Beyond beautiful. The trail up the mountain is not terribly difficult but is mostly metal stairs…read more(327 of them). But all along the way their are picturesque vantages that scream for a photo or, even better, a video. At the top (or at least, as far as we went) is a quaint coffee shop that allows for a drink, a snack, and a chance to catch your breath. You can return by the same trail or venture down the road and check out a small church along the way. Enjoy the incredible beauty of Norway and hike along this trail and see the amazing vistas that only Nature can provide.

Sheep waterfalls and…read more magic Storseterfossen is a famous and very popular waterfall in Geiranger, Norway. The main falls is about 100 feet high and to get close to the waterfall requires about a hour's hike up some fairly steep terrain. The path is well marked and even has some stone steps, so although it might get you puffing in places, it isn't that strenuous. But just beware that hiking is the only way to the top and definitely isn't for people that have trouble going up or down rather steep hills. The entire trip up is incredible, with lovely views of the surrounding hills and small villages. A whole bunch of sheep run loose all over the hill and most are very use to people and will ignore you. Occasional you will have to go around one on the path because they seem to think they always have the right of way. The hike is indeed lovely but the really cool part is the waterfall at the top that you can actually go right behind. Literally stand in a hollowed out spot right behind the roaring water falling one hundred feet from the top of the hill. The only other time I've seen a waterfall this powerful that you could actually get behind was Seljalandsfoss in Iceland. That waterfall actually originates from the Eyjafjallayokull glacier and active volcanic system. Getting down behind the Storseterfossen does take a bit of dexterity because the rocks are wet and slippery and you have to duck to keep from wonking your head on the overhanging rocks. But there are rope guides so with a bit of care it's not too bad. We did however see one woman take a nasty fall on one of the loose rocks and had to be airlifted off the mountain. Storseterfossen is one of those places that just cannot be rated with stupid Yelp stars. It's about as magnificent and ethereal as anyplace can be. The hike up the mountain would be great even without the waterfall. But to actually get to stand behind the roaring falls and feel the ice cold water hitting you in the face and the thunder of the water hammering your ears is amazing. If there is indeed real magic in this world it's contained in places like this.

Absolutely gorgeous hike from Hole up to Grinddalssaetra. Most of it is switchbacks and very…read moregradual. We did this hike in a couple hours to find a good place to eat lunch and escape the crowds. This is exactly what we found as the only other people on the hike were locals. You can drive up quite a ways if you have a car, then park it on the side of the road right when you see the turn off to the right for the trailhead. Ask at the visitor center for a trail map, tell them you are trying to escape the crowds, and they might give you the map for free (they did for me!). There are some good places to camp farther up the ridge if you are looking for that.

Disclaimer: This hike can be filled with tourists because they do one-way drop offs from the fjord…read more Even so, it is a stunningly beautiful hike. I did the hike as a two-way hike from Geiranger. You can either way all the way from the city center to the trailhead, or you can drive most of the way and leave your car on the side of the road near where the road starts to climb elevation, right before the camping sites. Be warned that if you park at a camping site they will charge you upwards of $30. The trailhead is easy to find and quickly gains elevation until Homlongssaetra. If you want to keep going, you can continue to Skagefla farm. There is some spectacular camping along the way, although I am not sure if it is technically "legal," but I had no problems.

Never such devoted…read moresisters The Seven Sister Waterfall is an impressive cascade of water that comes off the top of a mountain and ends up in a fjord. The tallest one is 722 feet high and the other vary in height and also intensity. Even though the falls are named The Seven Sisters, the amount of sisters actually hanging around at any one time differs. In fact sometimes five, six or even eight are seen but seldom seven. Kind of like the Pleiades Star Cluster, which is also known as the Seven Sisters, but virtually nobody sees seven stars. Five, six, eight or nine but almost never seven. How and why the amazing falls were named The Seven Sisters might not be known, but there is no denying that falls are indeed an amazing sight. The amount of water depends on the time of year and the amount of snow melting and can range from four or five kind of whimpy falls to a massive amount of water pouring off the cliff. It's difficult to get real close to the Seven Sister because they are one of those things that are just so dang big that you can't even see them if you get close. Best seen from a boat in the middle of Geirangerfjorden, these devoted sisters will probably hang out together for a long, long time.

A whole lot…read morewater The Nedgang Ovstebro Foss is a cool waterfall that is located about half way down a huge mountain and about a half hour ride from the center of Olden. It's actually part of the River Stryn and can be accessed by The Old Strynefjell Road. The waterfall isn't that much of a hike, only a ten minute to one half hour hike, depending on what part of the waterfall you want to visit. But if you want to climb up the mountain be prepared for some serious hiking and even climbing. In the winter the mountain is an absolute killer, with ice and avalanches common. The waterfall is indeed impressive and can range from to just a strong flow to an incredible rush of water from melting snows. The waterfall isn't just one huge drop, but a series of small and larger falls that can be deafening when standing close to the water. Some of the waterfall can actually be see from the road but to get a good look you have to slither and slide down some wet rocks along a chewed up path. Fortunately they do have a shaking rope in places to keep you from falling in the roaring river. This part of Norway is filled with incredible waterfalls and this is one of the easier ones to reach and get close too. You will get wet if you stand close to the falls and the water is always realllllllly cold. But that's a small price to pay to see the power and fury of the this waterfall up close.

Fjords mountains and…read morerocks Sukkertoppen is a well known hiking and camping place not far from the Norwegian town of Alesund. The name means Sugar Top, probably referring to how it looks when covered in snow during the winter months. Sukkertoppen is more of a hill than a mountain, at a bit over 1,000 feet high the hike gives a good workout but probably won't kill you unless you do something really stupid. Lots of vertical climbs, rocks to step over, roots to trip over and wet things to slip on. In the winter the snow and ice probably adds a whole new dimension to the hike. Of course the reward of reaching the top are the marvelous views. You can see the town of Alemund, fjords, mountains in the distance, clouds and all kinds of cool and beautiful stuff. The hiking trail can get a bit crowded at times but cool places like this usually have to be shared. Not, it's not Mount Washington in New Hampshire, Mount Everest or Mount Elbert in Colorado. Sukkertoppen is a cool and fairly easy hike to the top of a cool Norwegian hill that gives a visitor a nice chance to become intimate with the local rocks and roots and then rewards the persistent with some absolutely gorgeous views at the summit.

Stopped on the drive from Ålesund to Trollstigen Road with Trond from Local Trips…read more This was really a beautiful place to stop during the sightseeing tour. We were dropped off at the start of an elevated boardwalk which gave a beautiful view of narrow, high ravine which the Valldøla Rivers rushes through. The waterfall is such a nice view. Love the rainbow that it creates. The boardwalk is also so interesting. The iron walkway weaves back and forth leading to other short hikes. Check out the information board to find other trails. There are also free bathrooms and a few farmers selling the most delicious strawberries and raspberries. A nice place to stop on the way to Trollstigen from Alesund.

Steps statues and…read moreRollo The Alesund Town Park is an odd park that consists of a little plot of land with a playground and some weird statues and a cool staircase with 418 steps that lead to the top of Mt Aksla. At the summit of the mountain are some incredible views of the surrounding territory. The park was designed by a local gardener in 1885 and the statues and other things were added over the decades. One of the statues is of Gange-Rolf better known by his French name Rollo. Gange-Rolf founded Normandy, is the ancestor of William the Conqueror and as the TV show The Vikings points out, Rollo was one serious bad ass and maybe the toughest of all the Vikings. The statue was given to the park in 1911 in celebration of the 1,000 andiversary of the founding of Normandy. There isn't all that much in the bottom of the park outside of a little playground, pond and weird statues but the staircase leading to the summit of Mount Aksla is great fun, with lots of places to stop and take in the stunning views. Once you get to the top there is a little café and amazing views in every direction. Certainly an ususual and unique park, after all how many parks can claim a winding staircase up a mountain as it's main part. Add the statue of Rollo and the other things and this is one of the coolest parks I've ever been too.