which you will see more tomorrow.
It is now an easy ride to our hotel / summer lodge at Saebo situated on the side of the Horunds Fjord which we reach by crossing the lovely Norangs fjord by ferry. En route we pass an amazing site on our right at Oye. This hotel in the Swiss style was actually prefabricated in Trondheim in 1890 and was the favourite base of the English climber Cecil W. Patchell who often patronised it in its early days; Queen Victoria has also stayed here.
Dinner at the hotel.
Day Eight: 40km/25miles approx. + two ferries
Weather permitting, you should get a marvellous view of the numerous jagged peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, each sheltering its own tiny glacier like a babe in arms. Following breakfast we begin our final day's ride, which will take us past the Standal Cabin, which in the winter months is a popular place to ski. This is a gorgeous route and what is more is traffic free and a lovley way to end our cycling in Norway. From Festoya so as to avoid the traffic we hop on board our support vehicle for the island port of Ålesund. Entirely rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1904, the main part of the town is one of the most comprehensive examples of Art Nouveau architecture to be found. You get a good view of the island, town and surrounding sea from the hilltop above.
Just after midnight we set sail on one of the 13 luxuriously appointed Coastal Steamers which daily ply the coast on the voyage from Bergen to the Russian border. It’s rather a waste to sleep away the next hours as you glide past the magnificent coastal scenery and call at some interesting little ports, but you may not feel quite up to an all-night vigil…just maybe some of it!
Dinner of own choice in Ålesund prior to boarding the Hurtigruten for Bergen.
Day Nine
Probably the most leisurely breakfast of the trip, today, and no cycling to work it off, either! The last port of call is at 8 am followed by a 6-hour voyage out at sea before entering the skerries north of Bergen, with docking scheduled for 14:30. Checked in once more to the same hotel as our initial evening we relax before heading off for our farewell Norwegian meal in the centre of town and a chance to recall the events of your time in Norway.
Own lunch aboard or ashore in Bergen and evening meal of own choice in Bergen.
Day Ten
So it's time to goodbye today, unless you've arranged to stay for a more extended exploration of Bergen, the fjords or some other part of this fascinating country. With most flights leaving mid afternoon you'll have the chance to see a little more of Bergen following breakfast, before we head to the airport for onward flight connections and say 'Ha det' to Norway.
GENERAL INFORMATION
FINANCIAL PROTECTION AND SECURITY
As a member of the Association of
Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), an Association approved
by the Department of Trade and Industry, Saddle Skedaddle Limited has
provided a Bond to meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package
Holidays and Package Tour Regulations 1992 in respect of non-flight
inclusive packages only. This Bond provides security for money paid
over by customers and for the repatriation of customers in the event of
Saddle Skedaddle Limited’s insolvency. Note:
Repatriation will only be provided if the travel component of your trip
was paid to us.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Estimated flight costs are provided
for this holiday. These are purely for your
information and are meant to provide only a guide of what you could
expect to pay for flights. Although flights
do not form part of our packages we can provide you with advice on
relevant flights and travel arrangements that tie into our holidays. Please
contact us for details of these.You
will then need to book flights directly with the actual airlines /
agents who will send you the appropriate confirmation and tickets for
those flights.
WHAT THE PRICE INCLUDES
A) All
accommodation during the trip (twin share).
B) All
breakfasts.
C) All lunches except Day 9.
D) All evening meals expect days 1,
3, 5, 8 & 9.
E) Full
tour service including guides & support vehicle.
F) Unless
stated at least one Tour Leader qualified in First Aid.
WHAT THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
A) Personal
clothing and equipment.
B) Travel
to & from Norway.
C) Alcoholic
drinks.
D) Lunch Day 9.
E) Evening meals days 1, 3, 5, 8 & 9.
F) Travel
insurance.
G) Bar
bills, telephone calls, souvenirs, etc.
H) Bike
hire ( if applicable ).
I) Entrance
fees to historical sites, museums and exhibitions etc.
J) Passage on the funicular in Bergen.
VEHICLE SUPPORT
We have the security of our support
vehicle. Here there will be some capacity for tired bikers at certain
stages each day. Apart from your emergency tool kit you will NOT
be required to take any extra equipment to that you would
take on a normal day ride.
INSURANCE
It is a condition of our trip that
you are covered by a medical and personal accident insurance policy
that includes repatriation to your home country and cover for the
biking activity. We recommend the ‘Skedaddle
Policy’ for those commencing their journey from the UK, which
may be booked through Saddle Skedaddle (see booking form).
EQUIPMENT
We provide everything except a bike
(although we are able to hire these, see booking form for details),
personal equipment and clothing. If you are
taking your own bike it must be either a road bike, hybrid or mountain
bike possessing a minimum of 18 gears.
Please contact us if you are unsure whether your bike will be
suitable. During the holiday you
will be using your bike each day and it is imperative that it is in
good mechanical order. If you are not mechanically minded your local
bicycle dealer should undertake this service. We will of course be
taking a full tool kit and a selection of spares, which we will provide
should the need arise. Details of which
spares you should take will be included in the Information Pack sent
with your booking confirmation.
TEMPERATURE AND WEATHER
Temperatures at this latitude of
Norway are changeable even in the spring / summer months.
The region also receives rain, which hopefully falls
outside the timing of the trip.
PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
A full ten-year passport is required
for visiting Norway. If this is not currently held it is your
responsibility to obtain this in good time.
HEALTH AND VACCINATIONS
You should have a dental and medical
check-up before the holiday. On all our trips each guide is a qualified
First-Aider and a comprehensive medical kit is carried at all times.
STAFF
All trips have at least one bike
guide/mechanic, UK or locally-based with support staff where appropriate
PERSONAL SPENDING MONEY
Since our holidays include the
accommodation and the majority of all food, we suggest that
approximately £150/US$225 in Norwegian Krøner
should prove sufficient. In reality this will be for those evening
meals not provided by the accommodation.
Any additional personal expenditure for such things as souvenirs
depends very much on the individual. Cashpoint
Cards & Credit Cards such as Visa & MasterCard are
accepted in Bergen and the larger places we will visit during the trip,
for buying goods, paying for food as well as for drawing cash.
FLIGHTS
For this particular Skedaddle
trip the airport you will need to fly into is
Bergen, from where we offer a free collection service
on Day 1 of the trip and return here on Day 10 of the trip.
The most convenient airline serving Bergen is Norwegian Air Shuttle www.norwegian.no
who fly regularly from London Stansted. Please contact us for other
flight options with SAS Airlines, British Airways and Ryanair.
NB. DO NOT BOOK FLIGHTS FOR THIS
TRIP WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULATION WITH SKEDADDLE
JOINING ABROAD AND EXTENDING YOUR
HOLIDAY
It is possible join our tours abroad
and if more convenient to arrive by ferry to Bergen. Such arrangements
should be made by yourself and stated at the time of booking. Please
contact us for details of this option.
BAGGAGE DETAILS
Your allowable baggage is one main
piece of luggage other than your bike. This bag which should be
preferably either a backpack / rucksack or ‘sports
bag’ so as to assist in transportation, and one small
daypack. The daypack may be useful for carrying your additional
outer-layer clothing and snacks while cycling. This will also be useful
as your ‘in flight’ bag for such items as cameras
etc.
Please note that, the normal aeroplane hold
allowance is around 20kgs and all
excess baggage charges must be met by you. Check
with your airline or us if you are in doubt of the allowance.
HOW TO BOOK
Before you book we recommend that
you read carefully the general information, booking conditions and the
itinerary. To book your place on this trip,
please contact us to check the availability of places on the trip.
Following confirmation of this, then send a fully completed booking
form, with your deposit of £200 including details of
everything you require; bike hire, dietary requirements etc, If you
book less than eight weeks before departure full payment is then due on
booking. You may also prefer to book on line
at : www.skedaddle.co.uk
METHOD OF PAYMENT
Payments can be made by cheque,
credit or debit card or and bank transfer. NB.
Although there is no additional charge for using debit cards, there
will be an additional 1.5% charge if paying by credit card.
CONFIRMATION
On receipt of your booking form, you
will be sent an acknowledgement of your booking along with a Saddle
Skedaddle Information Pack, containing information about your holiday,
suggested reading, and also general information about this area of
Norway its history, people & climate.