Bergen, Norway April 22, 2026

Mount Floyen is up there somewhere!  The plan for today was to hike up and down rather than take the funicular.  The trailhead is five minutes away from my home away from home. I could see the low cloud and fog from my window and I wondered whether I should wait.  I passed on waiting and said what the heck, just go! So I went! This was the view walking toward the trailhead.

part way up the fog began to lift

it was looking soooo pretty 

one of the many switchbacks

every time there was an opening, I snapped a shot

admiring the view from part way up

oh WOW

I zoomed in to see my room!

I made it!  

There is so much to see up here along with some hikes to take.  I just meandered around a bit. This is the restaurant.

a cafe

I picked a different cafe that had this view from the outside patio.

On the way down as I neared the end, along came the funicular.

I dropped my pack off at my home away from home and left a layer there too.  Then went back out onto the streets of Bergen to take in more sights and sounds.

I worked up an appetite for a local IPA.  

while waiting for my dinner to arrive 

Bergen, Norway April 21, 2026 afternoon

What we saw this morning far exceeded the beauty I expected to see!  I wondered what we would be in for on our hike this afternoon, I hoped it would be pretty.  Our guide Alexandra would be at the back of the pack, we could go at our own pace but make sure we go right when we come to the intersection.  This is the trailhead, we are aiming for Bondhusbrea. I wanted to hike alone so I took off. 

I got into a rhythm, breathing in the Norwegian fresh air!

so very lush, so very green

I could see the snow covered peaks off in the distance.

a White Wagtail

hiking through a boulder field

a Common Chaffinch

By now I was almost at the lake. 

At this point I waited for the guy behind me to catch up.

While I waited for him, a lady caught up to us. 

We three were the first to arrive at Bondhus Lake together. 

my destination shot

We strolled around part of the lake but the views did not get any better so we returned, sat awhile and snacked.  Eventually the rest of the group arrived.  The guide told me there were two huts behind the mountain and glacier. The helicopter was bringing up maintenance material.

After about a half hour at this beautiful glacier lake, we began the hike back.

passing through an open gate along the way

One last look back!  Sigh!

It was about a thirty minute drive to our next ferry ride.  When our driver saw the ferry nearing the dock, she put the pedal to the metal!  Whew!  We made it!  This was the view from an outside deck.  It was a short twenty minute ride.

view from the ferry

There was one more stop on our agenda, it was at a waterfall that you could walk behind.  It reminded me off a waterfall I saw in Iceland, I got soaked when I walked behind it.  This one was different, I stayed dry. This is a view of the waterfall from the parking lot.

the sun lighting up the waterfall 

behind the waterfall 

view from the side

11 second video

What an amazing day! I hesitated whether to book this tour as I don’t care for being stuck on a bus. Being a small group with numerous stops, it was enjoyable. I keep thinking it can’t get any prettier or more fairy tale-like here, then it does!  Every day this place steals a piece of my heart!  

our route

Bergen, Norway April 21, 2026 morning

Today I went road tripping with fourteen others, our driver plus our guide Alexandra. I enjoy small groups so that was the reason for picking this tour with this company. We met at 8:00am and hit the road. It would be a ten hour day with a few sight seeing stops along the way, two ferry rides, a lunch and a hike (not in that order).

view at our first stop

I took many photos at each stop.

With time on our side, we had another photo op stop before heading to our first ferry ride.  

Then, this was the view as we waited for the ferry.

here comes our ferry

on the ferry

view as we cruised along

The weather was ideal and the views were spectacular.

We docked then drove to Rosendal.  This was our lunch location.  Lunch was preordered so it was ready when we arrived.  I opted to sit outside with another solo traveller, he was from Berlin. 

After lunch a few of us soloists wandered around to see some sights.

After an extended visit to Rosendal, we boarded the bus to head to the trailhead for a hike. 

On the way we made a stop at this waterfalls.

The morning was so enjoyable.

The scenery was beautiful.

The weather was spectacular.

I was excited for the afternoon!

 

Bergen, Norway April 20, 2026

Bergen is known as “The City of Seven Mountains” because it is surrounded by seven iconic peaks.  Ulriken is the highest of the seven, sitting at 643 metres above sea level.  You can each the upper terminal by cable car or hike up the Oppstemten Steps which are 1333 stone steps built by Sherpas from Nepal. They cover 290 vertical meters to the upper terminal.  I took the Cable Car up and down.  This is the view a few seconds after stepping out of the Cable Car. That’s part of Bergen below me.

 This is the rest of Bergen from the other side of the terminal.

There are a few hiking trails that lead from the terminal. 

 I picked one and off I went to find my way to the official summit cairn.

I had to hike down that trail behind me before I started hiking up.

It’s early season which means there are loads of tarns, full lakes, mud, some snow, a little ice.  This was  the first body of water I came to. I love landscape like this. I want to see a heart, so I see a heart!  Do you see it?

I veered off the trail to the summit cairn to explore a portion of another route.

The route winds through all the little tarns.  

It was time to get back on track and aim for that bump in the middle.

The trail was a bit tricky with mud, some scrabbly sections and a little hands on here and there. I made it!  Seeing as I was the first person on the first Cable Car going up this morning and the first to hit this trail, that meant I was the first to reach the summit cairn today! I like it like that!  That’s the upper terminal at the left.  It looks close but it is not.

hugging the cairn while bracing against the wind

After sitting for a little while and saving snacks and scenery, it was time to descend from the summit and explore the plateau area. You can see mountains off in the distance, they were covered in snow.

another view of Bergen

you can see the tip of the summit cairn upper right

a bit of ice in this tarn

hiked down to the water’s edge

There were numerous structures scattered here and there,

I could be quite happy spending the night up at this hut.

This hut looked more official.

After a couple hours of wandering about, I headed back to the cafe at the upper terminal.  My reward was a Pilsner by 7Fjell Brewery local to Bergen.  You can see the summit cairn to the right of my beer, it’s that little bump on the top. It was a most gorgeous day so did my sipping outside!