This is where the day begins and ends, in the lake and mountain country that lies between the Geirangerfjord and the highlands, a landscape of dark water, steep birch slopes and snow that lingers on the north faces well into July. The ride is a loop on one of Norway's Scenic Routes, linking Geiranger with Trollstigen, and the lake gives you a calm place to set off from before the fjord and the passes demand your full attention. Stryn and Stranda are the nearest towns of any size, and both have fuel, shops and a bakery.
The roads here are beautifully surfaced and carefully engineered, though that does not make them easy. The Scenic Route from Geiranger climbs in tight hairpins above the fjord, with waterfalls dropping beside the road and viewpoints perched over the drop, and the gradient is steep enough to test brakes on the way down. On the other side, the Trollstigen climbs and descends the mountain in eleven hairpins, at a gradient of around nine per cent, with a waterfall crashing beside the road. Speed limits are low and enforced, camper vans and tour buses clog the road in July, and a slow rider is a happy rider. Mornings and evenings offer the best light and the emptiest tarmac, and rain is always a possibility, so bring waterproofs even on a clear day.
The high mountain roads close in winter, usually from late autumn to late spring, and the opening date depends on snow, so check road status before you plan the loop. Many of the farms in this region were once tiny, perched high above the fjords on steep slopes, with families raising goats and sheep in summer pastures, and some of them still operate as farms and cafes. The rock around here is a very old gneiss, scraped and carved by glaciers that left the fjords, lakes and U-shaped valleys.
The air here is clean and cool, with a smell of wet rock and pine, and the silence is rich after a day of engine noise. Reindeer sometimes wander across the high plateaus, and eagles patrol the cliffs. In summer, the sun barely sets, and the evening light can last for hours.
Take fuel in the larger villages before you leave, since stations are far apart. Pack warm gloves, a spare layer and snacks, because the climbs are cold even in July.