NORWAY VELAR DRIVE

Bridges and tunnels keep Norway’s road network alive and link the country’s many small islands. More than 18,000 elegant bridges with a total length exceeding 300 miles span stretches of coastal and inland water to keep communities together. A further 470 miles of road is carved beneath mountains or concealed deeper below the seabed in 900 tunnels. This is more than anywhere else in the world.

Opened in 1936 and now visited by up to 800,000 sightseers every year, Trollstigen is one of 18 special interest National Tourist Routes, classed as ‘beautiful drives with that little bit extra’. That includes visitor facilities with fabulous modern architecture designed to complement the natural surroundings. Trollstigen has the starkly beautiful café by Reiulf Ramstad architects.

An exhilarating attraction will only endure here if it takes account of the often harsh climate. Steel and concrete serve well, with surface treatments giving the latter material an attractive, dynamic finish with effects ranging from rough volcanic to silky smooth.

Visitors enjoy the magnificent scenery and the swirling water ‑ a key element in the architectural design of this site. Much of Nordic culture, and Norwegian culture in particular, is associated with water. At Trollstigen, water can be experienced in many forms: as snow on the mountains, as a mirror, as a swirling stream, as a regulated downward flow or as a dramatic cascade.

Storfjord is a beautiful woodland boutique hotel, built in the centuries‑old Norwegian loft style using solid beams and cosy wool insulation, set high on a hillside with spectacular views of forests, fjords and distant snow‑capped mountains.

The hotel’s friendly and informal team welcomes guests into a warm, family atmosphere. From red‑carpet royalty to global business leaders, visitors to Storfjord relax in a homely yet indulgent setting.

Diners enjoy delicious local produce from regional farms, prepared and cooked according to traditional Norwegian methods. Storfjord’s chefs serve only the best homemade treats.

Storfjord offers endless possibility for exploration and adventure. Whether enjoyed as a base for hiking, cycling or kayaking, or visiting the many outstanding attractions just a short drive away, Storfjord is the perfect retreat for every experience.

The area around Ålesund has a long association with fishing. The industry is at the root of the region’s prosperity and businesses that supply and support the boats still flourish. When oil operations arrived fishermen made perfect crew for the new oil boats and rigs. To this day the fishery creates on‑shore jobs and business for fish processing plants, fish traders, shipyards, electricians and suppliers of rope, hooks, fuel and oil among others.

The Dyb family’s long‑line fishing business is in its third generation. Times have changed since the days of the early to mid 1900s when wooden boats would return from the local herring spawns, crowding so tightly into Ålesund harbour that it was possible to walk across them from one side to the other. The Dybs’ 51‑metre boat MS Loran spends a month at a time at sea, freezing its catch and returning only for unloading, repairs and crew changes. Seventy per cent of their catch is dried in Norway to make national delicacy Klippfisk for export to countries including Spain, Portugal, Italy and Brazil.

Technology helps the 20‑strong crew to fish more efficiently. The long‑line technique, which ensures the best quality fish, uses a rope laden with 60,000 hooks which is hauled into the boat, where traditionally the fish would be removed by hand. As line lengths have increased, so has the need to haul more quickly to avoid the catch spoiling. This is hard to achieve manually, so the Dyb family developed a system that releases the fish automatically ‑ and which they have sold to other businesses. Such attention to detail and quality means their line‑caught cod and haddock is sold in the food halls of British retailer Marks & Spencer.

Art Nouveau, or Jugendstil, had its heyday between 1890 and 1910. Much of the city’s architecture and street furniture such as drain covers was inspired by the highly decorative style. Today, Ålesund’s Jugendstilsenteret celebrates Art Nouveau architecture, arts, crafts and furniture, and guides visitors to the highlights they can enjoy along the cobbled city centre streets. Those highlights include contemporary arts and crafts too.

From the heat of Ingrid Cecilia Ulla’s glassworks to the cool beauty of Froda Meringdal’s contemporary cabin, from the ancient tales of trolls to the futuristic Offshore Simulator, this is tradition with a modern purpose. This is Norway.