Day 2: Flåm to Bergen
Friday 20th June found us on the train at 08:35 up to Myrdal and then, after a break there, on a stopping train to Bergen.
Our train from Flåm to Myrdal was this suburban train - totally unsuitable for a train on this scenic line.
Fortunately, at Myrdal some additional and more modern coaches were added with more comfortable seats.
The hour long journey on the line between Myrdal and Voss gradually descends from the highland moorland...
......into the Kleivelvi river valley...
...with some dramatic sections.
Our train had a break in Voss of 35 minutes before continuing to Bergen so...
...we walked out of the station down to the lake.
Looking towards Bergen.
There's a typical timber station building at Dale - presumably this is where our English word 'dale' originated.
OK - so it's a photo of a freight train but it gives an impression of the deep valley at Dale.
Welcome to Bergen. We went to leave luggage at the Hurtigruten terminal and then went to explore Bergen. We should probably have taken more photos but everywhere was busy with two large cruise ships in the harbour.
Bergen's shopping streets.
We went up the Floibannen funicular railway, where to our surprise there were no queues. The views from the top were stunning.
Cruise ships, oil rig supply boats and a three masted sailing ship.
Our Hurtigruten ship, 'Lofoten' is being refuelled for its next 11-day round trip to the north of Norway.
This old Hurtigruten ship, the 'Nordstjernen', is now owned privately and is used for cruises and also as a hotel ship and we saw it sailing.
The enormous new car ferry 'Stavanger Fjord' arrives from Denmark and Stavanger.
Click on the image above for a panoramic view of Bergen.
Two views of the old town area of Bryggen.
The 'Statsraad Lehmkuhl' is a three masted barque used as a training ship and based in Bergen. It was built in 1914.
Another smaller sailing ship
The Rosenkrantztårne tower
Timber houses in the old part of Bergen.
The Nyekirken
The 'Lofoten' ready for its journey north.
After the compulsory safety briefing in the Hurtigruten terminal the passengers are seen boarding the 'Lofoten'
Our cruise cards have to be shown every time you board or leave the ship and are also linked to your credit card to allow payment for meals and drinks whilst on board. They are also used as keys to the cabin. Our cabin was on the lower deck - see the plan on the 'MS Lofoten' page.
Before the ship sailed we had the traditional Hurtigruten Bergen Buffet in the ship's restaurant, where we sat with a group of Germans from Bonn. The 'Lofoten' sailed promptly at 20:00 in good weather so we stayed on deck for a while. There were two stops during the night but less noise than expected.
It's exactly 20:00 and the 'Lofoten' has just pulled away from the Hurtigruten terminal in Bergen on its eleven day round trip to Kirkenes.
This is the first of the many enormous road bridges that we would see in the next two weeks. The Askøybrua links the mainland to the island of Askøy just outside Bergen.
There were two stops during the night at Måløy and Torvik but there was less noise than we expected.
Click here to go the next page - Alesund to Molde