Guided Walking at Stalheim

• Our experienced leaders offer the choice of two different walks each day
• Choose the option which best suits your interests and fitness
• We provide flexible holidays. Choose easier walking one day and harder the next or just explore independently or relax around the resort
• Our leaders are friendly and welcoming making your holiday fun and sociable

  Easier Walks    Harder Walks

Easier Walks are on mainly gentle gradients with some short steep ascents; Harder Walks can be on rougher terrain.

Day 1: Arrival day

For those arriving on the HF Holidays’ flight to Bergen Airport, the onward journey to Stalheim is by coach. Due to the late arrival of the flight, your leaders will explain more about the walks on the first morning of the holiday.

Day 2: The summer pastures of Brekkedalen or Jordalen

This morning, before leaving for the walks, your leaders will explain more about the walks. Today both walks stay relatively close to the hotel at Stalheim, allowing us to explore the local areas, and also to enable you to get your bearings for the rest of the holiday.

Easier Walk: 5 miles with up 1,120 feet ascent and 1,914 feet descent.

Harder Walk: 10 miles with up 1,090 feet ascent and 1,880 feet descent

Day 3: Oppheimsvatnet or over the twin peaks of Kolingseggi and Skorseteggi 

We go down the valley towards Voss, allowing us to explore another, but very different, area close to Stalheim. Amble your way round the lake of Oppheimsvatnet with an option to take in two peaks which then leads back to the hotel.

Easier Walk: 7 miles with up to 950 feet ascent and 840 feet descent.

Harder Walk: 8½ miles with up 1,950 feet ascent and 2,080 feet descent.

Day 4: The Flamsbana  

We travel to the tiny village of Flam at the head of Aurlandsfjord. Our journey takes us through the 11km long Gudvangen tunnel. Flam is set in spectacular surroundings and is a stop off point on the popular `Norway in a Nutshell` tour. It is also the destination for many of the large cruise ships that sail up into the inner reaches of Sognefjorden. The reason for the popularity of Flam is that it is the home of the world famous `Flamsbana` railway, which rises from sea level to Myrdal on the bleak Hardangervidda plateau, a height gain of 866 metres in 20km. It is an engineering wonder with its 1:18 gradient and numerous tunnels hewn out of the rock walls of a breathtaking valley.

Both of today’s walks start by taking the Flamsbana. We alight at Myrdal station and walk back towards Flam through a most beautiful valley, with ever changing scenery. There are wonderful views all round of waterfalls and steep craggy cliffs as we walk through the verdant pastures that dot the valley floor. Both walks catch the train from the middle station of Berekvam for the return journey into Flam.

Easier Walk: 6¼ miles with up to 100 feet ascent and 1,865 feet descent

Harder Walk: 10 miles with up to 230 feet ascent and 1,995 feet descent

Day 5: Free day

Each week there is a free day where no guided walks are offered. This is an ideal opportunity to relax around the hotel, walk independently, or visit local places of interest.

Have the opportunity to spend a day in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bergen, the proclaimed ‘Capital of the Fjords’. The setting is spectacular with Bergen’s seven mountains rising from the fjord. Any trip to Bergen focuses on the bustling main harbour, the Vågen, and its line of brightly coloured merchants trading houses making up the Bryggen. An interesting place to visit along the Bryggen is the Hanseatisk Museum, a well-preserved, early 18th century merchant's dwelling, decorated in late Hansa style.

At the end of the harbour is the Torget, Bergen’s main square, and home to its famous open-air market, an excellent place to assemble a picnic for lunch. Behind the harbour, the Lille Øvregaten’s charming narrow lanes and pretty wooden houses make a lovely place to stroll through. Look out for the 18th century loading bays on the upper levels and note the overhanging eaves of the passageways, used to shelter trade goods. The Fløbanen funicular railway is the highlight of this area and a quick ride up Mount Fløyen rewards you with a stunning view of Bergen and the surrounding fjords and islands. There is a lovely walk back down the hill into town which takes about 50 minutes.

Other highlights include a walk to the Nordnes peninsula which juts out into the fjord and the Bergen Art Museum’s collection of paintings by Edvard Munch. The city also boasts plenty of excellent cafés and an extensive range of shops to tempt you.

Further information can be found on www.visitbergen.com.

Day 6: High up in Aurlandsdalen

Today we go deep into the Aurlandsdalen Valley, situated between the Handangervidda and the Jotenheimen National Park. The journey is a spectacular trip passed waterfalls and lakes, through remarkable tunnels which are a feat of engineering, and with the bus climbing high above the lakes for superb views down to the valley.

Easier Walk: 6¼ miles with up to 495 feet ascent and descent

Harder Walk: 7½ miles with up to 1,120 feet ascent and descent

Day 7: Aurlandsfjorden and Naerøyfjorden  

Today’s walks finish with a cruise from Aurland to Gudvangen through the `World Heritage` Naerøyfjorden. Naerøyfjorden provides a vision of archetypal Norway: a deep blue fjord, only 250 metres across at its narrowest point with towering 1,200 metre high cliffs; isolated farms and waterfalls that plummet from above. Kjelsfossen for instance, is one of the 10 longest waterfalls in the world. It is a truly wonderful trip.

Easier Walk: 5 miles with up to 1,070 feet ascent and descent

Harder Walk: 7 miles with up to 1,667 feet ascent and descent

Day 8: Departure day

Please note that the itinerary outlined below is provisional and could be subject to change. A finalised itinerary will be available at the resort and your leaders will brief you every evening about the next day’s walks.

Local transport

On some days the walks start and finish at the hotel. On other days we’ll use the hired transport to explore the surrounding area. The cost of transport to and from the walk is payable locally.