The year 2020 is drawing to a close, prompting us to reflect on our experiences over the past twelve months.
It’s evident that 2020 has been a unique year, and it’s worth noting that this is the first time in two decades that we haven’t traveled abroad. A job change in the first two months of the year left no room for travel, which led to the rest of the year being quite different, as the saying goes.
Nonetheless, even though international travel was off the table, we explored various destinations within Norway. Here’s a brief two-minute overview of our travel experiences this year:
Skomakarnibbå
Our first small getaway occurred in May. It was close to home, yet a truly breathtaking location. Skomakarnibbå in Rogaland can best be described as “The Pulpit Rock without the crowds.”
Fjord Cruise to Pulpit Rock
In June, we welcomed family for a visit and embarked on a fjord cruise to Pulpit Rock. Although we’ve visited the plateau countless times, this was our first experience viewing it from the water below. It’s fascinating how a different perspective can transform our perception of a place.
Road Trip
At the end of July and the beginning of August, we undertook the largest adventure of the year—a road trip from Stavanger to Trøndelag, covering approximately 3,500 kilometers.
We’ve fallen behind in documenting this journey, and many details remain unwritten. However, more information will be shared in 2021. Travel won’t resume magically in January just because 2020 is over.
Vøringfossen
Our first stop on this journey was Vøringfossen, one of Norway’s most popular natural landmarks. The view was breathtaking, although a newly built bridge over the waterfall raises some questions about aesthetics.
Nearby, we also found Norway’s first road tunnel, a hidden yet strangely intriguing spot to explore.
Ranastongi
After hearing about Norway’s equivalent of the Grand Canyon and being labeled a “hidden gem,” we made our way to Hestebotten, situated next to the mountain Ranastongi (or Ranastøngji) near Hemsedal. To our surprise, our “hidden gem” turned out to be quite popular, with limited parking available. Luckily, we arrived later in the day and enjoyed the site mostly to ourselves, and the view was certainly worth it!
Røros
Røros, one of Norway’s most fascinating mining towns, has long been on our travel bucket list. While the town itself is captivating, the highlight was undoubtedly spending a night camping in the abandoned mining area known as Christianus Sextus and exploring the vast Olavsgruven mine, where we had the chance to venture into some restricted areas (with a guide’s permission).
Harbakhula
The northernmost destination of our journey was Harbakhula, a cave that stands 40 meters tall and stretches 140 meters deep. We had this remarkable spot all to ourselves, likely due to the unpleasant, wet weather.
Jotunheimen – Galdhøpiggen
Due to the weather, we shifted our route south to Jotunheimen. There, we successfully summited Galdhøpiggen, Norway’s highest peak. Thankfully, we managed to write about this experience, and the article can be found here.
During our time in Jotunheimen, we also visited Klimapark 2469, an intriguing installation of man-made tunnels within the glacier beside Juvasshytta, and explored Dumdalen, investigating some grottos shaped by a river.
Besseggen
Before heading home, we made our last stop at Besseggen. As a must-visit site in Norway that we hadn’t yet explored, it was finally time to check it off our list. The hike was exhilarating, but after previously hiking Galdhøpiggen, it truly tested our knees, with a total elevation gain of over 2,500 meters, and a similar descent. Jørn’s knee unfortunately decided to give out after this adventure, a problem that lingered for several months. Fortunately, after a short hike close to Christmas, it seems to have returned to normal.
The Flørli Stairs
The Flørli Stairs are one of the most famous attractions in Rogaland. Having lived in the area for seven years, it was high time for us to experience this ourselves. As ferries, the most common mode of transport to the stairs, were limited, we opted to hike over the mountains to get there and back. This challenging hike totaled approximately 32 kilometers in a single day, navigating the world’s longest wooden stairs, all while contending with the less-than-ideal weather of Western Norway.
Trips from 2019
Not all trips from 2019 were documented that year. Due to the pandemic, many articles from 2020 actually detail adventures from 2019.
Read about the rest of the 2019 trips in the 2019 Travel Year section.
Additionally, you can check out the 2018 Travel Year and 2017 Travel Year entries.
2020 in Numbers
We have compiled some statistics related to our travels in 2020:
- 0 countries visited (besides Norway)
- 2 flights taken
- More than 3,500 km traveled by car
- 2 hours spent in the air
- 684 km flown
- 20,000 photos taken
- Countless wonderful memories!
Looking Ahead to Next Year
Given the unpredictable nature of the pandemic, we haven’t made any significant travel plans yet for the coming year. However, some frequent flyer miles were about to expire, prompting a last-minute decision to book a flight to Bodø for an extended weekend in May. If you have any recommendations for things to do there, please share!
Lastly, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
How was your travel year? Feel free to leave a comment below. 😊
