Eight intrepid Orcadian paddlers flew to Bergen on Wednesday 2 June to enjoy a week's wonderful hospitalty from BSI Padling - they loaned us quality equipment and even managed to organise glorious sunshine.

Trip organisers were the wonderful Elin Thorsen and our very own "Paddler Abroad", Kelda Dinsdale. Elin and Kelda were our leaders, tour guides, coaches and mentors.

We walked on mountain tops and paddled under waterfalls. We paddled in fjords and round the islands off Norway's rugged coast, camping out of our kayaks as we went. We breakfasted on Elin's amazing porridge enhanced with coconut, apples and apricots, we had barbecues and enjoyed wonderful Norwegian meats and cheeses. The scenery was simply spectacular and took our breath away. This was surely the kayaking trip of a lifetime!

Elin and Kelda were amazing but also the warmth of the welcome extended to us by all the Norwegian paddlers we met was just great. To offer a similar kind of experience to our Norwegian friends when they come to visit us next year will be a tall order!

Click HERE to see some of Harald Andreas Skontorp's amazing photographs of the trip and click HERE to see Elin and Bente's route maps.  My photographs are HERE.