One less in the bucket


There were three mountain passes in Europe I had on my "must do one day bucket list"

1/ The Stelvio Pass on the Austrian/Italian border with over 48 hairpins on the eastern side, with the majority of the switch backs visible. I have had the pleasure to ride this 2757 meter giant several times (again last year). Hailed by the "Top Gear" team as the most exciting pass in Europe! (pictures at the bottom)


2/ Transfasgarasan in Rumania, a pass later described by the "Top Gear" team as even better than the Stelvio (not that I agree)-( picture at bottom)

3/ Stylsevegen in Norway, The road leading into the town of Stylsebotn in Southern Norway.

The picture (shown) I have had on my computer(s) for 18 years with the message "I must go there one day” etched firmly into my mind. I am always careful with the word “unique” as the meaning of this word denotes "one of its kind”. However for me, the Stylsebotnvegen is unique.

Not visible in the picture is that you arrive on the top of the mountain from an even higher level which brings you across a large treeless rocky area where the only level and straight roads are found in the car parks. Here, above the tree line, there is still abundant snow even at the end of August.

Have a close look at the picture where the road comes over the top and you will see a nice restaurant which offers not only nice hot chocolate, but also the most stunning views you can imagine. From here you can look straight down the mountainside into the kitchens of the Lysebotn inhabitants.The road twists and turns by means of very tight hairpin bends on the outside of the rock. This is the steepest descent (as the crow flies) I have ever seen. When the road runs out of space and it can't continue its downward descent, it disappears into a tunnel where it runs down a fairly steep decline and a hairpin bend deep inside the mountain. The road emerges again near the bottom of the rock and enters the small town of Lysebotn at the end of the Lyse-fjord.

You can’t help but feel small between the two giant rock faces running along the length of the fjord. The only way out is the same way as you drive in, or by ferry travelling the length of the fjord to Stavanger or some the smaller towns closer by. During the trip down the Fjord you pass Pulpit Rock, (Preikestolen) which can be reached by inland walking tracks. From there you can (if you dare) look down on the sharp edge of the rock 600 meters down.

The sights of Norway are truly stunning. The roads are the best to be had and all is very, very clean. A great place to visit. Many of the lakes are connected by means of canals which are hewn out of the rocks. (In Sweden you can go by ferry right across from west to east through lakes, canals and fjords)

The differences in height are mastered by a series of deep locks, often 5 in a row (as pictured)

Norway - on a lesser note. Norway is a very expensive place to visit, petrol has the highest price in Europe, and in an ordinary coffee shop where they serve beer, you can expect to pay 6.50 Euro (10.00 AUD) for a glass. Otherwise, as already stated, it a great place to visit.

From Stavanger the road leads south to the (boring) town of Kristiansand which has the feel of an eastern European town. An all-aluminium Australian built ferry takes you from there to the town of Hirthals in Denmark.

Now ... where are all the Trolls? Possibly in the Norwegian woods.