Today was our first day exploring the countryside, and also the first day we didn’t wake up to bright sunshine. As it turns out that was a good thing, as our 3.5 mile hike, which our guide billed as an easy flat walk, had us huffing and puffing. Later the skies cleared for our visit to an awesome viewpoint above the fjord.

The walk started at the visitor center for the Stave Church, which was our ultimate destination, and passed through part of the King’s Road, a route built in the 1790’s to connect eastern and western Norway.

It was a pleasant walk with some winding downhills and slightly rocky uphills. Nothing we couldn’t handle, but not what we in New Jersey would call flat. But we’ve learned from past travels to consider the source – folks in mountainous areas have a different definition of flat.

We were rewarded with a lovely picnic lunch by the river before visiting the church. Stave churches were built across Europe in medieval times, but only the Norwegian ones have survived. There are 28 original structures in the country, and the one we visited was the most intact.

The church was built around 1180, and although it was a Christian church, it definitely has a Viking feel, with the dragon heads at the top and the excellent wood carving. The church was built without nails and is supported by poles ( “staves” in Norwegian) that were set in stone so they wouldn’t rot. 

The entrance is elaborately carved, and there are other “carvings” – centuries old “graffiti” as well as even older runes. Scholars are still trying to interpret what the carvings mean and who might have left them.

There is also a standalone bell tower, the only one of its kind still in existence, and a newer church, built in 1868 to accommodate the growing population.

The morning was a nice blend of history and nature, and the perfect temperature for a walk.

We then drove to the small, charming town of Laerdal. Most of the few shops were closed since it was Sunday, but that was fine since we had to make it to our final destination, the Stegastein viewpoint, which rises 650 meters above the Aurlandsfjord. 

According to our guide, the drive up the winding, narrow road should only take about 15 minutes, but it would depend on how many drivers were doing stupid things. Wow, did we learn what she meant! 

The road is so narrow that in most places only one car can get by. There are multiple pockets where a car can pull off to allow another car to pass. Sometimes it worked, but as our driver said, sometimes drivers are stupid.

One such driver tried to cut the queue by going down the wrong side of the narrow road. This resulted in a backup of about five cars on each side. Thankfully, a frustrated Norwegian got out of his car to direct traffic, and we made it through.

That said, the view was gorgeous and worth the stressful ride. As always, pictures can’t capture the true beauty, but you can get the idea here. 

Tomorrow we’ll get a closer look at a fjord as we make our way to our next destination, Bergen.