The Bergen Line
Provided by:
Vygruppen
According to the excited passengers who have experienced the spectacular journey between Bergen and Oslo “This is one of Europe’s greatest train journeys!” And rightly so, for this stretch of railway is a fantastic scenic tour that will take your breath away. The journey across Norway takes you from beautiful fjords to magical forests, along rumbling rivers and waterfalls, over high mountains, endless glaciers and through lush valleys and idyllic villages. In this audio guide you will become acquainted with the places, the exciting local and national history, spectacular nature, as well as legends, myths and traditions. All this you can experience directly through the audio, pictures and text in the guide as the train is approaching or passes the places of interest along the route. Here at VY we strive to do our utmost to deliver you a great travel experience – Enjoy the ride!
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Points of interest
#1
The ‘Castle’ at Ask
Do you believe in ghosts? We are now passing the small town of Ask which gets its name from the 2000 year old estate which sits atop of the valley, which according to legend is full of ghosts who carry their heads under their arm. Locals call the estate “The Castle” due to the shape of the building and its characteristic 22 metre tower. The mansion is probably amongst the oldest in the kingdom and has been depicted in many Norwegian sagas; it has also been home to Viking chiefs, General Majors and artists. If you think that if you buy a haunted house you can demand a price reduction afterwards you can forget it! This case has already been heard in a Norwegian Court; in 2012 a Judge ruled that a price reduction cannot be demanded after purchasing a “haunted house”.
#2
The King of the forest
“You see me on road signs At the edge of the forest In oil paintings under a stormy sky Silhouetted against a Canadian sunset” Who am I? Known as the king of the forest he is often seen in these areas. The elk is the largest animal in the forest and together with the deer is the most important hunting game in Norway. The forests supply the elk with an abundant food source. Elk can devour 8000kgs of plants, twigs, bark, bushes and roots every year, which are digested in the ruminant’s four stomachs. There are around 100 000 elk in Norway, but they can also be found in the rest of Scandinavia, Russia and Canada. If you come across an angry elk you can forget about running away…an elk can run at an incredibly fast top speed of 60 kmh.
#3
Raundalen
Norway is full of world class Canoeing Rivers, everything from small steep streams to big rivers with severe rapids can be found nearly across the whole of the country. Some of the nation’s best canoeing rivers can be found in this beautiful, dramatic and lush valley of Raundalen. It stretches from Upsete to Voss with a gradient of 1000 metres. Along the valley and the train line you can follow the Gangsdøla, Kleivelvi, Raundalselvi and Vosso rivers. Since ancient times the valley has had many smallholdings and animal husbandry has been the most important industry. The river that runs down the valley is full of small rapids and waterfalls and when the snow melts the river froths and foams, it is a dramatic and beautiful sight. Small game, deer and lynx wander along the mountainside and in the woods. In addition there is a rich birdlife and amongst others you can find the national bird of Norway the Fossekallen which dives for insects in the streams and rivers. The river is also a popular place for rafting enthusiasts who come to dance over the terrifying rapids in rubber boats.