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!