Valldal sits at the head of the Norddalsfjord, where a green valley of farms and orchards meets the foot of the mountains, and it is known across Norway for one thing: strawberries. The valley has a microclimate sheltered from wind and warmed by long summer days, and the berries that ripen here in July are small, sweet and intensely fragrant, sold from roadside stalls and baked into cakes and ice cream. Even outside the season, the village has a quiet, agricultural feel that makes a pleasant contrast to the drama of the surrounding peaks.
Practically, Valldal is useful. It has a petrol station, a grocery store, a cafe or two and a few places to stay, and it is the last real supply point before the Trollstigen climb. From here the road runs up the valley toward the mountain, past waterfalls and farms, and soon begins the ascent of the famous hairpins. Going the other way, it leads back to the ferry at Eidsdal and on to Geiranger. The tarmac is good, the bends are generous in the valley and tighter on the climb, and traffic is busy in summer. Opening dates for the mountain road depend on snow, and in winter it is closed, so check before you set out. The best riding is on a quiet weekday morning in June or September.
The area has a darker side in its history. In 1934, a huge rockslide fell into the Tafjord, a nearby arm of the fjord, and the wave it created swept through the villages along the shore, killing dozens of people, one of the most serious natural disasters in modern Norwegian history. Tafjord, a short ride from Valldal, still stands as a quiet memorial to that day. Rockfall remains a real hazard in these mountains, and the authorities monitor unstable slopes carefully. The people here are practical and cheerful, used to winter isolation and summer crowds.
Nature is lush in the valley and wild above. The slopes are covered with birch and spruce, while higher up the landscape turns to bare rock and snowfields, and rivers pour down in white torrents. The air smells of strawberries in July, and of cut hay in August. Eagles nest on the cliffs, and goats and sheep graze the hillsides.
Buy fuel here, grab a coffee and pick up a punnet of strawberries if it is the season. Pack waterproofs and a warm layer, since the weather on the pass can differ sharply from the valley.