Eidfjord lies at the inner end of the Hardangerfjord, one of the longest fjords in Norway, and the village, with only a few hundred people, sits at the foot of steep cliffs, where waterfalls fall from the plateau above and the water below is dark green and still. The setting is dramatic. In the early morning, mist hangs on the fjord, and the mountains rise on every side, while orchards of apple and cherry trees on the lower slopes recall that the Hardanger region is Norway's fruit garden. In spring, when the trees blossom, the contrast with the snow on the peaks is striking.
Above the village lies the Hardangervidda, the largest mountain plateau in northern Europe, a wide, bare upland of lakes, bogs and rounded hills, which is home to the biggest herd of wild reindeer in the country. The road, Route 7, climbs from the fjord to the plateau through the Mabodalen valley, with a sequence of tunnels and hairpins and a view of Voringsfossen, a waterfall that drops about 180 metres in two stages into a deep gorge. The fall is one of the most visited in Norway, and the viewing platforms give a close look at the spray and the cliffs.
Eidfjord has a visitor centre, the Hardangervidda Nature Centre, with exhibits on the geology, wildlife and human history of the plateau, and a small hydroelectric industry nearby makes use of the water. The Hardanger Bridge, a suspension bridge that opened in 2013 and has a main span of about 1,310 metres, crosses the fjord just beyond the village, and the road across it is smooth, exposed and unforgettable. Wind can be strong on the bridge, so a firm grip is wise.
Fuel is the thing to plan. Eidfjord has a few services, but it is small, and pumps in rural Norway are often unmanned and take only cards. Ulvik and Granvin, the nearest villages, are also small, and the larger towns of Voss and Odda are about an hour away. Fill up beforehand, and keep a bank card with a PIN. Tolls on tunnels and bridges are charged automatically, and rental bikes usually have a tag. The riding season on the plateau runs from late May to October, and snow can fall in any month at height. Layers and waterproofs are essential, because the weather changes quickly.