I left my young son for a solo Norway trip with strangers – it was empowering

Heart thumping and hair wild, I wondered if I was the only one struggling to conquer this mountain. Was no one else out of breath? And then the physical toll was suddenly all worthwhile, as I took the final steps up to Årheimsfjellet, where fjords plunged below and clouds brushed the mountainsides. I had earned this view. While I’m usually found reading or rushing around after my six-year-old – certainly not climbing mountains – I’ve long dreamed of visiting the Norwegian fjords. I’ve travelled alone for work, but never for a holiday. This trip was something I wanted to do for myself – to switch off the parenting part of my brain and soak in the natural world without a soundtrack of “Are we nearly there yet?” I also wanted a proper break from the all-encompassing mental load and my de facto role as designated holiday organiser, so I joined a small group hiking, cycling and kayaking adventure with Intrepid Travel. Shorts “This is an active trip, you all know that?” guide Noah checked in on the first night, when we met in Bergen. I did know, but still a part of me panicked. I’d spent months intending to prepare, joking “Fit for Norway!” every time I exerted myself. As I’d come alone, who would be my cheerleader if things got tough? After driving winding mountain roads, we arrived in the quiet fjord-side town of Loen and set out on our first mountain hike. Just as I thought I might be all out of puff, we rounded a corner to a welcoming cool spray bouncing from the thundering Tjugenfossen. A rainbow arched across the waterfall and my first thought was: my son would love this. My second thought: I’d have had to carry him here. While I missed him, I felt liberated at the same time. That night, I set up in a cosy cabin at Tjugen Camping with two other travellers on the trip, a glacier visible from our porch as we ate our camp kitchen dinner and got to know each other. Like me, they were travelling solo and fulfilling long-held ambitions to visit Norway. The Loen Skylift is one of the world’s steepest cable car ascents (Photo: Marius Beck Dahle/Visit Norway) Bright and early, we took the Loen Skylift – some people gripping tightly as one of the world’s steepest cable cars ascended – and reached another glorious view across the fjord. On the hike to Skredfjellet, 1,155 metres above sea level, we looked across to glaciers dotted through the mountains. From here, we could turn back or set out on another route. Onwards, we all agreed. I enjoyed the group chatter from different parts of the world – Australia, the US and Italy as well as the UK – while sheep with bells around their necks balanced on mountain inclines. I was amazed I’d got this far, and as I pushed up the final 3km, I tried to focus on the glorious fjord to my right, spurred on by seeing the rest of the group at the top of the hill. When I made it, I felt triumphant. And I needn’t have worried about a lack of cheerleaders. Katie takes in the view We spent the next two days cycling. First, 21 miles along Lake Lovatnet (thank you e-bike), and next down the mountain after travelling up on the train from Flåm. I sank into the peace of the ride – the opportunity to enjoy the views and get lost in my own thoughts. As I squeezed the brakes I thought that if my son had been here too, I’d have been terrified about the sheer drop, rather than focusing on my own mental challenge. One evening, we hired the fjord-side sauna in Loen. A sauna and cold dip is one of my favourite things to do, and as I swam out into the fjord, icy water washing over me while some others tentatively dipped for a second, I realised that each of us was facing different challenges. We all needed our own moments of encouragement. Katie takes in the view This was true the next day too. After staying at the characterful Fleischer’s Hotel in Voss, we set out on a misty, Viking-esque kayaking tour from Gudvangen, across Nærøyfjord. The cold, the wet and the risk of capsizing were a bit of an ordeal for some, but I loved the experience. It was physically demanding to kayak all day, but it was intoxicating: the dramatic scenery, a seal poking up to say hello, the refreshing swim in the fjord at the end. It was during moments like these that I wished my family could see it too – but it wasn’t a sad feeling, more a warming thought that I could bring them here one day, once my son’s legs are long enough.Untethering myself from my motherly role allowed me to push myself in new ways, both physically and mentally. If you’d told me two weeks ago I could hike 10 miles across tricky mountain terrain or cycle 21 miles in a day, I never would have believed it. But I did, and now I wonder what else I can do. How to do it Intrepid Travel’s Norway: Hike, Bike & Kayak trip costs from £2,320pp including ground transport, accommodation and guiding. Norwegian, Jet2 and Widerøe fly from the UK to Bergen.