Andalsnes - Land of the Trolls

Wednesday morning saw our arrival in Andalsnes and as we were berthed right in the middle of the fjord we had to go ashore by tender – or in otherwords in Arcadia’s lifeboats which the Captain refers to as his “Ducklings”! This is always something of an adventure as one tries to negotiate the way from the side of the ship into the little boat at water level. A junior member of crew acts as “Captain” and after a few safety announcements he deftly whisks his craft away from the ship towards the shore.

This morning’s tour took me past The Troll Wall and up the Trollstig Road with its 11 hairpin bends. My research had told me this drive was not for the fainthearted and many passengers had chickened out of booking it for this very reason. Me – well I just found myself a window seat in the coach and prepared to be scared out of my wits. I was not disappointed. Half way up we met a car coming down. The road is very narrow and our driver had to carefully manouevre the coach to the very edge of the road. I made the mistake of actually looking down at this point and to my horror I saw nothing but the vertical drop. I – and a few others – let out a scream at this point!!! Wow, what a drive. On the way up we passed youngsters who were walking up, others who were running up, and yet others who were cycling. I think we chose the best option!

At the top we were rewarded with coffee and cake and SPECTACULAR views. I wandered off on my own for 45 minutes and meandered in and out of a few shops. I felt as if I were in Trapper’s Land for the stalls were hung with the pelts of reindeer and foxes. I fondly stroked the pelts of beautiful red foxes and felt very sad at the thought that they may have been killed for the tourists. The mounted head of a reindeer looked forlornly out from the side of one stall. I realise that furs are an essential part of clothing in cold climes such as this and there is nothing I would love more than to feel the soft fur wrapped around my neck in the depths of winter or to don a beautiful pair of reindeer boots. But then I am tormented with the commercial aspects of the trade. If these pelts were being sold further north by the native Sami people who own their own reindeer herds and depend on them & hunting for their livelihood then I would be tempted. But these were being sold in the south by tourist touts and I could not persuade myself that it was right. I stroked the deep red fox pelt again and tried to put these sad thoughts to the back of my mind.


Then it was time to head back down the Trollstig Road (the Path of the Trolls) and back to the ship. People say that trolls bring happiness and that troll magic can cause wishes to be fulfilled. What is your wish?