Åvika camperstop, Njöti island - 17 July 2018

Geoff

Where to go today? I thought we might head north east towards fjord land but Amanda wanted some sea views. I identified a nice looking camperstop so there we went. Our route took us up the E39 signposted Ålesund (where we were over a week ago) but then went westwards. 

The roads became more minor, then narrower and windier until, finally, a gravel single track road brought us to Åvika. It's on a small island and occupies a large gravelled area overlooking sea and other islands. There are three unoccupied wooden bungalows. There is supposed to be room for 70 campervans but only one other, from Denmark, was to be our only neighbour. 

It's ever so quiet, the only sounds are from oyster catchers, gulls and engines of occasional boats. We met the site owner, a friendly fellow, who came over to say hello. This evening, he and a young lad, pulled up nearby in a small motor boat and called me over to go aboard, which I did. We then picked up the Danish chap and the boat then motored a short distance to where the owner had placed a fishing net. He proceeded to haul the net up and throw some fish into the boat at our feet - salmon, mackerel and sild. I returned to the camper with a couple of gutted mackerel and a fillet of salmon. That's supper sorted for the next two nights!

Amanda

Time to drag ourselves away from the comfortable and familiar surroundings of Bratland Camping. But where to head for first? Geoff found a promising looking 'Bobil Parkering' on one of the little islands, Njöti, to the north west of Bergen. A lovely drive of 50 miles or so took us away from the busyness of the area immediately around Bergen, partly retracing our steps from 10 days ago, and then going west and over bridges linking several what are in fact islands. The roads got narrower and more remote until we reached the end of the road and a large gravelled area with three smart looking little wooden lodges, and one motorhome which had just arrived. There was no-one else around. On closer inspection the lodges were in the process of being done up, and the interiors were definitely works in progress. But within one, which was open, was a table with all the information needed, and a working bathroom for our use. Our neighbours also told us that they had been shown the ropes by a lady who had been there, who had also told them that there had been 40 motorhomes here last weekend.
We have spent a very peaceful afternoon just watching the changing light over the water and the hills/low mountains beyond. I love these less dramatic, softer fjords. A brief thunderstorm cleared the air - it had become quite muggy - and it is now a beautiful evening.

After supper, Geoff had an unexpected adventure when a small boat with an outboard motor, skippered by the chap in charge of this place, who had introduced himself to us earlier, pulled up in front of the camper, and he beckoned Geoff to get in. Geoff, always game for an adventure, got in and was whisked away round the corner and out of sight, leaving me slightly open-mouthed. I suspected that they had also picked up the Danish chap from the neighbouring van, and sure enough, they both returned some 30 minutes later, beaming, with several freshly caught fish, cleaned and gutted and ready to cook! So that's the next two evenings' suppers taken care of!

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