Last August I flew across southern Norway to the cities of Stavanger and Bergen, together with a friend of mine, to build flying hours, and to complete the JAA requirement of a nav trip of at least 300nm that is required before one starts flight training for the CPL. So we planned a trip from Oslo to ENFY Fyresdal, in the middle of Norway, then on to ENZV Stavanger, ENBR Bergen, and back to Oslo. Total flown distance was just over 400nm, and it was a great day of flying, with some great sights along the way. We flew the trip in two C172s. Total time in the air of something like 5hrs 20min.

Some of the pics are a tad obscured by all the dead bugs on the windshield. I was just pointing and shooting, and the autofocus sometimes wanted to focus on the bugs.

Taking off from my home base at ENKJ Kjeller, just climbed to 1500ft and turned west, looking back:


I planned to cruise westwards at 7500 ft, but clouds from about 6000ft and up obscured that level, so I tried for 9500. Climbing out over the Oslo Fjord


No good, the clouds are climbing faster than my 172


So I descend back underneath and start heading westwards








Our first stop was ENFY Fyresdal, which is situated in the northern end of a freshwater lake, surrounded by a bit of terrain. Here I'm flying north up Lake Fyresdal towards the airfield


On final, descending


Fyresdal up ahead


My friend landing after I've taxied to the parking area


A Rutan design of some sort landing


The three of us parked


After spending a little time on the ground relieving high manifold pressure and calculating wind and drift for the next leg, we take off again. Climbing out over Fyresvatn before turning west






ENVA Valle, west again of Fyresdal






A small dam in the Hardangervidda area, a large plateau at about 3000ft elevation and upwards. It contains one of Norway's largest national parks, but presumably this dam was outside that park..


As we proceed westwards we eventually reach the fjords that cut into so much of western Norway's coastline. Here I am approaching the inner parts of Lysefjorden, which is east of Stavanger city


The terrain suddenly drops away from underneath by more than 2000ft




Lysefjorden










Approaching Stavanger


On final at ENZV Sola, with a slight crosswind


Plane spotting from up close


After about an hour on the ground we take off again and start heading north towards the city of Bergen, where our next stop will be ENBR, Bergen Flesland airport.
Stavanger from the air


Looking west. Next stop Scotland, or if you're unlucky and miss that; Greenland!









The C172 I fly is just three years old, and very nicely equipped, with a panel-mounted GPS, single-axis auto pilot, a great radio stack, and fuel injection



Nice coastal scenery on the way to Bergen






On the ground at ENBR Bergen Flesland


Taxiing for takeoff again. Flesland is an interesing airport in that it undulates a bit up and down, and here I am actually taxiing uphill, with the terminal and tower even higher up


Outskirts of Bergen


Flying east from Bergen, the terrain quickly rises, with steep-sided fjords cutting through the landscape.




Snow on the peaks, even if the air temperature at sea level is around 25 degrees celsius, and the water temp around 20 degrees












Flying east along the Hardanger Fjord, one of Norway's longest fjords, I passed this small peak of reddish rock, which contrasted a bit with the rock around it




The terrain is again about to drop away from underneath me


After passing the end of the Hardanger Fjord, the terrain rises quite dramatically. I've driven the road there, and it is very steep, with numerous switchbacks and corkscrewed tunnels. A bit further east is the Hardangerjøkulen glacier:




Glacial lakes




The ski resort at Geilo


After crossing back over the Hardangervidda, the terrain evens out a bit, and the rough terrain above the treeline is replaced with wooded hills and valleys


Oslo ahead. Home again soon


Overhead Nordmarka, a wooded area just north of the city which is great hiking country, and the skiing there in winter is fantastic!


I approach Kjeller from the west, there's no other traffic about, and the wind is perfectly calm, so I fly a straight-in approach to RWY 12, touch down and taxi off the runway. Back home after a fantastic day of flying!

WOW thanks for showing us your beautiful countryside of Norway.

Hmm, I seem to remember that it was in the wilderness just outside of Oslo that professor Drövel went missing?

Nice pics, Norway is a really beautiful country.

Smukt!

What an incredible country.

Somewhat picture-heavy?








Stunning photos, nontheless! Thanks for sharing!

Wow, now that's flying!

nice pics.

What an awesome day!

Thanks for sharing with us.

Stunting! Thanks for sharing pictures of your beautiful country.

Awesome! I KNEW Norway was a little less sparse than Jane's F/A-18 was leading me to believe.

I have a friend who lives on Svanoy, dunno if you've heard of it Semmern. We plan on going to visit him eventually, would be neat to see Norway in person.