My Adventures 3: Cruise down Sognefjord to Flåm, Norway 1st July 2025

On Tuesday the 1st July 2025 I woke up early to see the sail in down to the Fjord to Olden,Norway. On waking I could feel the ship rolling and the tv on the wall was swinging back and forth on its bracket. I opened an app to see where we were, and I sadly saw that Iona had got near to the mouth of the Fjord and then had circled around and was heading back to way we came. I was starting to fear the worst and hoped that we would try again. After a long time we did turn around and head back to the Fjord, after a long time, we again had to abandon the attempt to enter the Fjord. I was and still am gutted. This was the one port I really wanted to visit and had an excursion booked to the Glacier.

I went back to sleep. Eventually it was time to go up for breakfast, we went up to deck 17 and the weather was still bad and wet. As we were having breakfast the Captain made an announcement, saying they had tried twice to enter the Fjord but it was unsafe to due to 70mph winds. We were now heading towards tomorrows port of Flåm where they expect the weather to improve and we can sail down the Fjord there today. At least a little good news.

Whilst still at sea, my son George had always wanted to have a go at black Jack and said he was good at it on some computer game or another. Needless to say as always the casino wins.

We continued out at sea, cruising towards Flåm. I really hope its not another complete day at sea again.

Quite a bit later we were approaching the entrance to the Fjord and it was pleasant to see land again.

We sailed past little houses dotted about on little islands connected by road bridges and on our right the Fjordkysten Regional og Geopark.

Sognefjorden coastal park is the first park in Norway who will become both a regional park and a geopark. The geology in the park is outstanding and the park is aiming to achieve the Unesco global geopark status. If you want to meet authentic Norwegian coastal culture this is the place to go!

They bring together both non-profit and commercial interest and be a collaborative platform that, through long-term collaboration between locals, local businesses, schools, organizations and municipalities, manages the region’s natural and cultural heritage in a sustainable way.

The park is located in the westernmost area in Norway, where the Sognefjord, Åfjord, Dalsfjord, Stongfjord and Førdefjord meets the rugged North Sea.

We are now sailing down Sognefjord.

The Sognefjord, also known as "The King of the Fjords," is the longest and deepest fjord in Norway, stretching over 205 kilometres inland. It's located in Vestland county in Western Norway and is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and dramatic scenery, including towering mountains, glaciers, and charming fjord-side villages.

Located in Vestland county in Western Norway, it stretches 205 kilometres (127 mi) inland from the ocean to the small village of Skjolden in the municipality of Luster.

The fjord gives its name to the surrounding district of Sogn. The name is related to Norwegian word súg- "to suck", presumably from the surge or suction of the tidal currents at the mouth of the fjord.

The fjord runs through many municipalities: Solund, Gulen, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Vik, Sogndal, Lærdal, Aurland, Årdal, and Luster. The fjord reaches a maximum depth of 1,308 metres (4,291 ft) below sea level, and the greatest depths are found in the central parts of the fjord near Høyanger. Sognefjord is more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) deep for about 100 kilometres (60 mi) of its length,

from Rutledal to Hermansverk. Near its mouth, the bottom rises abruptly to a sill about 100 metres (330 ft) below sea level. The seabed in Sognefjord is covered by some 200-metre-thick (660 ft) sediments such that the bedrock is some 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) below sea level. The fjord is up to six kilometres (3+1⁄2 mi) wide. The average width of the main branch of the Sognefjord is less than five kilometres (3 mi). The depth increases gradually from Årdal to a central basin reaching more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in depth located between Leikanger and Brekke. From Brekke the floor rises rapidly to Losna island, then drops gradually with a threshold at about 150 metres (500 ft) in the Solund area. Thresholds occur in an area with sounds, valleys, and low land where the glacier was allowed spread out and lose its erosive effect.

View to Lavik

Lavik, a charming village nestled in the breathtaking fjords of Sognefjord! Situated in the westernmost part of this stunning region, Lavik offers visitors a true escape into nature's untouched beauty in the mountain.

This small village who stretch alongside the western part of the Sognefjord. Overlooking the Sognefjord with easy access to the fjord and mountains.

The perfect hub for exploring the outermost part and the western part of the Sognefjord area.

As you arrive in Lavik, prepare to be greeted by the awe-inspiring view of parts of the Sognefjord.

The tranquil waters mirror the towering mountains on each side, creating a picturesque ambiance that will leave you captivated.

Lavik is a typical fjord village, with a history stretching back to before the Viking age. Its easy access to the fjord and mountains made it an ideal settlement location.

Today, Lavik is a bustling ferry port and cross point on the coastal road between Bergen and Ålesund, with frequent bus transport and an express boat connecting to Bergen.

One of the ferryboats that traverses this fjord is the MV Ampere, the world's first battery-electric car ferry, which crosses the fjord between the towns of Lavik and Ytre Oppedal.

Cliffs surrounding the fjord rise almost sheer from the water to heights of 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) and more. Around the outer area the land rises to about 500 metres (1,600 ft) above the sea, while in the inner areas of the fjord, they reach about 1,600 metres (5,200 ft). The inner part has extensive tributary fjords such as Aurlandsfjorden, while the outer part is connected by narrow sounds to neighbouring fjords. Near the coast the fjord mouth is bounded largely by low islands and skerries that are part of the strandflat.

The inner end of the Sognefjord is southeast of a mountain range rising to about 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level and covered by the Jostedalsbreen, continental Europe's largest glacier. Thus the climate of the inner end of Sognefjorden and its branches are not as wet as on the outer coastline. Hurrungane range at the eastern end of the fjord reaches 2,400 metres (7,900 ft). The greatest elevation from seabed to summit is at Sogndal. Several rivers pour fresh water into the fjord with an annual "spring" flood in June. The mouth of the fjord is surrounded by many islands including Sula, Losna, and Hiserøyna. The Sognefjord cuts through a northwestern gneiss area with a south-west to north-east structure, and penetrates the Caledonian fold through in the inner part. There is no clear relation between the east–west direction of the main fjord and the fold patterns of the bedrock, while some of tributary fjords in the parts corresponds to fold pattern.

The volume of the whole Sognefjorden including its various branches is about 500 cubic kilometres (120 cu mi), while the total volume of rock eroded by glaciers from the entire Sognefjord system and adjacent valleys is about 4,000 cubic kilometres (960 cu mi).

The valley of Sognefjord is one of various valleys of western Norway that certainly predates the Quaternary glaciations. It existed already as part of the ancient Paleic surface but had at the time much gentler slopes. The fjords of western Norway formed in connection to the east-ward tilting of much of Norway during the Cenozoic uplift of the Scandinavian Mountains. This uplift, that occurred long before the Quaternary glaciations, enabled rivers to incise deeply the Paleic relief. An estimate of 7610 km3 of rock has been eroded from the Sognefjord drainage basin since the Paleic surface formed. The fluvial and glacial erosion that made the fjords has followed structural weaknesses in the crust.

During the last glaciation the ice reached a maximum thickness of nearly 3000 meters in the Sognefjord area. Confluence of tributary fjords led excavation of the deepest fjord basin. Until about 30 km from the very coast the Sognefjord glacier was apparently constricted to its narrow channel of homogeneous gneiss, then the glacier suddenly spread out presumably through sounds and low valleys.

Waterfalls dramatically crash down from the cliffs to the fjord.

We leave the ship to sail on down the fjord, and go for dinner. Mel and George earlier went for a game of bingo onboard.

We eventually leave the Sognefjord and enter Aurlandsfjord.

Aurlandsfjord is a fjord in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord flows through the municipalities of Aurland, Vik, and Lærdal. The 29-kilometre (18 mi) long fjord is a branch off of the main Sognefjorden, Norway's longest fjord. The fjord is deep and narrow, reaching a depth of about 962 metres (3,156 ft) below sea level, and its width is generally less than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) wide. About 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) south of the mouth of the fjord, the Nærøyfjord branches off from it to the west. The village of Flåm sits at the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord; other villages along the fjord are Aurlandsvangen and Undredal. Most of the fjord is surrounded by up to 1,800-metre (5,900 ft) tall, steep mountains with little habitation along the fjord except for in a few small valleys.

Tremors of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami arrived 12 minutes later in Aurlandsfjord, causing 1.5 meter waves for a few hours

Large parts of the fjord are included in the Nærøyfjord section of the West Norwegian Fjords UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Aurlandsfjord, one of Norway’s most idyllic fjords. It’s often referred to as the “Grand Canyon” of Norway, and it’s not a sight you want to miss. With the awe-inspiring beauty it has to offer, one can easily see why this is one of the most visited and photographed fjords in the area.