Exploring Norway by SUP – Our Nærøyfjord Adventure

After years of looking at Norway and thinking “one day…”, this year I finally decided to bite the bullet and go and explore the Norwegian fjords for myself.

I’d seen photos and stories of people paddling the spectacular UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, and it seemed like the perfect place to start my first proper Norwegian fjord adventure.

This time I was joined by my long-suffering co-pilot, Barbara, who I originally met at the Wild Women SUP Symposium. A plan was hatched, flights were booked, and we met at Bergen Airport ready for an adventure!

From Bergen Airport, we jumped in a taxi to the bus station and connected with our bus to Gudvangen, right at the end of the Nærøyfjord.

I’d already done a little Instagram spying, studied maps, researched the possible camping spots and worked out a rough route. We weren’t tied to a strict itinerary, though. The idea was to carry everything on our SUPs and see how far we wanted to paddle each day.

A slightly ridiculous 3am start

After a rather excited night’s sleep, I woke at 3am.

Yes, 3am.

Insane, I know.

I can only apologise to Barbara.

We carried our boards and equipment down to our starting point beside the Viking village at Gudvangen. Even at that ridiculous hour, the sky was beautiful. Whether it was technically sunrise or sunset, I wasn’t entirely sure!

After coffee — obviously — and a lot of excitement, we set off.

And the fjord was simply breathtaking.

At times, the water was so still that we couldn’t tell where the fjord ended and the sky began. Huge mountains rose vertically on either side of us and, at that time in the morning, we virtually had the place to ourselves.

Our first target was Bakka.

Having absolutely no idea how long the distances would feel on the water, or what the paddling conditions would be like, we’d allowed ourselves plenty of time.

Possibly too much.

We arrived ridiculously early — around 10am!

It seemed far too early to stop for the day, so we carried on, eventually rounding the corner towards Odnesfossen.

There we landed on a small stone beach and walked up towards the waterfall. It would have made a fantastic wild-camping spot, and there were already a few tents nearby.

One of the things I love about Norway is its healthy attitude towards outdoor life. Wild camping is generally possible under Norway’s right-to-roam rules, provided you camp responsibly and respect the restrictions around homes and cultivated land.

But we’d already made other plans.

There was a sauna waiting for us at Bakka.

And I wasn’t missing that.

Possibly the perfect campsite

We paddled back to Bakka and managed to get the tent up just before the rain arrived.

Our pitch was idyllic: right on the water’s edge, with Bakka Church just behind us and the fjord stretching out in front.

The campsite — Nærøyfjorden Camping — turned out to be a fantastic base. There were good kitchen facilities, a covered area where we could dry our kit and, most importantly, a fjord-side sauna.

After an afternoon nap, it was sauna time.

Exceptional.

Sitting there looking across the fjord, we spotted another potential wild-camping beach on the opposite side.

That one has been mentally filed away for next time.

Bakka to Undredal

The following morning, we packed everything back onto the boards and headed towards Undredal, roughly 10 KM away on the connecting Aurlandsfjord.

We continued along the Nærøyfjord, passing Dyrdal on our left before rounding the corner.

As the fjord widened, the wind started becoming noticeably gustier.

But compared with some of our experiences paddling in Scotland, it really wasn’t too bad.

In fact, we decided to make the most of it.

Out came my poncho.

Up went the improvised sail.

And suddenly we were SUP sailing/downwinding our way along a Norwegian fjord.

Perfect!

As we approached the larger fjord, Aurlandsfjord, we knew that a cruise ship was due to leave Flåm. We weren’t entirely sure how large it would be or what effect it would have on the water, so rather than finding out in the middle of the fjord, we pulled onto a pontoon and waited.

Our lunch companion was a billy goat.

Obviously.

Once the ship had passed, we got back onto the boards and continued towards Undredal.

Along the way, we could see farmers drying grass using traditional methods, with tiny farms dotted impossibly high on the mountainsides.

A couple of hours later, we arrived in Undredal.

Our campsite was literally beside the fjord. Within about 30 seconds of getting off the water, the tent was going up.

We’d booked online and check-in was completely automated — very easy.

Then came the important jobs.

A walk to the village shop.

Beer.

And sitting beside the fjord enjoying it.

There was only one restaurant open in the village, so dinner wasn’t a difficult decision. We ordered pizza topped with the area’s famous brown cheese.

Definitely a Norwegian experience!

Undredal to Aurland

The next morning, everything went back onto the SUPs and we set off towards Aurland, on the opposite side of the fjord.

We crossed and followed the northern shoreline until we reached the village.

Completely unknown to us, we’d arrived on a festival day.

Perfect timing!

We wandered around the market, sampled some local cheese. Barbara ate a burger. Howver I was still trying to digest my pizza from last night. We then explored for a while before deciding what to do next.

Originally, we’d planned to stay in Aurland, but the campsite was simply too far away to walk comfortably carrying all our equipment.

So we changed the plan.

That’s one of the beauties of travelling like this.

We got back on the boards and headed for Flåm.

We crossed the fjord again and followed the southern side, passing yet another fantastic-looking wild-camping spot beside a waterfall.

Another one for the list.

The scenery on this section was extraordinary. We paddled beneath enormous cliffs that don’t simply stop at the waterline — the mountains continue hundreds of metres beneath the surface.

High above us were isolated farmsteads clinging to the mountainsides, some historically using pulley systems to transport supplies up and down the slopes.

It really makes you realise just how differently people have lived in these landscapes.

Arriving in Flåm

That afternoon, we finally paddled into Flåm.

Over three days and three nights, we’d completed a journey of a little over 25 KM, travelling through some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever paddled.

The conditions had been surprisingly manageable.

The winds funnel through the fjords and can be extremely localised. At times, the water was completely flat; at others, it became choppy within a relatively short distance. We occasionally paddled into headwinds, but with a reasonable level of paddle fitness they were manageable during our trip.

The biggest thing to remain aware of was boat traffic.

Ferries, tourist boats and enormous cruise ships all use these waterways, so you need to keep your eyes open, understand where the traffic is coming from and avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable position.

Flåm itself feels like a terminus village designed around the huge number of visitors arriving by cruise ship and railway. There are shops, places to eat, a pub and plenty of activity compared with the tiny villages we’d passed along the way.

After one final night at the campsite — and, naturally, another pizza — we packed everything away and caught the bus back to Bergen.

Adventure complete.

And would I go back?

Absolutely.

In fact, I’ve already spotted several places I’d like to camp next time.

Fancy doing something like this yourself?

You absolutely can.

With the right paddling skills, fitness, equipment, route planning and an understanding of weather, wind and changing water conditions, trips like this become achievable adventures rather than something you simply look at on Instagram and think “maybe one day.”

If you’re not quite confident enough to head off independently yet, that’s exactly the sort of experience we’re trying to build through our paddle weekends. Either the Wild Women SUP Symposium or Loch Ard Forest SUP event!

Come and develop the skills you need: trip planning, weather interpretation, equipment, packing, safety, longer-distance paddling and becoming more independent on the water.

Because sometimes the best adventures start when you stop saying “one day”…

…and just go.