Norway – Exploring the darling small town of Eidfjord
As you might be able to tell, I was particularly excited to explore the darling towns at the end of the fjords in Norway. Each one is a little different, such as the book town of Fjaerland, the apple/cider-town of Ulvik, or the slow-paced town of Eidfjord. We stayed for two nights in Eidfjord and got a tiny taste of what the Hardangerfjord has to offer. In this post, I will breakdown some of the things to do in Eidfjord.
Fair warning, these activities require a car, so it will be best if you are self-driving to Eidfjord. Also, the town of Eidfjord shuts down after mid-September, so be sure to do your research before going to ensure the activities are available to you.
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Eidfjord the Town
The town of Eidfjord sits at the end of one of the Hardangerfjord fingers. It is a slow-moving town, known primarily for it’s access to Hardangervidda National Park and the Vøringsfossen – a stunning waterfall that falls 597 ft. It is a popular port of call for people on cruise ships, which means it can get busy in the summertime. There is a main street of shops and small restaurants. We did some excellent souvenir shopping here, but unfortunately, many restaurants were closed for the season (as we were there on September 28). We experienced Eidfjord as a sleepy fjord town and primarily with reasonably priced accommodation options, which might not be the case in summer!
An example of the cuteness: There is a walking path along the fjord, where my mom and I noticed that the trees were snuggly wrapped-up in knitted designs. Yes, the trees each had their own knit design on their trunks. Peep the tree with the bicycle that is also covered in knitted yarn.
Vøringsfossen
If you’re visiting Eidfjord, you must take the 30-minute drive to Vøringsfossen. The water falls 597 feet from the Hardangervidda Mountain Plateau into the valley below. It is dramatic and a little nerve-wracking for those with a fear of heights. We visited in the early morning and were the only people around, which was surprising because it is a heavily-visited attraction in Norway. Don’t expect it to be empty in summer! Coming from Eidfjord, there is an initial pull-out area, where you can hike/walk for a couple of minutes to get a side-view of the waterfall. Careful, there is no railing here. Otherwise, drive about 5 more minutes and follow the signs to the formal parking lot and overlook.
At the formal viewpoint, there will be railing and walkways that allow you to get different views of the falls. You will be directly above Vøringsfossen, so it is a little unnerving to be looking down the nearly 600-foot drop along with the water. I encourage you to walk around the platforms for various views before leaving. Also, take a look at the different vegetation up here. When we visited in October, the leaves were yellow at the top of this valley – a striking difference than the trees back in Eidfjord. It was like we drove to a different season with the elevation change.
Vøringsfossen has a history of being a scenic sight. In 1880, Ola Garen decided to build a hotel at the top of the falls. In the 1900s, cruise ships would dock in Eidfjord and people would hop onto a horse carriage and head up the valley to the waterfall. Norway’s famous composer, Edvard Greig, would often visit Vøringsfossen and even had a cabin in the area.
Hardangervidda Scenic Route
Vøringsfossen is a popular stop on the Hardangervidda Scenic Route – one of the 18 National Scenic Routes in Norway. Another Scenic Route I talked about in my Stegastein Viewpoint blog post is the Aurlandsfjellet near Flam. The 18 Scenic Routes, funded/maintained by the government, showcase some of the best scenery that Norway has to offer. The Hardangervidda Scenic Route goes from Eidfjord to Haugastøl over the highest mountain plateau in Northern Europe. So by driving up to Vøringsfossen, you will get a taste of this Scenic Route. Or you can drive a little farther into the Hardangervidda National Park. This route is open throughout the year but closes down for short periods of time during bad weather in winter.
Check out this website for more information on this specific scenic route and the other 17 recognized scenic routes.
Hardangervidda National Park
Harddangervidda is the largest national park in Norway, featuring a high elevation mountain plain. The landscape is a tree-less barren plain with endless streams, lakes, and pools. The west side of the park is considerably wetter and is able to sustain more vegetation. So if you’re coming from Eidfjord, you notice the trees drop away as you drive east.
I had hoped to do some hiking in Hardangervidda but simply did not have enough time in the area. And not enough pleasant weather, which I read is common for Hardangervidda – it can change by the hour. In addition to hiking and scenic drive, cycling and backpacking are also popular activities. Instead, we made the drive over to Ulvik to do the different cider producers.
Cider “Tasting” in Ulvik
September/October is apple harvesting time and Ulvik is an epicenter of cider production in Norway. When I found out about the apples in Ulvik, we HAD to make a trip to this little town. I was not disappointed with the apples in Ulvik! There were so many small apple orchards that there were apples falling off the trees and into the road. With a view of a calm fjord in the background, it is hard for me to imagine anything more picturesque. The idea of tasting does not exist the way it does in the United States, but you can visit more the different Cider producers and have a glass or half glass of cider at each one. We visited two farms and tried four ciders (two at each). This was such an incredible experience that I broke it out into its own blog post: check it out here.
Speedboat Fjordsafari
I was SO so close to doing a Hardanger Fjordsafari Rib Boat Tour in Eidfjord, Norway. A very different way to experience the Norwegian Fjords, the Rib Boat Tour takes you on a small speed boat to the base of waterfalls and other scenic locations. The catch is that the boat is open air, so the chilly water can splash you at any time. To go on the tour, you suit up with a waterproof full-body jumper and goggles. They even offer the Rib Boat Tour in winter, when the mountains have a dusting of snow. Although cold, the photos look incredible.
The only reason we didn’t do the Rib Boat Tour was the timing and weather. You can tell in my Ulvik cider photos that the clouds were coming in and it did drizzle that evening. I did have an opportunity to do the tour mid-day the next day, but we were due at the Edvard Greig lunchtime concert in Bergen. Bummer! But I will have something to look forward to next time!
Hiking in the Hardangerfjord Area
Like the Hardanger Fjordsafari, we ran out of time, energy, and good weather during our visit to Eidfjord to do any meaningful hiking. However, if I were to go back there was a couple of stunning hikes that I had my eye on:
- Tolltunga: You’ve definitely seen photos of this outcropping cliff over a narrow lake far below. Its name comes from the shape of the ledge – it looks like a Troll’s Tounge! Fair warning, it takes 8 to 12 hours to complete this demanding hike.
- Vøringsfoss waterfall base: You can hike to the bottom of the famous waterfall!
- Vivelid – Såtefjell: this is a 6-mile round-trip hike at the edge Hardangervidda National Park with views over a steep valley near Eidfjord.
- Bondhusdale Lake: This is 2 hours from Eidfjord, but was a potential gentle 5.3-mile hike to a glacial lake with a mountain backdrop. Potentially a hike to do on the way to Bergen.
- Juklavass Glacier Walk: Or you can walk on the ice at the Juklavass Glacier from mid-May to October.
There are SO many hiking options in the area. Don’t let this short list stop you from doing more research on hikes in the Hardangerfjord area.
Fjord Cruise with Bus Return
During the high season, there is a fjord cruise you can take from Eidfjord to Lofthus, then hop on a bus to return to Eidfjord. I recommend taking at least one fjord cruise while in Norway to experience the fjords with an uninterrupted view from the water. We ended up on two fjord cruises while in Norway – one from Flam and one from Bergen. I cannot find any information online about this sightseeing excursion, but remember seeing it posted at our Bed and Breakfast. You can find out more information and book the excursion by visiting the tourist office in Eidfjord. I say during the high season because when we visited on September 28, the tourist office was already closed for the season and we were unable to inquire about this cruise.
What to Pack to Explore Eidfjord, Norway in Fall
The weather in Norway is variable, especially so in autumn. I ended up bringing many light layers so I could adjust to the various weather conditions. Here are a few items that came in handy:
- Rain Jacket and/or windbreaker, especially for the fjord cruises where it’s extremely windy at the front of the boat.
- Puffy mid-layer that packs up small like the Patagonia nano-puff jacket. Or for something a little more casual looking, I’m trying out the Patagonia pack-in jacket. The wouldn’t recommend the maroon jacket I’m wearing in some of the photos because it didn’t block the wind very well and I was chilly!
- Wool layering long sleeve, like this one from Smartwool. Or consider a tank top to wear UNDER your cute sweaters for extra warmth.
- Leggings – athletic ones are always great to have, but also consider bringing a base layer with wool to wear under your pants.
- Lightweight fleece gloves were handy (pun intended)! I ended up wearing them on the fjord cruises and in Bergen where it was cooler. These ones from REI are supposed to allow you to touch the screen through the gloves – that would have been amazing because I kept having to take one glove off to take photos.
- Cute fleece-lined beanie.
- Extra large scarf or scarves! H&M typically has some cute chunky scarves each fall.
- Boots that you can comfortably walk in, but also keep your feet warm. The ones you see in the photos look good, but are often not warm enough! Consider some cute but function boots from Clarks or Sorel.
- A handy dandy refillable water bottle is ALWAYS a good thing to bring with you.
Overall Thoughts: Sights of Eidfjord
The town of Eidfjord is centrally located with access to Hardangervidda, Ulvik cider, all the hiking options in the area. It is a sleepy little town in the off-season but can be overrun with the large cruise ships making a port of call in the summer. You could also head over to Voss, which is a high-adventure capital of Norway. The drive to and from Eidfjord is along the striking Hardangerfjord. Overall, I wish I had more time to explore Hardanger. I found Eidfjord to be lovely and central, but next time I might opt for a cabin outside of any of the main towns and fully embrace nature and the fjord landscape. Eidfjord is cute, but not quite as cute as Fjaerland or even Ulvik. I am grateful I got to experience Eidfjord and the Hardangerfjord.
Do you know of any other fjord-side towns with lots to do?? Since my trip to Norway, I have declared my favorite landscape to be fjords and I will seek them out throughout the world. If so, let me know in the comments, so I can add them to my list.
Happy Travels,
Hanna
