Al on the Go: Norway day10

178 miles today, round trip to Sogndal. From Stryn went round the fiord to Olden on the 60. Two cruise ships in at Olden , the Costa Maria (which I saw at Geiranger yesterday) and the Balmoral! I've been on this ship down to the north coast of Spain so that was a coincidence. The ships must stop at Olden because of it's anchorage depth/ size and access to other parts of the area as there's nothing there really.

I carry on around the fiord on the 60 and then head up and over at Utvik and pick up the E39 to head south for Skei. This goes along a valley called Vatedalen for about 12 miles - it chucked it down really heavily for the whole length then cleared at Skei,where I turned left onto the 5 all the way to Sogndal. Alot of tunnels on this road but two highlights - the first is the Boyabreen glacier. Just as you exit the Fjaerlandstunnelen going south look out for the signposted road left 500m from the tunnel. You drive about 1/2 mile to the car park and cafe and from there the foot of the glacier is about another 200m stroll. Couldn't be easier!!

The second highlight is the viewpoint overlooking the Fjaerland fiord which is after the next tunnel.

Stopped here for a quick drink & biscuit and ended up staying about 30 minutes watching a porpoise in the water below. Too far away for a pic but I had my little binocs which came in handy.
Turn right at Sogndal on the 55 heading along the fiord side to the ferry from Hella to Dragsvik (15mins 42nok). Had a 30 minute wait for this one. When it docked, most of the cars came off, did a 180 and went back on again!! We were then boarded. It was all to do with the boat operating a triangular route, leaving its original point, picking us up then going on to a different place from where it started

Four german bikers already on the boat, and I was to bump into them numerous times over the afternoon.
I now start the best bit of today's jaunt, up and over 57 miles of the Gaularfjellt - it's the route13 mountain road from Balestrand to it's junction with the E39 at Moskog. Steep hairpins, barren mountain top plateaus, iced over lakes, waterfalls etc etc. Oh, and numerous stops to bump into a gang of Germans

From Moskog it's raining and I'm heading back to Skei along the E39 and then a reverse of the mornings run. It's rains even harder back along the Vatedalen valley and clears a bit at Byrkjelo junction.
As I'm coming to Olden, Balmoral has left and the Italian cruise ship is about to leave. There's a Statoil opposite the dock so I get myself a free coffee and watch the ship pull away parallel, then spin on it's on axis in a stretch of water not much wider than the ship is long. Pretty impressive, and it must be done all the time.