Skårasalen

Just as we thought the exertions of the ascent to Sylvkallen were behind us and were enjoying the wonderful descent, Bernd, our mountain guide, had a nice surprise in store in the form of a rather rough counter-climb. But it was worth the effort! The subsequent descent led us to a bizarre scene with meter-high snowballs that had rolled down the slope. It was as if trolls had tried to build a snowman. After lunch, a short boat trip and a hot shower, we still had enough time to visit the small village of Sæbø and stock up on provisions in the village store for tomorrow's queen stage. This village is located at the picturesque fork in the Hjorundfjord, where the Norangsfjord continues to the west and the Storfjord to the south.

A welcome change for us inland ski tourists: after a hearty breakfast, strap on your skis and climb up one of the countless, huge snow flanks. The peaks offer fabulous views down into the branching fjords and rapid descents with generous turns across wide slopes. The peaks of the Sunnmörsalpane, with their "1000-metre slopes", are Norway's solitary ski touring Mecca par excellence. Our hostel serves as our means of transportation, so that our sailing ship takes us to new challenges every day. Culinary delights are provided in a lavish Nordic style and there is no shortage of culture on the last day.