June 17, 1893] 
THE FISHING GAZETTE 
461 
A SHORT FISHING TOUR IN 
NORWAY. 
By H. D. W. 
I PROPOSE to offer a short sketch of a fishing 
tour in Norway, and will give a route under¬ 
taken during the last two years, which com¬ 
prises steamboat travelling and driving through 
some of the grandest scenei’y in the land of 
mountains and lakes. 
As a rule, visitors to Norway travel rapidly, 
and endeavour to see as much of the country as 
possible in the time at their disposal. 
During my first visit, undertaken in the year 
1890, I adopted this plan : Entering Norway by 
Christiania, the capital, situated in the ex¬ 
treme south, I worked my way up towards the 
north, passing through the famous valleys of 
Godbransdal and Romsdal as far as'the Mold 
Fjords, that is to say, to latitude 62'^, that of the 
Faroe Islands, which are considerably to the 
north of the Shetland Islands. I entered Norway 
in the third week in May, too early in the season for 
fishing, and so lost many opportunities for sport. 
After two years’ experience in Norway, I fixed 
on the route the subject of this evening’s paper, 
which I adopted last year, and hope to follow 
again this year, entering Norway towards the close 
of June, when the fishing season commences. 
In comparison with the rivers of Great Britain 
and Ireland, the Norwegian rivers are late and 
the fishing sea.son short. I will not attempt to 
make any reference to salmon fishing, as I have 
had no experience of it. The salmon rivers are all 
let on leases, and ordiniry travellers have no 
chance of killing a salmon. Trout fishing is to 
be had everywhere, in fact the country of Norway 
may be described as a succession of chains of 
mountains intersected by narrow valleys contain¬ 
ing innumerable lakes, fed by melting snow, 
finally forming rivers on approaching the fjords 
or long bays stretching inland from the sea, in 
some instances over 100 miles. Trout fishing is 
free, as the lakes are, as a rule, of great extent. 
The peasantry own the farms, which consist 
of small plots of grass and cultureable lands 
situated on the low slopes on which the farm 
huts and cattle sheds are situated, and also own 
shares in vast tracts of grazing land in the moun¬ 
tains, which, as a rule, rise abruptly from the 
valleys. 
The peasantry are expert fishermen. They fish 
with the worm chiefly at night in the summer 
months, and using night-lines of great length 
with numerous hooks; they also use the fly by 
the aid of the “ otter.” In the autumn when the 
snow has melted and the lakes are low they use 
nets. Fish form a considerable portion of their 
diet; it will be easily understood, therefore, that 
in cases of lakes ten and twenty miles in length 
it is impossible for small farmers to combine and 
reserve the right of fishing. For a similar reason 
much difficulty is experienced in securing leases 
of salmon rivers. Arrangements may have to be 
made with in some instances thirty or forty 
farmers, and this can only be done through agents. 
Norway is being “ opened up ” year by year. 
The number of sportsmen inquiring for salmon 
fishing and shooting is increasing, and river 
rents as a result are now as high as they are in 
the North of England. The tourist, therefore, 
must look for trout fishing only, and with this he 
will, I am convinced, be more than satisfied. I 
recommend the trip I have in contemplation 
for these reasons;—First, on account of its 
cheapness ; secondly, on account of the good 
sport to be had ; and thirdly, from the fact 
that the climate and scenery offer attractions, 
which, to my mind, are not to be found else¬ 
where. 
The route which I would recommend, and 
which I hope to take this year, is via Hull and 
Bergen to Nord Fjords, returning by Sond and 
Sogn Fjord, and for the convenience of intending 
tourists I have estimated the expense of a month’s 
visit. 
There is probably no other country in the 
world where a traveller ignorant of the lan¬ 
guage can journey with greater comfort than in 
Norway. A smattering of Norwegian with the 
aid of a vocabulary is not difficult to acquire, 
and as Norwegians emigrate to America in large 
numbers yearly, and return with a “ pile ’’ and 
a stock of English, a traveller has very little 
difficulty in making his wants known. 
Progress is rendered all the more easy from 
the fact that travelling arrangements are all 
under Government supervision, .and also from 
the proverbial honesty and hospitable character 
of the people. 
During the three summers spent by mo in 
Norway I have never met with an instance of an 
attempt at imposition. 
The route proposed involves steamboat and 
driving travelling. The traveller on his first 
visit usually places himself in the hands of the 
touring agents, and routes can bo arranged 
either by time or money, that is to say, an agent 
can provide a trip for £10, £20, or £30, and so 
forth, or a month or two months’ tour, naming 
the exact cost. Coupons for steamer journeying 
and driving stages are furnished, and this system 
of payment relieves the traveller of the incon¬ 
venience of carrying with him bags of change 
which would otherwise have to be taken, as small 
sums have constantly to be disbursed, and bank 
notes and sovereigns cannot be changed. Norway 
has been opened up, as I have said, to a great 
extent of late years. 
New lines of steamers have been established, 
running from Hull, Newcastle, and other porta, 
and new roads are being laid down in Norway. 
The hotel accommodation is improving year by 
year, and a trip to Norway is becoming a fashion¬ 
able “outing.” In consequence there are several 
agencies established there, through whom routes 
and estimates of expenses can be obtained; the 
chief are Bennett’s, Cook’s, and Beyer’s. I have 
made use of Bennett’s agency, and can thoroughly 
recommend the firm, though most probably the 
others mentioned are equally reliable for infor¬ 
mation and excellency of arrangements. I lay 
before the meeting a sketch of a month’s tour, as 
recommended by me, and framed by Messrs. 
Bennett at my request. It will be seen that the 
sum of £12 placed in their hands will provide 
the entire cost of such a trip in Norway. It would 
include steamer fares and food, hotel, and driving 
expenses, for which books of coupons are issued. 
I use such coupons for steamer and driving 
purposes, and make my own bargains for hotel 
board and lodging, as I spsnd the whole of my 
days out of doors, and am absent from the mid-day 
dinner which is the principal meal of the day. 
To the above sum of ,£12 must be added the 
expenses of the journey to Hull and back, £2. A 
return ticket to Bergen by one of Messrs. Wilson’s 
excellent steamers costs £6; roughly speaking, 
therefore, a most enjoyable month may be passed 
in Norway for £20. The handbooks of travel 
give the daily expense at £1, but it must be 
remembered that this estimate contemplates 
almost daily travelling, and even this expense of 
daily travelling and hotel boarding is to my mind 
unnecessarily high. Messrs. Bennett, of Bergen, 
to whom I wrote on the subject of this fishing 
tour, replied; “Enclosed is an itinerary of the tour 
mentioned, for which we can supply you with all 
necessai’y tickets (hotel and travelling) for the 
sum of £12, for one person travelling in a carriole. 
If two persons travel together in a stoljkacre, the 
above-mentioned price will be reduced to £7. 
Should you lengthen your stay at auy of the 
places, you should reckon upon four cronins extra 
a day, if the prolonged stay be at any hotel whei'e 
you are booked to stay at least one week, other¬ 
wise reckon 5ks. to 6ks. a day. We may' mention 
that, in our estimate of £12, the meals on board 
the steamers are also included.” 
As for fishing expenses, I may say that as a 
rule 3kr., i e., 3s. 3d., are charged for a boat and 
a boatman for a day. So much for the expenses 
of the tour. As to actual travelling, I should 
recommend Hull as the port for embarcation for 
fishermen from the South of England Excellent 
steamers sail for Bergen from London, but by 
this route a long sea voyage has to be endured, 
and the Hull passage is the best for those who 
are not accustomed to the sea. Messrs. W’^ilson’s 
steamers sail twice a week. I take my passage 
by the steamer sailing on Tuesdays. A conve¬ 
nient train leaves King’s Cross at 12.30, reaching 
Hull at 0.30. The steamer sails at seven, and in 
a few hours passes out of the Humber into the 
open sea. The crossing takes about thirty-six 
houi’S, but much depends upon the weather, and 
the time occupied in calling at Stavanger, a port 
in the south of Bergen, Stavanger is reached in 
the early morning of, say, Thursday. It is a town 
of considerable importance, being one of the 
largest ports in the South of Norway', and a 
favourite point for embarcation by travellers. A 
glance of the map placed before you will show 
that, on leaving Stavanger, the run to Bergen is 
made in still water, as the vessel passes inside .a 
series of islands of considerable size. The scenery' 
on all sides is extremely fine, and a delightful 
passage of six hours lands you at Bergen. I will 
not enter into a long description of this city, as I 
have intended to give simply a sketch of the 
route I would recommend. Suffice it to say that 
it is a large and busy ship-building and fishing 
city. Ships sail to Hergen from all parts of the 
world, the great trades being that of timber and 
dried fish. The majority of the houses are 
wood, and have quaint and picturesque appear¬ 
ances. 'L’he city is surrounded by high moun- 
tain-i, and one inconvenient characteristic 
feature of it is that it has a greater rain¬ 
fall than that of any other city in Europe. 
The average rainfall in England is, I believe, 
about twenty-seven inches, and that of Bergen is 
sixty-three; consequently a resident of Bergen 
always carries an umbrella, and it is said that a 
Bergen horse shies at seeing anyone without one, 
the sight being to him strange. Bergen has two 
natural harbours of immense size, with great 
depth of water, one being devoted to the use of 
yachts, the other being occupied by trading 
vessels. The passage steamers land at the latter, 
and Smebby’s Hotel (recommended by Messrs. 
Bennett) is situated close to the landing quays. 
There are many excellent hotels in Bergen, but 
as I have made use of Smebby’s only, I endorse 
Messrs. Bennett’s recommendation. It is neces¬ 
sary to secure a passage by Wilson’s steamers six 
weeks or two months beforehand, and, through 
Messrs. Bennett, a room should be engaged in the 
same way at Smebby’s Hotel. Wilson’s steamers 
carry in the summer months over 100 first-class 
passengers, and as they make a short stay only at 
Bergen, the hotels are generally found full on the 
arrival of the steamers filled with returning 
tourists. If Smebby’s Hotel is full up, the 
proprietor is always willing to procure a bedroom 
close by, and little or no inconvenience is caused 
by such an arrangement. A week can be passed 
at Bergen with the greatest pleasure. There is 
much to be seen in the city; the interesting 
museums, containing magnificent displays of 
furs, old and modern silver, plate and jewellery, 
and the wonders of the curiosity shops, affording 
great attractions, while a lovely valley passing 
through the grand mountains which face the bay 
of Bergen att'ords opportunities of driving and 
rambling trips which may occupy several days. 
The fjord steamers sail to their destination twice 
a week only, and on visiting Bennett’s office the 
tourist will find a passage secured by the first 
available boat. This may sail on the Saturday 
about 9 a.m. for Loen, the first fishing station of 
the route, and the tourist will thus have time to 
recover from the effect of the passage, if he be a 
poor sailor, and to see Bergen satisfactorily. The 
fjord steamers carry about fifty first-class and a 
large number of second-class passengers, and, as 
it may be said the whole of the home trade of 
Norway is carried on coasting and fjord steamers, 
much cargo is also carried. 
(To he continued.) 
Unwelcome Guests. —The beginning of last 
November a Fin returned to his little turf hut by 
the shores of the lake “ Snolojavre,” in Lapland, 
for the purpose of fetching away some fish which 
he had caught during the summer and salted 
down. He found, however, that daring his 
absence there had been visitors even iu that 
lonely spot. The stones around the fireplace 
were torn up and thrown out; the coffee-kettle 
was smashed up, and a bag of salt which had 
been suspended from the roof was palled down 
and its contents spilt all over the place. The 
barrel of fish which he had buried under a layer 
of turf and stones had been dug up and the fish 
eaten ; while all round the hut and more particu¬ 
larly in the neighbourhood of a spring of water, 
the snov was trampled down or scraped away'. 
From the tracks it appeared that a couple of 
bears had been making themselves at home; pro¬ 
bably their meal of salt fish had created the satis¬ 
factory thirst, which made them dig away in the 
snow till they reached the water. 
