Sailing to Aldalsnes, Norway, and riding the Golden Train
This is blog post #10 from our tour of Europe. On Tuesday, July 1st, we were docked at Åndalsnes, Norway, where we rode along the spectacular Golden Train route. The route to and from Åndalsnes, though, also added to today’s 62 photos.
This is a complex coast. At 9:25 the previous night we were at the lower left, with Åndalsnes at centre right.
My first peek out the heavily-draped windows of our cabin at 05:50 showed a very dreary day, but I was very surprised to also see the P&O liner Britannia just ahead.
A look astern at the same time.
While Britannia sailed east into a large dead-end bay that I assume is particularly scenic, we continued on.
At 06:15 we were passing the island of Gudlo. I’m rarely able to get an exact position – the “ship’s position” mapping system on this ship is very poor.
At 07:54 we passed a light, and then what looks like a difficult place to live. A few minutes later, the weather report showed 6°C with 48 km/h winds. Brrr!
We arrived at Åndalsnes at 11:00 as scheduled, in a light rain. Our Golden Train reservation was for a 12:53 departure and we saw no reason to be in a big hurry to get off the ship so continued our leisurely morning.
The weather was brighter to the south, so we hoped it would move our way. Åndalsnes, with a population of about 2,500, appeared to be a nice little town.
At 12:15 we started to short walk to the train station, in the rain.
While most of the people on the train had booked through the ship, Cathy had saved money by booking directly with the Golden Train, so we were in the last car, for “independent” travellers. Boarding was quick and simple.
We were soon on our way, heading south up the Rama River valley, spectacular even in this weather. The Golden Train website gives a bit of information about the route, but as I don’t really have anything to say about most of the photos I shot, I’ll just post them to show you what the route looks like. Many of my readers will be able to compare it with the White Pass & Yukon Route railway out of Skagway, Alaska.
The waterfalls along this route are incredible and there are a lot of them!
There are small farms along much of the route, sometimes far below the rail line.
Forty minutes from Åndalsnes, we could see a tunnel far above, and the rail line went further up the valley, then doubled back and went through that tunnel and then an even longer one.
Bjorli Station, an hour and 5 minutes from Åndalsnes, was as far as we went. We got to go for a bit of a walk there.
The stone water tower from the steam train days was very cool. The locomotive was disconnected and run around to the other end of the string of cars – it pulled us up the mountains, now it would pull us down. The train crew hadn’t explained that changing seats so everyone got to see both sides is the norm on such rides, but we all got it figured out with minimal arguing.
The lupines are very different than what we have at home – much taller.
Heading back down to the sea.
With welded rail and concrete ties, the ride on the train is very smooth.
A highway runs along the rail line in many places. At one point we saw a couple of guys in a car who appeared to be chasing the train to get photos at all the best spots 🙂
This impressive bridge appears to provide access to just one farm.
I was finally able to get a photo of the locomotive as we went around a curve – the bridge was a bonus 🙂
Back at Åndalsnes station just before 3:30 – Cathy and I agreed that it had been an excellent 2½ hours.
Another very cool mini-car!
The Norwegian Mountaineering Centre focuses on Norwegian mountaineering history and outdoor mountain activities. You’d think that I of course went there, but for some reason I didn’t 🙁
We found a great little Dale of Norway shop – very unexpected in a tiny community. Doing a few conversions, we found sweaters from $475 to $725 Canadian, or a toque for $115. Cathy encouraged me to buy something (I love the Dale of Norway sweater I got in Anchorage many years ago), but I didn’t.
At 4:15 another train was loading, again mostly from our ship.
There’s a impressive boat – two 350 hp outboards must move it along at quite a clip!
The Romsdalen Gondola, Norway’s longest, takes visitors up Nesaksla mountain to an elevation of 708 meters. On a clear day, that would be an easy choice.
When we got back onto the ship and up to the Deck 9 Lido buffet, the large Canada Day cake was well demolished 🙂
We had a very casual dinner overlooking the fjord that evening.
The skies started to clear as we pulled away from Åndalsnes.
A final look at the lovely little town, at 8:13 pm.
Fifteen minutes down the fjord.
The light that night between about 9 and 9:30 pm was wonderful. This one with distinct crepuscular rays (“god rays”) is the best of several photos I shot during that period.
At 9:37, the Tresfjord Bridge leads to the town of Helland.
Two minutes later, a ferry loading at Vestnes.
An unknown location at 10:17 pm.
Four minutes later, a fish farm. Farming salmon, though acknowledged by the government as hugely destructive to wild Atlantic salmon, is a huge industry in Norway 🙁
At 10:32 pm we passed through the narrowest channel I’ve seen on this voyage yet.
Nearing the sea at 10:38.
A little lighthouse at 10:43.
Work, work, work. Waiting to get some photos at midnight – which was 67 minutes away when I shot this final photo. Isn’t that a fine-looking beer? That’s the Chimay I got at the beer-tasting presentation.
The next day, July 2, we’d be docked at Trondheim from 08:00 until 16:00, with no activities planned yet.
About The Author
Comment I can’t believe you didn’t buy a sweater!!L