In some places, you’re not just close to nature. You’re in the middle of it. In Northwest Norway, you can stay at a historic hotel with a spa by the fjord, a recently renovated log house from 1810 beneath the peaks near the town of Åndalsnes, or panorama cabins with sea views on the island of Runde.
Feel the storm beat against the window while you sit warm and safe inside. Look out of the bedroom window at the mountain you’ll hike tomorrow. Or step from a warm spa bath straight into the cold fjord.
Here are three places to stay, each close to nature in its own way: out by the open sea on Runde, right beneath the peaks in Åndalsnes, and down by the fjord in Angvik.
Runde is an island known for its birdlife. Nine cabins face the open sea here. They sit lightly in the landscape, with large panoramic windows. Their names carry stories of shipwrecks, treasure and local events from Runde: Batavia Dream, Castillo Negro and Pulcinella, named after the puffin.
You can hike up Rundefjellet mountain and visit Runde Fyr (Runde lighthouse). On a guided tour, you can hear about the lost gold treasure, the puffin and the nature of Runde. At Runde Environmental Centre, you can see exhibitions, join walks and try activities such as seaweed safaris and coasteering in the sea. Here, nature is never far away.
In autumn and winter, Runde changes character, and the weather becomes the main attraction. In autumn, the sunsets are a highlight, the light shifts hour by hour, and the landscape is painted in red, yellow and orange. This is also the time to watch storms roll in from the sea, with the wind howling and the waves breaking against the shore while you sit indoors in the warmth. In winter, a white blanket covers the whole of Runde. The calm that settles once the snow has stopped falling is something you have to experience to understand.
Not far from Åndalsnes, right beside the Rauma river, a log house from 1810 stands on a farm that has been in the same family for generations. With a fireplace in the living room, a modern bathroom, several bedrooms and a long table with plenty of room, it is a good place to gather the family or a group of friends.
Outside rise the Venjetindane peaks, and all around lies the Romsdalen valley, with the Trollstigen mountain road, Trollveggen (the Troll Wall) and the Romsdalseggen ridge. There is something about these mountains that brings the stories of a fairy-tale book to life: the winding road up Trollstigen, peaks that only the boldest dare to climb, and hikes with views you won’t forget.
Østigård makes a good base. Head out in the morning, come home in the afternoon, light the fire and cook dinner for the whole group. Østigård also has two stretches of the river Rauma for fishing, Storhølen and Nausthola. As a guest, you can buy a fishing permit and use the boat by the river. Nearby, you’ll also find the Romsdalen Gondola, Via Ferrata (a fixed-rope climbing route), the viewpoint Rampestreken, Norsk Tindesenter and the centre of Åndalsnes, full of restaurants and activities for the whole family.
Angvik Gamle Handelssted lies by the Tingvollfjord, not far from the Atlantic Road and the towns of Kristiansund and Molde. Travellers have been welcomed here since the 16th century, when Dutch sailing ships anchored in the bay to buy timber.
The former log storehouse from the 18th century has been turned into a spa, with warm baths, a steam bath and a sauna in an old building with a modern extension. Sink into the warm water, then into the cold fjord. You can also book a range of relaxing treatments.
Angvik has 37 rooms, most with fjord views, and combines refinement with homely comfort. The philosophy at Angvik is to make the most of what the local landscape has to offer. The kitchen sources its ingredients nearby and serves three- and five-course dinners with drinks to match. With Norwegian national romantic art on the walls, its own museum and a gallery, you can wander for hours.
Want to see the sea, the mountains or the fjord? You can see all three on a single drive. If you’re travelling north from Bergen, you can start the trip on Runde, which lies north-west of well-known places such as Loen, Olden and Geiranger.
Spend a couple of nights at Runde Panorama and feel the force of the sea and visit the Runde Fyr lighthouse. Then drive on to Ålesund, and from there to Åndalsnes. On the way, you can take time to look around the Art Nouveau town of Ålesund. When you reach Åndalsnes, the adventure begins, with Østigård 1810 as your base. Here you can take your pick between climbing peaks and gentler hikes. Take the Romsdalsgondolen up to Eggen Restaurant for the view.
After a few nights in this mountain landscape, your next stop brings calm and relaxation. An hour and a half north of Åndalsnes, you can check in at Angvik Gamle Handelssted and enjoy a bath, the spa and a five-course dinner right by the fjord. It’s a fitting end to the trip.
