JOIN USWalking is an important part of my life so travelling without a trek in my itinerary is inconceivable. While researching Scandinavia, I realised that Norway was a hiker’s paradise.
So I packed my backpack and set off, planning to spend around 10 days in this marvellous country. Almost all of the places on my list were natural sites while the capital Oslo and the second city, Bergen, were brief transit points between trekking, biking and boat rides along serene fjords. A highlight amongst my several treks was a 22-km expedition to Trolltunga or the Troll’s Tongue.
My trip got off to a shaky start since my flight to Oslo from Paris was cancelled thanks to one of France’s infamous strikes. In order to salvage my trip, I took an arduous 35-hour bus ride across half of Europe to arrive in the Norwegian capital. After visiting some of the city’s landmark sights, I boarded a night train to Bergen. Waking up in the middle of the night to peep out of the window, I was treated to jaw-dropping scenery. Luckily, the midnight sun lit up the snow-covered hills, gushing waterfalls and glistening lakes, so I stayed awake all night. Despite my sleepless night, I reached Bergen full of energy and enthusiasm by walking through the UNESCO heritage wharf called Bryggen. These colourful buildings along a fjord now house museums, cafés, bars and boutiques.
An explorer’s delight
From here, I walked up a hill called Mount Fløyen (also accessible by funicular) and then trekked for around six hours to Rundemanen. The landscapes were an absolute treat with thick green forests broken by still lakes reflecting the blue sky and the soothing sound of waterfalls cascading down the mountain. At the rocky summit covered in green and red shrubs, wispy clouds rose up from the deep valleys. Walking back down to Bergen, I took a boat to Rosendal that sped through the fjord past islands and mountains. A bus ride through more amazing scenery in the vicinity of the Folgefonna National Park brought me to Odda, the base of my epic trek that would commence the next morning.
I didn’t quite know what to expect from Odda because it has the dubious reputation of being the ugliest town in the country, mostly due to its power generating plant. What I discovered, however, was that ugliness by Norwegian standards was not bad at all! An arm of the Hardangerfjord extends along the Folgefonna glacier leading to the town of Odda. It is true that the power plant looks like any unappealing metallic industrial structure spewing out smoke in an otherwise clean environment, but I found the town itself rather charming. Houses of different hues sat along the waterfront, and the entire place was verdant. My host picked me up from the bus station and drove me to a tiny hamlet to view an impressive blue glacier called Buer. I drove further along a river past many waterfalls to arrive at the twin waterfalls of Låtefoss flowing under a beautiful arched bridge into the rapid river. After a quick stop at a supermarket to pick up supplies for my nine-hour excursion the next day, I went home.
Early the next morning, my host drove me through Odda, passing by what looked like a palace. I was surprised to learn that this was the old power station which is now the Norwegian Museum of Hydropower and Industry. I drove up to Skjeggedal, the starting point of my trek where my friend was to pick me up later in the day. The hike begins at a useful information centre and the first kilometre or so is a vertical ascent through lush forest. Even though this is the most gruelling part of the walk, the trees provide much needed shade during sunny summer months. It took me about 45 minutes to get to the top. After this, it is a straight hike along relatively flat terrain on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau. The rocky landscape was covered in pools and puddles of snowmelt. From here, I was treated to spectacular views of snowcapped mountains all around and it felt like I was literally on top of the world.
Memorable walks
Walking on for a couple of hours, I encountered a group of young Norwegians who live and work in different cities in the country but make it a point to meet once a year to trek in their incredible country. Norway allows wild camping so one can roam freely and pitch a tent anywhere and continue travelling the following day. My fellow hikers and I walked and talked for a while, and I then went off on my own. An hour later, I reached a pool which was still partially covered in ice. From here on, the path was covered in snow and the sapphire-coloured Ringedalsvatnet Lake was now visible below.
I filled my bottle with refreshing cold water from a stream, crossed it on a narrow wooden plank and climbed an extremely slippery vertical path of snow to reach a higher trail running parallel to the lake below. The views just got better and better. The thick white Folgefonna glacier shrouding the mountains in the distance was stupendous. A big boulder blocked the path and this was a spectacular spot for photographs. Standing on the round rock, one can see a part of the lake deep beneath, surrounded by sheer rocky mountains with milky waterfalls rushing down them. I don’t know how much time I spent there gaping at this vista, but it is impossible to get tired of the sights here.
Hiking further past more icy pools through a patchy landscape of rock and snow, I noticed a group of hikers enjoying a picnic. It took me a moment to notice a grey rocky ledge jutting out of the plateau over the snaky blue lake down below. I was at Trolltunga and it certainly lived up to its name. The setting was an absolute wonder with the cloudy bluish sky above and the bluer lake below sandwiching snow-covered plateaux as far as the eye could see. It was now time for the waiting game, for each group wanted to walk on the tongue and get their picture taken.
Fortunately, the remoteness of this location meant there weren’t too many people to wait for, and having come all the way I certainly wanted my time on the Troll’s tongue. I walked across the ledge and felt an exhilarating shot of adrenaline as I sat down with my legs dangling a kilometre above the deep blue lake. Satisfied, I picked a spot nearby and had a picnic lunch contemplating the serene spectacle before me with the occasional entertainment provided by the histrionics of fellow hikers on the ledge.
I walked back with a German student who was studying in Finland, and exploring the Nordic world on his drive back home for the summer holidays. I savoured my last moments in this rugged region as I mentally geared up for the adventures yet to come, from cruising in another fjord to an archipelago beyond the Arctic Circle.
Fact file
Getting around: Low-cost airline Norwegian has good connections, but the train rides are some of the most beautiful in the world.
Currency: 1 Norwegian Krone = Rs 8. Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world.
Other things to do: Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten treks in the Lysefjord region, Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord for hikes and cruises, the amazing Lofoten islands. There are many treks on glaciers as well.