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Fjords & islands in Norway

Norway’s coastline has been designed with natural beauty in mind with deep fjords and remote islands transforming ferry rides into some of the most scenic voyages in Europe. From the harbour town of Bergen it’s easy to access some of the world’s finest fjords with the islands to be found in the northernmost reaches of Norway inviting a glimpse at marine animals in their natural habitat as well as chances to spot Northern lights or make the most of the summer’s midnight sun.

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FJORDS & ISLANDS IN NORWAY

colossal crevasses and glacial grooves

In reality, the world has millions of years of ice and fire to thank for the colossal crevasses and glacial grooves that the west coast of Norway boasts today with summer cruise ships ferrying tourists from Bergen and back as they search for fjords over the course of a three- to four-hour round trip. Head out of Hordaland and into the neighbouring counties of Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane and you’ll find lesser visited, more mountainous regions of western Norway where the national parks of Jostedalsbreen and Jotunheimen invite visions of Peer Gynt, trolls and, of course, phenomenal fjords.

Norway is also the proud parent of more than 50,000 islands all of which have also been carefully crimped to include isolated inlets and corrugated coastlines, perfect for small sailing ships and sea kayakers looking to steal an extra inch away from the Atlantic Ocean. The northerly archipelagos of Vesterålen and Lofoten are especially exciting with the warmth of the Gulf Stream offering milder sea temperatures which attract herring and cod in their thousands alongside whales, porpoise, dolphins, seals and seabirds, all drawn to the burgeoning banquet.

Further north still and the islands of Svalbard provide polar bears with pack ice well above the Arctic Circle with small ice-strengthened cruise ships deploying Zodiacs amongst glass coated or fertile fjords whilst puffins, guillemots and pink footed geese squawk from rugged rocks above.

If you’re interested in fjords and islands in Norway, the locations below are certainly worth a second glimpse with organised tours with an expert guide the best way to appreciate the experience from a much deeper perspective. From cruising and cycling to railways and hiking, Norway’s islands and fjords offer every opportunity to see the very best of natural Norway, just as Slartibartfast intended.

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Straddling Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane counties, in southwest Norway, Breheimen National Park is as creased and crinkled as an unmade bed on a Sunday morning thanks, in no small part, to the Jostedalsbreen – mainland Europe’s largest glacier. As you’d expect, the fjords within Breheimen are absolutely stunning with the UNESCO listed Nærøyfjord, an 18km offshoot from the second longest fjord on the planet, Sognefjord, making for one of the world’s most scenic ferry journeys.

The coastline south of Bergen, Sunnhordland – southern Hordaland – offers an old-fashioned representation of Norway where hundreds of islands, islets and miniature fjords, such as Innværfjorden, provide fishing and farming communities with exceptionally fertile landscapes. As Sunnhordland also features the start of the Hardangerfjord, the fourth largest fjord on earth, responsible travellers are in for a real treat with Rosendal, on the southern side of Hardangerfjord, an excellent point to start a hiking or cycling trip before catching an express boat back to Bergen.

Around 700km north of Bergen you’ll find the historic city of Trondheim situated on the southern banks of the third-largest fjord in Norway, Trondheimsfjord. Stretching for around 170km from Ørland in Sør-Trøndelag to Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag, Trondheimsfjord makes for a majestic passage into the Atlantic with several inhabited islands and timeless Norwegian fishing villages conjuring images of the area’s notorious Viking past.

ISLANDS IN THE NORTH OF NORWAY

The Lofoten archipelago stretches from the isolated islands of Værøy and Røst in the south to the much larger Austvågøy Island in the north with a highly impressive combination of mountains and Norwegian fishing heritage ensuring cyclists, hikers and nature photographers will be in their absolute element. Small ship cruising around the Lofoten islands is a fabulous means of getting closer to the abundant marine life to be found following the Gulf Stream and above the Røst Reef.

Setting out from the city of Tromsø there are few better places to head to other than Kvaløya Island which is renowned for orca and humpback whale spotting as the sheltered fjords and inlets become awash with migrating herring during the winter. Anchoring close to where whales are known to return to, year on year, offers the best chance of success with the added bonus of the Aurora Borealis helping to turn chilly nights into unforgettable lights.

A winning blend of steep, rugged mountains, agricultural fields and pine forests, filled with free-flowing rivers, turn Senja Island into an incredible natural paradise and a must for anyone hoping to spend evening star-gazing or watching out for the Northern Lights. Ånderdalen National Park is Senja’s scenic crown jewel with snowshoeing around the foothills of the Sukkertoppen Mountain adding to the thrill of watching whales, seals, porpoises and sea eagles offshore.

Photo credits: [Topbox: *saipal] [Svalbard: Frode Ramone] [Breheimen National Park: G.Lanting ] [Austvagoy Island : Thomas Faivre-Duboz ] [Kvaloya Island : Richard Moore] [Senja island: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen)]

Written by Chris Owen

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