On the opposite side of the fjord, high up on the precipitous cliffs and in a romantic position, is situated an old farmstead, "Gaard" Skaggeflaa by name, and from the rugged crags in close proximity to it is a picturesque waterfall, Gjeitfos (Goat's Fall). The only means of access to this lonely farm is by a dizzy goats' track, which threads its devious way upwards from the shore of the fjord across the breast of the steep cliff. In one place the track is completely blocked by an overhanging rock. This is scaled by means of a ladder.
Some years ago there lived a farmer here who refused to pay his share of the local taxes. The wily farmer would never visit the village shops for provisions or other necessaries until he had first made quite sure that the "lensmand" (sheriff's officer) was not in the neighbourhood; neither would he fish on the fjord, only at a place just beneath the cliffs on the top of which his farm lay.
On one occasion the "lensmand" came close upon the delinquent unawares. He followed him up the difficult goats' track, climbing and slipping until he came to the ladder. Quickly scaling the rock, the tricky farmer pulled up the ladder after him, and so left the breathless and angry "lensmand" to find his way down again, for he was quite unable to proceed farther.
Near to the entrance of Geiranger Fjord, and among a number of large boulders which lie at the foot of the steep cliffs of Nökkeneb (Nyxies' Peak) stands an ancient "gaard," called Sultevik.
At this farm an ancient outbuilding of logs, called a "rogestue," is still used as in primitive times. The exterior is unpretentious in appearance, but the interior is quite interesting. The hut is built of thick balks of timber, and the turf-covered roof is supported by heavy beams, which are dark with the smoke of centuries. On the hard earthen floor, rudely built of stones, stands an elevated hearth-fire, the smoke from which escapes through a square hole in the roof. Over the fire hangs an ancient iron "gryte" (cauldron), suspended from a movable wooden pole. On one side of the room stands a massive bench-like table, on the top of which was placed a large trough of wood, which was in use for kneading dough. It must have been used for centuries, to judge from its appearance. On the outside it was much worn and stained by age, while on the inside appeared many different stratifications of meal and flour dough, which also pointed to the fact of its being used for untold years.
Two robust peasant girls were busy together making potato-cakes, placing them for baking on a slab of slate which rested on stones over the peat fire. Through the smoke I could just see on a shelf a few old carved and painted wooden articles of domestic use—butter-holders, bowls, tankards, and dishes—and these were in daily use.
A quaint iron lamp ("kole") is suspended from a beam in the ceiling, and this is the oldest form of lamp now to be found in the country. In it fish-oil ("trail") is burned, and a piece of tow hangs as a wick from the lip of the open heart-shaped saucer which contains the oil. This lamp will not give a brilliant light by any means, but these simple peasants put up with it for the good and sufficient reason that they have nothing better.
This majestic fjord of Geiranger is noted for great avalanches of snow, sometimes of rocks, which in the winter and early spring descend from the steep mountains around.
Near Madvik Farm, at the entrance to the fjord, an unusually severe avalanche of stones and snow occurred a few years ago, the concussion from which was felt for several miles around, and on the water huge waves were formed, which swept with great velocity into the neighbouring branch fjords, and even across to Hellesylt, causing no little damage to property on the shore.
Söholt to Romsdal