we had a spell of warm sunny weather in the middle of May and the forecast was several days of unusually warm and calm weather in scenic western Norway so we quickly planned a trip, packed the car and off we went. it's about a 4 hour drive to reach the mountains we must pass to get to the west. we had been in India all winter so we were anxious to see some snow.

spring is early this year so much of the snow had already melted and the ice on the water had begun to thaw. there was still plenty of snow left and the roads were clear and dry

it's such a thrill to see such wild beautiful nature and the snow is so bright and cheery. of course it was cold but the sun was shining and there was very little wind, just as predicted. this is the mountains in their best dress but it's too early too do any hiking and too late to ski so we just enjoyed the areas along the road

that was the last of the snow for now, from here we started going down hill to our first planned stop

this is Låtefossen waterfall. one of the main advantages for being so early in the season is that when the snow is melting the waterfalls are at their peak. this is a special waterfall. though it is not among the highest in the area there is plenty of water in the twin falls and the main road north/south passes just underneath them. a walk over the bridge in the mist is quite exhilarating after the long drive

you can really feel the energy being so near waterfalls like this. such a delightful thrill

many people are not aware that across the bridge from the parking area there is yet another waterfall, this ine from the other side of the road and valley. there is also a path up to a great viewing area midway in the falls so you can view both up and down

that was enough for the day.

it was time to find the flat we had booked for the night. it is in a relatively new cluster of apartment buildings nearby a popular ski lift. but the lift is closed for the season and the flats were deserted. even the booking office was closed. it was no problem for us though because we had booked in advance, like an air bnb.

a little odd being alone in the area but the view from the window and balcony was great. aalmost no traffic in the evening so all we heard was the waterfall and a few songbirds

in the morning we drove south along Rødalsvatnet lake. a beautiful area that is part of a regulated water course with a series of hydroelectric dams. the lake was full

but after the first dam the water level was surprisingly low. we thought that in the spring the whole area would almost be flooded. apparently there was far less than normal snow last winter and the demand for energy is increasing, especially for export. walking over the dry stones to the water's edge was an odd experience. it just didn't feel right. the surrounding scenery was great but the dry dead area around the lake looked totally out of place

there were a few shepp grazing on the hillside but it looks like the house up there has been deserted for some time. maybe it's used as a summer cottage. there's no road up to it.

nice reflection theough

and the wildflowers were blooming. this is red campion (Silene dioica)

it's wonderful that people live in places like this. it's obviously beautiful but there are hardships that come with being so isolated

yet another waterfall but this one is not easy to get close to

from here we start a climb up to another mountain pass. it's a narrow steep winding road, luckily there is almost no traffic

and soon we are up in the snow again. this road was just recently opened for the season. it is closed all winter

the mountains here are wilder and steeper than the ones we passed yesterday. and with no traffic on the narrow road we felt very much alone, in a good way

in one place the snow along the road was 5 meters deep. i can see why they don't try to keep the road open in winter

there's an even smaller road up that mountain but it is still covered in snow

this road was built as a service road to a zinc mine a little farther south

after some time people started building cabins and cottages a few places along the road

we arrived at the old mine. it has not been in operation for over 100 years but the grounds have been resurrected as a tourist stop with tours along the gorge and into the mine. the modern architecture stands out in the terrain

the toilet building was open but the cafe, gallery and mine tours were closed until the beginning of June. a couple of workers were doing some exterior maintenance high above the ground hanging in a saddle. the door to the cafe was open because of them so we took a look inside, where i took this shot out the window

this shot is from the road

but there's a terrific path along the gorge to the actual underground mine

at first i thought this pipe has something to do with the mine but it is much newer so i guess it is for hydroelectricity to the modern buildings

there are towns also, not just mountains. here in Sauda, one of the first indusrial towns in Norway. i like the slate roofs typical on the older houses and even some new ones. we stopped here to look around and do some food shopping and continued on

to the next Svandalsfossen waterfall. this one has multiple levels and there are stairs from the road down to the fjord at the bottom of the fjord and also up 2 sections of the falls. it's a fair climb but well worth it

the mountain is constantly moist from the mist so it is covered in dense lush green moss

here up one level

but if you climb up to the next level you can come right up to the crashing water. there is one more segment but there are no stairs and the path up seemed very slippery. we were not equipped for that so we enjoyed some time here

with a great view of the fjord below

and the falls beside us

it was time to find our next destination for the night in Ropeid. we drove right past it because there was no sign or marking of any kind so we ended up at the old ferry dock

there used to be a ferry over to the town of Sand but when the bridge farther south over the fjord was opened the ferry was terminated. the building at the dock was rebuilt as a tourist rest area facility and the land around was in part returned to nature and in part landscaped as a picnic area

strange looking structures created from recycled plastic boats were designed for a special lighting effect at night but in May it's only dark for a couple of hours.

the ground is covered in what they call a cement mattress. it's a porous cement and in places grass has already begun to grow in the holes

we checked the map and quickly arrived at our destination for the night, a flat over a large garage just a short walk from the fjord. but we had walked enough

and were ready for a shower

some dinner and a relaxing evening. so we can get an early start for new adventures tomorrow but that will have to be in my next post soon