The large TV tower atop 2,375ft (724m) Kattnakken on the island of Stord was a common sight as we traveled around the mouth of Hardangerfjord. We first spied it from the summit of Siggjo on the adjacent island of Bomlo, and decided that would be our likely next hike.
From the anchorage at Karihavet, we made a 19 nm run to the beautiful anchorage at Morkavegen. En route, we got a closer look at 377ft (115m) high gantry crane at Kvaerner Shipyard, plus two oil platforms there. Then from Morkavegen we ran the tender 5 nm to hike Kattnakken.
The trail to the top is an easy 1.5 miles (2.4 km), but the trailhead is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from the water, so we had a longer hike than most to reach the summit. But the views from the top were worth the extra effort, and we enjoyed sighting the TV tower later on our travels after having been at the top.
Below are highlights from Aug 10, 2020. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.
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Sunrise
Position: 59°41.83’N, 5°24.14’E
Sunrise as we get underway from the anchorage at Karihavet.
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Bomla Bridge
Position: 59°42.49’N, 5°25.44’E
The 3,274 ft (998m) Bomla suspension bridge has a main span 1,893 ft (577 m) and connects the islands of Stord and Bomla. It is part of the Triangle Link consisting of three bridges that connect both islands with mainland Norway.
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Equinor Njord A
Position: 59°45.23’N, 5°30.12’E
Equinor’s Njord A floating production platform at the Kvaerner Shipyard for a complete upgrade. Few structures could make Kvaerner’s massive 377ft (115m) high gantry crane look normal-sized.
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Vallhall Platform
Position: 59°45.23’N, 5°30.12’E
The 1980s-era accommodation platform from Amaco’s Vallhall oil platform at the Kvaerner Shipyard for recycling. Amaco Norway (now Aker BP) started production in 1982 at the Vallhall and Hodd fields and by 2017 had extracted over one billion barrels of oil equivalents, over three times what was anticipated, with another 500 million barrels possible.
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Offshore Equipment
Position: 59°45.15’N, 5°29.99’E
We’re not sure the purpose of these huge pieces of equipment at the Kvaerner yard.
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Ferry Charger
Position: 59°48.78’N, 5°39.55’E
Seimens charging station for the electric ferries on the run between Ranavik (pictured) and Skjersholmane.
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Morkavagen
Position: 59°48.42’N, 5°40.59’E
We found a beautiful anchorage at Morkavegen with views east to the mainland mountains (clockwise from top left: forward, aft, starboard and port).
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Tender
Position: 59°48.85’N, 5°31.85’E
The tender tied off at Rommetveit on the island of Stord for a hike up to the TV tower at Kattnakken.
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Goal
Position: 59°48.99’N, 5°31.19’E
Our goal of Kattnakken looks a long way away. It’s about 7 miles (11 km) to the top from the water, and we’ve only covered about a mile so far.
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Forest Road
Position: 59°49.03’N, 5°30.36’E
Walking along a forest road towards Kattnakken.
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Pipe
Position: 59°49.24’N, 5°30.36’E
A substantial water pipe running along the road we were walking.
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Water Supply
Position: 59°50.32’N, 5°29.13’E
The recently-built Stord Municipal Water Supply building about halfway to Kattnakken from Rommetveit.
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Getting Closer
Position: 59°50.98’N, 5°28.91’E
After an hour and a half of walking, we’re only a couple of miles away now.
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Heio
Position: 59°51.60’N, 5°29.33’E
The parking lot at Heio, where several trails begin. It only 1.5 miles to Kattnakken from here, instead of 7 miles from the water.
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Trailhead
Position: 59°51.68’N, 5°29.32’E
Finally at the trailhead for the hike up Kattnakken. Given it’s a highlighted hike for the area, there was surprisingly no information about the trail on the board.
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Sherpa Steps
Position: 59°51.81’N, 5°29.06’E
In 2016, Nepalese sherpas built these beautiful steps that lead partway up to Kattnakken.
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Lunch
Position: 59°52.39’N, 5°29.70’E
A picnic lunch with a fabulous view east from 2,375ft (724m) Kattnakken.
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Ferry
Position: 59°52.39’N, 5°29.70’E
Ferry departing Stord at Jektavik 2,375ft (724m) below us atop Kattnakken.
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Paraglider
Position: 59°52.33’N, 5°29.51’E
Paraglider floating above Kattnakken.
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Folgefonna
Position: 59°52.39’N, 5°29.70’E
A closer view to the Folgefonna glaciers that we saw yesterday from Siggjo.
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Road Down
Position: 59°52.39’N, 5°29.70’E
We’ll be making a loop of the hike and taking the TV tower maintenance road back down.
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Siggjo
Position: 59°52.42’N, 5°29.54’E
Looking east to the summit of 1555 ft (474m) Siggjo that we hiked up yesterday.
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TV Tower
Position: 59°52.42’N, 5°29.54’E
The huge TV tower on Kattnakken, completed in 1969, is visible for miles.
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Sherpa Steps Bottom
Position: 59°51.84’N, 5°29.41’E
At the bottom of the Sherpa steps along the maintenance road from Kattnakken. We’d started on the hike at another trailhead, and joined the Sherpa steps partway up.
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Swimmers
Position: 59°48.88’N, 5°31.75’E
Back at Rommetveit, 6 hours and 14 miles (25km) since we first arrived this morning. The swimming beach there is popular on this warm and sunny day.
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Bergensfjord
Position: 59°48.85’N, 5°31.85’E
The LPG-powered Fjordline ferry Bergensfjord passing Rommetveit en route to Stavanger from Bergen.
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Looking Back
Position: 59°48.83’N, 5°32.57’E
Looking back to Kattnakken on the tender ride back to Dirona. The view from the top was spectacular.
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Lykelsoya
Position: 59°48.42’N, 5°40.34’E
We have the anchorage at Morkavegen all to ourselves, but just around the corner is the popular municipal guest harbour. A second guest dock in this harbour also is overflowing.
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Hopeful Swans
Position: 59°48.42’N, 5°40.60’E
Hopeful swans looking for a handout. Judging by their confident approach, the pickings are good in this area.
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Crab Feast
Position: 59°48.43’N, 5°40.60’E
A delicious fresh crab feast courtesy of Emil Pederson and friends. Spitfire is leaning in, ready to mooch.
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Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise.
On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps. |
Thanks for gorgeous photos. Norway certainly has an abundance of spectacular scenery. That hike up to the TV tower looked quite strenuous.
Have you decided where to spend the winter? Is there a good location on Norway with plenty of restaurants and supply options?
Is Covid still making it impossible to winter somewhere warm like Spain or Malta?
We could stay in Norway over the winter but we would become taxable if we stayed for that length of time and more work wold need to be done on longer term visas. Both solvable problems but our choice is to leave prior to either requiring attention. Certainly there are world cruisers in Malta and Spain now so that choice is perfectly valid. We’re thinking through options and will head south to the UK for at least some portion of the winter. Were not yet sure. We may continue south to the Med or we may elect to stay north but, whatever our choice, we intend to continue cruising through the winter this year.