August 25th 2015: Norway: Flåm 1

Monty the Motorhome is getting wet at Flåm Camping, after a short hop from where we were last night. 

Our day started in an unusual fashion. We were just about to move off when a small car drew up alongside us and the driver appeared at our side door. In a strong black country accent he said “we don’t get many Brits here, so I had to stop and say hello”.

It turned out he was originally from Wolverhampton, had married to a Norwegian and now lived in the small village just down the road. We chatted for some time, then he asked if we wanted to see his house. Well we were in no hurry to get anywhere today, so tootled off after him and found ourselves at a lovely place overlooking the fjord. It was indeed a small community, with only about 10 houses. Everyone seemed to be related to one another - his wife being part of this extended family. It all seemed very idyllic, but perhaps not beneath the surface. He was definitely not happy, feeling excluded and having difficulty integrating into the community. He did not work, though why this was we never found out.  His wife worked all day in the nearby town, where his three daughters also went to school, meaning he was on his own all day. 

In the end we ended up staying until midday, chatting about all sorts, and in the end we just had to insist it was time for us to move on. Goodness knows how he will get on in the coming years.

We had decided to move on to Flåm, one of Norway’s hotspots for cruise liners visiting the fjords. The route offered two choices - overland via the ‘Snow Road’, or underground via a 24.5 km tunnel. We rejected the former as it was single track, tortuous and high, and the weather was closing in meaning views would be limited. So into the tunnel, and some tunnel it was. At 24.5kms it is the world’s longest! It took 25 minutes steady driving to pass through.

Popping out the other end we were almost in Flåm and soon got settled at the campsite. Filling up with fresh water we saw the level indicator come back to life and start working again. I’ve no idea what the problem had been - probably caused by me blasting water in too quickly on the last occasion. Less haste more speed in future.

This is the fourth time Ruth has visited Flåm, and my second - having previously done the ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ trips. There is something quite alluring about the place, even though it suffers from the effects of mass tourism.

Two huge cruise ships were in port today, dwarfing the small settlement. Undoubtably their presence has a debilitating effect on the local community - how could it not with up to 2000 people per ship pouring off. However they disperse in coaches to local attractions, as well as going on the Flambana railway (a dramatic line rising 20km through a steep sided valley to join the Bergen-Oslo line at Myrdal), so it could be more overwhelmed than it actually is. The positive side to this mass tourism must be the bolstering effect on the local economy. Hopefully this income is going to be used wisely for the community.

This gives an idea of the scale of the cruise ship moored up at the quayside

We walked about, enjoying the views and waiting for the giant ships to leave port. One was moored out in the bay and we missed this one going. However we saw the one moored at the quayside leave and sail away down the fjord - ponderous but graceful.

Also at the quayside was Flåm microbrewery and restaurant. For scoffs Ruth had a vegetarian dish, while I went for baby goat (simply delicious, like a cross between chicken and pork) and to drink - well beer of course. They do a tasting selection - five of their beers in small glasses - Blonde, Amber, Cherry, IPA and Porter - together with tasting notes. We enjoyed them all - much better than the ales last consumed in Trondheim.

Goat and beer - generous portion of the former, though a bit stingy with the latter