Balestrand is a village on the north shore of the Sognefjord, and it has one of the best settings in Norway: a wide, calm stretch of the fjord with mountains reaching up on all sides, orchards at the water's edge and a quiet, old-fashioned atmosphere. It has fewer than eight hundred inhabitants, and in the nineteenth century it became a destination for British and German tourists, who came by steamer to stay in the large wooden hotels. The Kviknes Hotel, a grand dragon-style building from 1877, is still in operation, and the English church of St Olaf, built by an Englishwoman who married a local painter, stands nearby. Vik and Hermansverk are the nearest towns of any size.
The painter Hans Dahl made his home here and painted romantic scenes of fjords and farms, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany visited regularly, which brought more fame to the village. His statue of Fridtjof the Bold stands on a hill above the fjord, a gift from the Kaiser, while the legend of Fridtjof's saga is set around here. The lanes are lined with old wooden houses, apple trees and flowers, and the mood is peaceful.
The ride from Balestrand starts with a fjord road and then climbs into the Gaularfjellet, a mountain pass. The road follows the Sognefjord for a while, then turns inland, with a series of bends and a rise through birch forest to an open plateau. The surface is generally very good, and the gradient is moderate. On the way, waterfalls, such as Hellefossen and Likholefossen, spill over cliffs beside the road. In spring, meltwater makes them roar.
Fuel is available at a small station in the village, but supplies are limited, so it is safer to fill up in Vik or Sogndal. A ferry connects Balestrand with Hella and Dragsvik, which is an enjoyable way to cross the fjord. There are cafes and shops serving the usual coffee and cinnamon buns, and local fruit and cider are sold in summer. The best time to ride is June to September, when the days are long, and the village is an easy, relaxing place to begin.