Wednesday 29th August 2018
On our long trip back from Bergen on our mission of mercy to get replacement parts for the caravan we decided to break up the last part of the journey by swinging by the Skjervsfossen waterfall that was mentioned on the Hardanger National Tourist Scenic Route. We seem to be turning into waterfall enthusiasts!
Despite the terrible weather we were encountering, we knew we would not be coming past this area again, as we will be heading south.
After leaving the town of Voss we continued on the 13 towards Granvin, taking the old road signposted to the Skjervsfossen waterfall.
As it was pouring with rain we were not surprised to pull up in the small car parking area at the top of the waterfall (Kanten, the Edge) and find only one other car.
As soon as we got out of the car we could hear the sound of the rushing water and made our along the river and enjoyed the view over the valley beyond.
From here we made our way down towards an area called Hylla, the Shelfe, where the river flows across the edge and plunges down towards the old national road 13.
There is a nature walk, consisting of trails, steps, viewpoints and rest areas around the waterfall, all of which are signposted.
Unfortunately the rain had made walking quite tricky and as neither of us fancied getting soaking wet or slipping on the rocks or mud we opted to take the car down the steep windy road to view the waterfall from the bridge.
We would highly recommend a visit to the toilet facilities at the top car park even if you don’t need to use them. They were something to behold! A huge immaculate interior, with stainless steel fixtures and fittings but the real treat was the glass floor and floor to ceiling glass window with magnificent views over the watercourse which leads to the waterfall. Absolutely brilliant!
From the small parking area at the base of the waterfall you can walk to stand in front of the waterfall and feel the full force of the water, including the spray. The second section of the waterfall continues under the old national road down to the valley floor.
Continuing down on the road we rejoined the 13 and made our way around the Granvinsvatnet, a huge lake, which, if the weather had not been so bad, would have allowed us to take some photos of some of the beautiful lakeside properties.
Our journey continued back through the 2 long tunnels, with lit roundabouts and one last drive over the Hardanger Bridge before running the gauntlet along the narrow road back to the campsite.
Luckily for us, again, we didn’t encounter any large lorries on this section of the road, which is always a bonus, even more so when we are towing.