Norway 2024, part 13 (Gudvangen, Undredal, Vassbygdevatnet lake, Nore)
Gudvangen is a small village in western Norway, but it is a significant tourist attraction since it is located at the end of the Nærøyfjord.
I have already mentioned that the Nærøyfjord is a narrow, 18 km long arm of the country's largest fjord, the Sognefjord, which I travelled along the previous day. The Nærøyfjord is only 500 meters wide in some places.
Together with another fjord from south-western Norway, the Geirangerfjord, the Nærøyfjord is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What makes them particularly beautiful is that they are surrounded by high, steep cliffs that rise to about 1,400 meters above sea level, while in some places, they go down for about 500 m below sea level. This depth is also part of what makes these fjords special.
Here, I drove to the parking lot and it was immediately clear that the visitor is in a particularly beautiful location, but this becomes even more apparent when crossing the bridge over the Nærøydalselvi River that flows into the fjord here.
Since the day was sunny and the air was clear, everything sparkled and was magnificently beautiful.
The fact that it was sunny doesn’t mean it was warm. However, I was dressed appropriately, as evidenced by the selfie I had to take at such a beautiful spot.
And as for the Nærøyfjord, or rather, the part of it visible from here... photographs will illustrate its beauty much better than I could ever describe it.
Since there was plenty of space here where I could set up my camera, I took some photos of me or, as I like to say, I made a few "professional selfies." Taking selfies with a mobile phone held in hand is for amateurs. I’m just kidding, of course, especially since I also take them from time to time, as seen in one of the previous photos.
While I was setting up and taking photos, a sightseeing boat arrived. It’s worth mentioning that the fjord here is deep enough for both ferries and large cruise ships to navigate up to this point.
Meanwhile, a group of people with their guide had gently entered the fjord waters in boats and started paddling. I believe it must be a truly enjoyable experience, but I certainly didn’t have time for that.
Instead, I took another "professional selfie," and then I leisurely headed back to the car, taking a few more photos of this magnificent fjord along the way.
Just one kilometre further, the road I was on entered the Gudvanga Tunnel. I was still under the strong impression of the beauty of the Nærøyfjord, so that I didn’t even notice the sign indicating the tunnel’s length when I entered. The Gudvanga Tunnel, which is 11.4 km long, is the third-longest tunnel in Norway as of 2024.
Of course, as I drove through the tunnel, it was clear to me how long it was. I had previously mentioned the Høyanger Tunnel, which I had passed a few days earlier and which was once the longest in Norway (7,543 m), but by the time of writing these stories, it had dropped to the 13th place. Interestingly, the longest tunnel in Norway at least in the first half of 2024 was the Lærdal Tunnel, which is 24.5 km long and also located in this part of the country that I had been travelling through. In fact, I had passed just a few hundred meters from its entrance. However fascinating tunnels may be to me, I had my own plan and needed to stick to it rather than just driving around Norwegian tunnels out of curiosity.
However, when I emerged from the Gudvanga Tunnel, I noticed a sign indicating that a left turn would lead to a stave church. I couldn’t miss that, so I turned off the main road and headed towards the village of Undredal. I was fascinated by how empty the nearly 7 km long road was. Neither when I was descending nor when I was returning to the main road a bit later did I encounter anyone. I wondered where all the Norwegians were and how they spent their days.
In the village of Undredal, there is the smallest functioning wooden church in Northern Europe. It is the Undredal Stave Church, which measures 12x4 meters. The church was built around the year 1147.
At the time of my visit, the church was closed, so I just continued a little further down the road to turn around. I also took the opportunity to photograph the stunning fjord where this village with just over 100 residents is located. This is the Aurlandsfjord, which is also a branch of the large Sognefjord. The Nærøyfjord actually branches off from the Aurlandsfjord about 5 km north of Undredal. Moreover, parts of this fjord are also included in the UNESCO World Heritage natural site.
On the way back, I passed by the Undredal Stave Church again and then returned along the same route to the main road. The elevation difference is about 350 meters.
The main road took me along the Aurlandsfjord and just about 1 km after it diverged from the fjord, the road splits into two directions – one going through the longest tunnel in Norway, while I headed in the other direction.
However, very soon I realised that I was driving through exceptionally beautiful landscapes, but I had to be very careful because the road was narrow and winding. I had to be patient until I reached a pull-off where I could safely stop.
And what a place it was! This was Vassbygdevatnet Lake. The lake is linked with a hydroelectric power plant, but that didn’t detract from the beauty of the spot at all. I took quite a few photos again and here is a select few.
The reflections in the perfectly still waters of the lake were magnificent.
If I thought the road was winding up to this point, I can’t even begin to describe the road winding from Vassbygdevatnet Lake on. Not only does it wind, but it also dramatically ascends – from about 20 meters above sea level to a plateau at around 1,000 meters above sea level. To start with, one has to pass through a series of tunnels that wind uphill through the mountain, some of which are stacked one above the other. There was no way I would dare to take any photos here, plus I first had to wait my turn due to a traffic light positioned along the road.
Soon enough, though, I came across a pull-off area, so I stopped and got out of the car. The view of the lake and its surroundings was breathtaking.
As I ascended, snow began to appear, but it didn't bother me at all since the road was perfectly cleared.
Throughout this entire day, I couldn’t stop feeling immense gratitude to the circumstances or higher powers – however one sees it – that the weather was what it was. This was particularly important as I passed by lakes or fjords or stopped to photograph their still waters reflecting grassy slopes with charming sunlit houses and seemingly endless blue skies. However, it was perhaps even more significant when I drove across high mountains and plateaus (on a couple of occasions) completely covered in snow.
One level of the "problem" would be that my photos would be filled with greyness and would be less spectacular, although clouds can sometimes add drama. A much greater and real issue would have arisen if it had been foggy or rainy, or if there had been snow at high altitudes, making the roads slippery. I would have had to drive much more slowly and who knows when I would have reached my planned destination for the day.
But on a sunny and dry day like this, I could relax and enjoy.
Here at this altitude, the road passed through several tunnels. The one that particularly caught my interest was the Geiterygg Tunnel.
The tunnel is 3,290 meters long and situated at an average height of about 1,100 meters above sea level. What I found fascinating about it is that it features so-called "cold gates." These are automatic gates placed at one or both ends of a tunnel in order to protect it from cold and snowdrifts during winter, which could lead to ice formation on the tunnel walls and potentially cause rock falls. Except during summer, when temperatures are higher, the gates automatically open when a vehicle approaches, while they remain closed otherwise. Here’s what it looks like. I was quite surprised at first, as I wasn’t aware of such things, but in the end, it was quite fascinating and I managed to partially capture the whole experience in video format.
I was driving here over the Hallingskarv Plateau, which is part of the Hallingskarvet National Park.
In many places, I saw individual houses that looked quite snow-covered and even deserted. On the other hand, I noticed parked cars along the road, not necessarily near these houses. My conclusion was that some Norwegians had come here for Nordic skiing. It would indeed be a pity to miss out on such a beautiful day.
At some point, I did begin descending from the heights, so there was less snow, but there were more houses and human settlements.
I even photographed a wooden church, but since I didn’t have any information about it, I didn’t stop to explore.
The road also passed by a lake that wasn't covered in ice.
At one point, I also passed by the well-known winter sports centre of Geilo, but I hadn’t planned to make a stop there. I had a very ambitious plan for the day, so I was aware that it wasn't wise to stray from my route, especially not to visit a place I knew nothing about. The fact that it’s significant for winter sports didn’t matter to me – I was just passing through.
Here is a map showing where I travelled on this day:
After Geilo, the road started climbing again, reaching an altitude of around 1,100 m above sea level, but this stretch wasn’t very long – only about 30-40 km.
And as I started descending from the plateau, the snow began to disappear again. About 20 km farther, I reached the town of Uvdal. Here, I arrived at the Numedal Valley, which was significant to me because I wanted to visit two historic wooden churches.
I found it interesting that in the town of Uvdal, the road took me past a large wooden church that wasn’t in my itinerary, but I knew I would pass by it on the way back, so I decided to stop there later.
The plan was to visit a church located a little farther from Uvdal first, with the idea of returning later to see the other old wooden church in town and then continue a bit further along the same route before heading to my final destination for the day.
So, first, I went to the Nore Stave Church, which is situated on the shore of a lake. In fact, a river runs through the valley, widening at several points to form lakes. The wooden church in Nore is built next to, formally speaking, two connected lakes (narrow and long). To reach the church, you need to cross a bridge over the riverbed that connects these two lakes.
The day before, I had read online that the church was already open for the season every day until 6 PM. I arrived well within time, but there was no one around. The gate was unlocked (there was a metal lever to close it) and I even tried the door. No, it wasn’t open.
Well, I figured it wasn’t a big deal, so I walked around the church and peered through the windows, even managing to take some photos of the interior.
Research has shown that the Nore Stave Church was built after 1167. The church features a Greek cross plan with intersecting nave arms, which, as I’ve read, was a unique design solution in Western Europe during the Middle Ages.
It is also adorned with wooden carvings and other details on the gable of the side nave, while the shingle roof is clearly visible.
The interior is also beautifully decorated, primarily with murals, which I could see by peering through a window.
The church has been remodelled several times, but most of the parts are original.
I’m not sure about the current situation, but I found it interesting to read that the owner of the church at the end of the 19th century was an art history professor who then donated the church to the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.
Since the church wasn’t open, I just walked around it, took some more photos and then drove back to the town of Uvdal.
Along the way, I had to make a short stop to photograph the beautiful Norefjorden Lake. I found it interesting that it was still completely covered in ice, while the surface of Frygnefjorden Lake, which it connects to and where the church is located, was completely blue.
Less than 20 km farther, I reached my next destination, which was the Uvdal Stave Church.