Orcadian Sights

St. Magnus Cathedral dominates the skyline approaching the harbour. Kirkwall is the capital of the Orkney. This group of over 70 islands and skerries was first written of the Orkneyinga Saga of 1046. Less than one third are inhabited, but the population today is growing again, after a considerable decline leading up to the 1970’s.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is the largest landowner, a range of habitats exist are found within close proximity from cliffs to marshes, moors and maritime heath. A haven and breeding for many species. And for those migrating to and from the Arctic each year, the perfect spot for a break.

Visits included sights from a range of era in local history. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney including Skara Brae village and the Ring of Brodgar stone circle are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Skaill House, home to its Lairds for twelve generations and now open to see a family home of the 1950’s. Highland Park Distillery was combined with the 20th Century history of sheltered inlet Scapa Flow. The Italian Chapel was created by World War 2 prisoners of war sent to Orkney to build the Churchill Barriers.

In town, built in French Renaissance style in 1600, the ruin of the Earl’s Palace stands next to the red limestone Cathedral, in which sits a memorial to John Rae.

This year is the bi-cenntenial of the birth of this discoverer of the North West Passage. Recruited to the Hudson’s Bay Company, his time in Canada working closely with the Inuit resulting in his passion for Arctic exploration. Kirkwall’s pilot boat is named after him. The harbour pilot climbing down onto it after his work on the bridge was finished.

Pianist Ralf plays regularly in the Lounge, including today at Afternoon Waffles. But this evening he also took to the stage to sing works of German songwriter Udo Jurgens, as a prelude to the Fruit & Ice Carving.

Lerwick

The Shetland Isles are the most northerly part of the British Isles, populated by around 22,000 humans but many more birds and mammals.

Mousa Island is a bird reserve.  Its 13 metre high Iron Age broch is considered the best preserved in the world.  Surviving more or less as built, it is thought that the many loose stones available meant that it was never plundered for construction material.

A mainland drive took guests to the Neolithic remains and settlements from the Bronze and Iron Ages found at Jarlshof as well as introducing Shetland culture and farming.

Now in the boutique, and featured in the evening Fashion Show new arrivals of colourful Helly Hansen outdoor wear. The story of Helly Hansen began in 1877. After many years at sea, Norweigan Captain Helly Juell Hansen and his wife Maren Margarethe began producing oilskin jackets, trousers, sou’ westers and tarpaulins, made from coarse linen soaked in linseed oil. This waterproof gear became an immediate success and still is today. 

Coffee and Cake at Kviknes

Kviknes Hotel is the most prominent feature of Balestrand, elegant on the outside and a comfortable stop since the early days of tourism. Fram’s guests stopped here for morning coffee and cake after a walk of the historic sites.

Ciderhuset hosted a tasting of their products, and later those hiking with the Expedition Team returned through their orchards from the hills above the strand. Reaching a viewpoint high above Sognefjord the combination of snow, sun, plants and birdsong in the forest added to the pleasure of walking

Leaving Norway by afternoon the course was set to cross to the Shetland Islands passing the oils rigs of the Troll Field.

Sognefjord in Sunshine and Snow

Fram slipped into the Nærøyford at breakfast time for a look at this special part of the fjord system. Turning at Gudvangen at its head, it was clear that this year Spring is very late, even at sea level there are still parts to defrost.

At Flåm, as always the Flåmsbana rail excursion was popular. Storms overnight had left deep powder snow at higher elevations. The waterfall stop was magical. At the summit of Myrdal, the mainline Bergen-Oslo track on the adjacent platform was totally invisible. Suddenly, and almost silently an engine emerged from the tunnel, the plough on the front doing its job effortlessly. The connection to Aurlandsfjord from Bergen made, the return to Fram was without delay despite the now blizzard conditions.

Moving on to another arm of the Sognefjord, bright sunshine finally emerged, lighting the snow capped mountains, and making for a pleasant walk to an evening visit.   Another UNESCO listed treasure, built for private use by a powerful family, Urnes Stave Church is perched on a hill above Lustrafjord. One of the oldest and best preserved examples of the few still standing, the church warden explained the fine details found both inside and out.

Into Hardangerfjord

Exploring Hardangerfjord the Polarcirkles have been in use again. The weather was unkind for a large part of the day but there were at least some indoor options ashore.   At Ulvik, the landing is at Brakanes Hotel, with a welcoming lobby and large conservatory facing the fjord. There has been a hotel on this scenic spot for 153 years, the first building of 1860 had just four rooms.

The thirteenth century stave church here was pulled down in 1710, and its replacement had the same fate in 1858. The third and present church of Ulvik was completed in 1859, the pretty painted decoration dating to 1923.  Surviving valuables from the medieval church are in museums, in replacement a copy of the alterfront of 1250 hangs on the wall.

After lunch we landed at Agatunet on the western shores of Sørfjorden. This hamlet of 30 buildings dating from the Middle Ages to the present is one of the few remaining group farms in Norway. The buildings, local costume collection and fjord marine life all explained by local guides.

The Court of Appeals lodge built around 1250 is the oldest medieval building of its kind in Norway that is still standing on its original site.   Huge tree trunks make up the walls, and the later metalwork features on the door to the main room.

Saturday Morning to Monday Afternoon

Not long when there is so much to do.  A routine maintenance stop in Bergen involved a lot.  Activity for all departments througout the ship.  Deliveries, servicing of equipment, repairs, counting, clearing, cleaning ...

Those blue jackets for passengers, some 3,200 of them, manhandled from pallets on deck 2 into the Deep Store, right down in the hull of the ship.

Tests completed everything is ready.  Captain Rune Andreassen is on the bridge, and passengers are on-board. We first go back into the fjords for a few days then on to Scotland.  No better place than the Panorama Lounge for a comfy view.

Olden in Nordfjord

The Captain hosted a bridge visit this morning and there were a couple of lectures before completing our journey down the Nordfjord.

Excursions that set out today from the pier in Olden enjoyed postcard scenes at the higher elevations. Snowy forests, mountain tops, frozen lakes and glacier views. A mix of sun, dark skies and snow as they explored. Some tried Svele - a Norweigan version of pancake. Some walked up a track to view the front of the Briksdal Glacier, an arm of the mighty Jostedals Glacier – the largest on the continent of Europe.

Karin has been teaching the skills of Hardanger embroidery, guests now getting to the final stages of a sampler.  Most would think the most difficult part is cutting the holes between threads. One slip and the entire piece is ruined. But no. Executing the fine Cable and Four-Sided stitches are even more challenging.

Pianist Bjorn has entertained many times during the voyage, but tonight he took to a different stage – with a lecture on Norway’s folk music, instruments and dances.

City to Untouched Nature

From Mount Aksla above Ålesund, the view this morning included Hurtigruten’s Vesterålen on pier. After a disastrous fire in 1904 this city was completely rebuilt in Art Noveau style. More than 320 of these buildings side by side, create a city that is completely different in architecture from the others on our cruise.

Mid morning a group left to travel overland and by local ferry to Geiranger, visting a working farm enroute. Stopping at a viewpoint high above the small community they were able to watch Fram arriving for the second stop of the day

On board, setting out on Storfjord, followed by Sunnylvsfjorden and then turning the corner into Geirangerfjord, twhere the water had become like mirror glass. As yesterday, this particular fjord landscape considered so exceptional a part of the world that it has been included on the World Heritage List.

Skageflå was last farmed in 1916. Our hikers set off by Polarcirkle to reach its front path. There is no question that it is a steep climb to this farmstead 250m above the fjord. But also that it is worth the effort.  Not just views down the fjord and across to snowcaps and waterfalls, but also beautifully reflected.