On the way through the Middle Earth

This summer, we continued our conquest of the North. After the June Midsommar camp, it was time for a full-fledged expedition through central Norway. On the nearly 1,000-kilometer journey, we packed in all the best that Norway has to offer: waterfalls, vast plateaus, glaciers, and absolutely breathtaking nature. To say we had a good time would be an understatement—this kind of adventure thrills and brings people closer together, and the memories will stay with us for years.

And it all began in Bergen—the Norwegian capital of rain and fish. We started with a quick sightseeing tour, had the famous reindeer hot dogs for brunch, and headed inland.

We timed the camp perfectly to catch a weather window—in no time, the clouds cleared, and in the days that followed, it was the heat, not the cold or rain, that challenged us most.

In the first few days, we headed east, deeper into the interior. The beautiful, sapphire fjords were soon behind us as we chased epic views and untamed nature. Endless open spaces, plateaus dotted with lakes and rocks, glaciers, and a profound sense of isolation—that's exactly what we came here to experience.

The first highlight of the route was riding the famous Rallarvegen—a cycling trail originally built over 100 years ago as a service road for the Bergen railway line. It’s nearly 70 kilometers of beautiful gravel road winding through remote terrain between two national parks. Up there, at 1,300 meters above sea level, snow lingers year-round—and even in July, we encountered snow covering parts of the trail.

The following days were nothing short of the crème de la crème of central Norway. Each morning usually began with a long climb out of a valley and up onto another plateau. We’d set off early, before the heat kicked in. While temperatures in the valleys soared above 30°C during the day, conditions in the mountains were perfect. We spent our breaks soaking our feet in alpine lakes or enjoying ice cream at mountain huts. Pure bliss!

The climb up Slettefjell tested us with its steep gradients and rewarded us with breathtaking summit views.

Jotunheimen National Park—the realm of giants—humbled us with its vast open spaces.

Rondane captivated us with its plunging granite walls, polished smooth by ancient glaciers.

And Dovre made us feel like hobbits on a journey through Middle-earth.

Summer in the far North comes with one more advantage—endlessly long days, with darkness never truly falling. That’s why every evening was spent unwinding together, sitting around and chatting about everything and nothing. And every night, without fail, came the same moment of surprise: realizing it was almost midnight and probably time to get some sleep before the next big day.

And like hobbits on their way to Isengard, we continued our journey toward Trondheim, passing through landscapes straight out of The Lord of the Rings. Meanwhile, the heat grew increasingly intense. Sheep huddled in the rare patches of shade, hiding from the scorching sun. And we rode on with a growing sense of bittersweet sadness, knowing the end was near.

On the tenth day of riding, we finally reached Trondheim, where this adventure came to an end. We arrived exhausted but filled with beautiful memories. It was a wonderful journey that will stay in our hearts for years to come. And now, it seems there’s no way around it—next year, we have to return to Norway. Who knows, maybe in a few years we’ll take the camp all the way to Nordkapp?