Travel
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A Shore Holiday in Norway
SINCE contrast is essential to a good holiday, it was fitting that we should leave a burnt-Op England during the pro- longed drought of last sunimer, and reach the green terraces of Bergen next day during a delicious shower of rain. At Newcastle we .had groaned under a torrid sun ; at Bergen we rejoiced in an open fire in the hotel.
Most people who, visit Norway do so by one of the many popular yachting trips that are organized every summer. It is an excellent way—easy, comfortable and restful. There is, however, to my mind, a yet more excellent way. For Norway does not consist entirely of fjords ; and, although all the fjords are beautiful, many of them are but deep grooves between the real country which is often invisible from the deck of a steamer. Nor do pre-arranged " shore-trips " really get over this drawback, since they are necessarily restricted to somewhat hurried drives along high roads. I do not,wish to 'disparage the cruising holiday, and am Only anxious to show that it differs entirely from that which I am describing. Steamers, like cars, trains, and, no doubt aeroplanes, are splendid ways of getting across country, and they afford magnificent views, en route. Indeed, the trouble is that there are solnany and such constantly changing views that the-mind often becomes confused.
But if we really want to know a country, we must go and Stay there. Not for long, perhaps, for in a few short _weeks it is possible so to explore one chosen corner that the visitor actually knows more about the country than those do who have been comfortably carried through hundreds of miles of it.
This is what we did last summer. After a preliminary study of maps and guide-books we fixed on a little village in the district of Sondmare, and stayed there a month. There was but one hotel—very comfortable—one village shop and perhaps a dozen other houses. There were no amuse- ments " of any kind, but every evening the steamer brought mails. Had we needed a doctor, he could have been called in half an hour by telephone. We did not want any artificial annisements, for we were surrounded by glorious mountains, placid lakes and rushing rivers full' of trout, and lovely woods through which an apparently inexhaustible number of ever- varying walks -were found, whilst at our door was a most beautiful arm of the sea.
The family included a Child of nine, and I can honestly say that none of us had an hour of boredom the whole_month. This is a holiday for walkers—walkers and anglers'. Those who never leave the high road will miss the best.of the country. Some of the mountain paths are steep, but what or that ? They all lead through wonderful country. Often we carried a picnic lunch on our backs and walked all day. Once we climbed a -peak 5,000 feet high and spent an hour on its summit . with one of the noblest views in Europe spread round us.
_ Of course we had off-days. On these we would fish, either in a lake nearby or froth a boat on the fjord. Generally we returned_ either with trout or with whiting, haddock or flounder which the good people of the hotel cooked for our supper. _ I am a little afraid of publishing the name of our partieular village for two reasons : (1) It is only one of many suitable places, (2) the accommodation at its one hotel is limited, and would not be elastic enough to cope with any sudden and large increase in visitors. But I will give a list of places in the Sondmore district that can be recommended for - Such a holiday as I have described. Orstenvik on the Orsten fjord ; Hellesylt, on the Sunelv fjord ; Bjerke on the Hjorunds fjord ; Oie, on the Norangs fjord ; Fiebelstad Hangen is well placed for mountain expeditions, but is not by the sea. Rooms should be booked in advance. Any of the established tourist agencies will do this.
- I add a practical note on expenses. A single first-class ticket, Newcastle-Bergen costs £7 3s. 6d. or £6 3s. 6d. (including food) according to the steamer selected. Bergen to Aalesund costs about £2. Aalesund to any of the places named, costs but a Tew shillings. We found the hotel charges most reason- able. Eleven pounds a week was charged for four of us. There were no extras whatever. The charge included state taxes and l0 per cent. for tips. krooiE MurifiAirs
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