Day 15 Hellesylt

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We awoke to an overcast day in Hellesylt, a small village at the end of our last visited fiord. After 3 straight days hiking, today we are booked on a 3 hour bus tour along one of the valley’s to the town of Oye with a number of stops along the way. We learned that many of the farms between Hellesylt and Oye have been abandoned due to economic viability and that there is a 100 strong community group that undertakes maintenance on sheds and dwellings to preserve some agricultural heritage of the area. We also seen a number of summer houses, small stone buildings with peat & vegetated roofs which people stay in for short summer breaks (there is no power, water, sewer).

The valley had many towering cliffs and beautiful lakes with a numerous waterfalls which is almost the norm now for travelling along the Norwegian Fiords. One such lake we visited was created by a rock fall from the high mountainous peak above. The amount of material was so vast that it created a dam wall across the valley about 50 meters from a village. The result is that the valley floor became an instant lake turning the village into an instant Atlantis and now people dive in the lake to check out the lost village below the lake waters.

We returned to the ship for a 2:00 pm departure and in the afternoon we cruised past the famous 7 sisters waterfalls which came with its own fake lore about a farmers son who was unsuccessful in proposing to each of the 7 daughters of a neighbouring farmer. The 7 waterfalls are sourced from a lake 1 km above the fiord along the cliff top. Our scenic cruise along the UNESCO heritage fiord was cancelled due to the unavailability of the pilot but visibility was poor due to fog so we may not have seen all that much anyway. Our position is well north of the Shetland Islands so tonight we started our return to Newcastle. Entertainment for the evening was the Cabaret show doing a rendition of music jukebox featuring music from Billy Joel to Frankie Valli.

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Photos

Hellesylt
View from our cabin window when we awoke

Oye
Summer Houses in the valley on the way to Oye

Oye
Remains of the lost village under water after a rockfall dammed a valley and created a lake

Oye
Lake at the end our coach ride in Oye

Oye
Small marina at the lake in Oye

Hellesylt
Tish on th Bridge in front of the famous waterfall in Hellesylt

Hellesylt
The Balmoral in Hellesylt Harbour

Hellesylt
Our final steps on Norwegian soil as we board the Balmoral

Norwegian Fiord
Andrew on the other side of the Balmoral with a waterfall opposite the 7 sisters waterfalls

Norwegian Fiord
Andrew with the 7 sisters waterfalls in the background

Oye
A row of summer houses near Oye

Oye
The famous hotel at Oye and its many folk lores

Oye
Snow cave created by a creek on the way to Oye