From here,we’re perfectly placed to discover some of the region’s other highlights,starting with another gravity-shunning man-made structure,the Stegastein Viewpoint. Reached via a squirming,hairpin-filled road,this 650-metre-high lookout juts 30 metres out from the hillside,offering a highly Instagrammable selfie spot over the dramatic,mountain-flanked Aurlandsfjord. And this is the problem. Its popularity with tour groups means there can sometimes be a lengthy queue to reach the coveted glass-panelled endpoint.

For those who like to earn their selfies,there’s another option. Towering above Aurland is Mt Prest,a 1478-metre-high peak that can be reached via a steep,but not technically difficult,hiking trail. Most Norwegians do it self-guided,kids perched on their shoulders,but for less hike-hardened visitors,it’s worth joining a tour with local operator FjordSafari. I opt for the latter and spend a delightful morning with guide Luis Lopez zig-zagging up a wildflower-sprinkled hillside with only a handful of people and a herd of goats for company. When we reach the most arresting viewpoint,a 1363-metre-high stone beacon with conversation-stopping views of the fjord plus the snow-dusted mountains beyond,we’re the only ones there.

Of course,the other excursion that’s pretty much compulsory in these parts is a fjord cruise. But again,there are lots of ways to do it. One option is to take the Norled express boat from Flam to Bergen,a 5.25-hour journey that snakes through Norway’s longest and deepest fjord,Sognefjord. This is how we finish our trip and it’s a suitably scenic finale,offering a calendar-worthy medley of towering peaks,tumbling waterfalls and islands peppered with idyllic summer cottages.