Episode 4

Journeying through Norway’s Unesco fjord landscape, Martin Compston and his pal Phil MacHugh go back in time at Viking Valley, where they discover that the fearsome Norse warriors enjoyed a surprisingly relaxed home life when they returned from their pillaging and fighting. They also learn that Viking traditions and history aren’t just for the Norwegians. Viking Valley is home to an eclectic global community of people who have been drawn to the Norse way of life.

The lads then rack up some serious mileage as they drive northwards towards Ålesund, where they witness how modern Norwegians are embracing the old ways. They meet local pagans Sigrid-Annette and Ivan, of the Åsatru religion, and take part in a blessing for the god Ægir that looks mysteriously like a wedding ceremony.

It's then on to the pretty town of Ålesund, which was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the wooden buildings in 1904. Ironically, the boys are here to help the local townsfolk build a massive bonfire to celebrate midsummer.

Martin and Phil end this part of their journey with a trek up into the fjords to experience the epic Romsdalen Gondola and its jaw-dropping view across the landscape of the Troll Wall, Europe’s tallest vertical rock face.