0329 Trollstigen to Atlanterhavsvegen

16^th Aug 2015

Trolls, Islands, and Bridges.

A very different day today, with totally different scenery, even though we have only travelled maybe 100 kms !  We left our Troll camp site on an overcast but not rainy morning, despite the forecast being for sunshine – I guess up here that means “not raining” !  After a few pics with some of our campsite trolls, we set off down the road to Andalsnes – Although this is a big climbing centre, being Sunday morning I guess everyone was out on the mountain trails – And being Sunday and Norway, everything is closed except a few gas stations and a couple of coffee shops in bigger towns.  Other than those, Norway is basically closed on a Sunday……..

We drove a short loop around the arm of a fjord from Aldasnes, and then down to a little town called Afarnes, where we caught a small ferry across another fjord to Solsnes, from where we continued west over a couple of big bridges (and of course a tunnel or two) until we got to Molde.  This is supposedly the town of roses, and although a few we evident in boxes through town, the town was basically closed (see above) being Sunday.  So after a quick look around, we left Molde and headed west and then north round a big peninsula that we thought would be scenic – But wasn’t really !! Or maybe we have just been spoiled for scenery over the past few days ? Anyway, eventually we reached a little town called Bud which is a little fishing town right on the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean.  If you look at a map you will see that we are now some 500 kms or more north of Scotland, so we are getting up there !!

Bud is the start of the Atlantic Road, a scenic road along the coast between Bud and Kristiansund that crosses hundreds of islands that are linked by a series of bridges.  Bud itself is still mainly a fishing village, but has a big museum that focuses on a WWII German camp that dug into the top of a hill above the town, from where they could watch and, if necessary shoot, on any shipping in the area that was trying to gut up the fjords.  The camp is quite extensive, and although we didn’t go in the tunnels, it was obviously a major  base, with some 350 soldiers stationed here. 

During a walk through the village we saw a group of ex Military vehicles that appeared to be owned locally – A club or something.  But there were 3 Willys Jeeps in good condition, complete with rifles in racks across the dashboards ! There were also some early Volvo 4 WD vehicles which I had never seen before – I include pics because there are a couple of people who read my blog who are into old military vehicles…….

From Bud we started up the Atlantic Road, or Atlanterhavsvegen as it is called locally, and the scenery quickly changed as the islands became more and more numerous, and we started to cross frequent bridges.  Finally we came to a bridge that was just amazing the Storseisundbrua.  It curves up and around, so that from either end it just looks like a ramp that suddenly ends in mid air.  And when you are crossing it, high in the air, with only a small (but hopefully very strong) guard rail right on the edge of the bridge, you feel as though it would be very easy to fall off it into the sea way below – Quite eerie.   And on the other side is an information centre and walkway around the cliffs for views back at the bridge, as well as views of the islands.  Very interesting.  Saw 2 campers with Chinese writing on that appeared to have been driven from China - we asked a Chinese guy about them but he didn’t speak good English so we could work out much other than he was from Beijing.  I am not sure if they have driven all the way because they are just regular motorhomes with normal tyres and only one spare, so not sure. 

As we left the information centre, over the next couple of kms we saw lots of motorhomes and campers just pulled off the road in scenic spots, to camp for the night.  As it is such a beautiful area, we found ourselves a spot tucked back off the road a little, and set ourselves up for the night.

Tomorrow Kristiansund – And as tomorrow is Monday, hopefully it will be open !!