Here Comes the Sun, Finally Shining on Norway’s Majestic Peaks
Day 45, 2025 European Odyssey
Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025; Ålesund, Norway.
Forty-two days ago, I boarded The Golden Train for an afternoon ride on what Lonely Planet called Europe’s most scenic rail journey. We saw waterfalls and farms as we climbed the mountain valley, but had no glimpses of the immense mountain peaks above us, shrouded in fog and clouds.
You can’t control the weather. I was disappointed that I didn’t see the world-famous Trollveggan – the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, also known as the Troll Wall. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the beauty of the Norwegian countryside.
Today the sun graced my return visit. Not by train from Åndalsnes, but by bus from Ålesund, a port near the coast.
By luck it was perhaps the best day of the year. Trollveggan rose before us – just one magnificent rock face in a stunning wall of jagged peaks and sheer cliffs.
When I booked today’s eight-hour tour in early February, I had no idea I would need a repeat try at Trollveggan. In fact, I only booked that train ride at the end of May. And given my unfamiliarity with the Norse language, I’m not sure I realized that the two tours would take me to the same narrow valley. Or that our guide would say today was his first glimpse this summer of Trollveggan’s peak.
As majestic as Trollveggan was, the best of our tour was yet to come. I’ve written before that I love driving nimble cars on twisty roads like the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina and Tennessee. My second MINI Cooper’s license plate was TWISTY, after all.
But I was glad I wasn’t driving today on Trollstigen, aka the Troll Path, a serpentine mountain road with a 10-percent grade and 11 hairpin turns. And no substantial guard rails; from my high window on our bus, I only saw a two-foot-high curb.
Luck was with us. Not just because we didn’t go off down the cliff, although that was certainly an answer to my prayers. But because the road was open at all. For years frequent rock slides have closed it, and when I was here in early July it was closed for road repairs. After briefly opening, rock slides closed it again; it only reopened a few days ago. It was amazing to see the buses taking the steep grade and turns.
At the top we could walk to an overlook that we saw from below. (I passed, knowing I’d never be able to go to the edge.)
Our all-day bus ride took us through tunnels, along two different fjords and through green valleys. In the village of Valldal, I even got to buy a roadstand’s last pint of locally grown strawberries. They were as sweet as promised, and the season is about over.
Trolls are seemingly everywhere in Norway. Norse legend has it that the mountains are trolls turned to stone when struck by sunlight. Thus, in addition to the Troll Wall and the Troll Path, there is the Troll Bite.
We stopped at a glamping camp under the mountains for a buffet lunch of salmon. Instead of sleeping under the stars, you can sleep under the sod.
The trolls were never far away.
So happy for you. What a special day! I can sort of imagine how wonderful it was, from a similar experience at Mt. McKinley in Alaska on our 4th trip there. It was July and the 1st time in 6 years in July that the mtn had been out from dawn to dusk and the 1st time we had seen it. Pure Joy! Didn’t realize this existed in Norway. Thanks for sharing. They say Europe has experienced more temp change than anywhere. Rain in the north and heat in the south. Have you experienced tha
So many great memories! I first visited Europe for a round trip HAL cruise from Amsterdam to Honningsvag in 2012.. During our stop in Alesund we took a similar bus ride but we drove down the Trollstigen. Almost as impressive was a decent into the Stahliem valley on another tight, narrow, one-way road.
We too enjoyed the amazing strawberries, the best I’ve ever eaten.
Down would have been worse, I think, Paul. I’m always torn — frightening to do the driving, but perhaps worse to trust someone else! At least as a passenger I could close my eyes.
We were in the 2nd seat behind the driver, so we had the best (?) over his shoulder. I was so excited that I didn’t think to be scared. I remember the driver swinging wide into the oncoming lane on the tightest right-hand turns, and cars coming up had to switch lanes too and cut inside us. It all worked very smoothly; I guess they were used to the procedure.
I am really enjoying reliving our Norway trips through your updates!
Wow! What gorgeous scenery…..but, not sure MY stomach could handle that road in a bus!
I agree the thought of those turns and I say no way. But the sights were amazing
Amazing day! Everything came together for a perfect experience and great memories.
Great story!
Amazing scenery! Would live to see it but I don’t think I could handle those twists and turns in a bus!
I applaud your courage and thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much for your excellent notes and pictures of your overland trip in Norway! My wife and I have been to Norway on a cruise and enjoyed seeing Fjords, but we did not get to go overland. It is all of particular interest since I am about half Norwegian.