6/12/16

Group: Shawn, Monica, Marius, & Emily

Bergen is not only famous for it’s small town charm and atmosphere, but also for being the “City of Seven Mountains”.  I’m not good at the history part of things, but trusty Wikipedia gives you a little bit more info on them here.  However, I do know that Bergen has a local brewery named in honor of the mountains!

We were incredibly lucky to have picture-perfect summer weather throughout our time in Norway.  So, on our first day (in an attempt to fight jet lag) we took a hike up Mount Floyen and then over the Vidden trail plateau to the summit of Mount Ulriken.  There are a few ways to do this hike, as there is a road and a funicular that can take you to the top of Floyen, plus there is a cable car that can take you to the top of Ulriken.  However, we opted to walk the whole thing, and were so glad we did!  Every step was breathtaking and made the day a sure highlight of the trip.  One thing to note however, is that the majority of people we came across throughout the day started with Ulriken and ended at Floyen.  We didn’t have any trouble with the direction that we went though, so I would say which route you choose is up to you.

The funicular (and a great view of the city) is below.

The top of Floyen! It was very busy the day we went- there are playgrounds, a store where you can buy ice cream, and bathrooms available.

Plenty of picture ops at the top

There are signs at the top of Floyen pointing you in the direction you are looking for.

We started heading towards Ulriken.

 

You can almost see the tower in the back of this picture (below)….that’s where we were headed.

We had the best time walking along Vidden and soaking in all the views.

Many Norwegians have cabins in the mountains that can only be reached by foot.  I was about to make an offer and get one for myself; they were the most picturesque and charming houses.

And finally – six hours after starting Floyen we arrived at the top of Ulriken!

This was a highlight of our trip.  While it was a long day, we were glad to have been able to spend the gorgeous day outside with such wonderful people.

 

Thanks, Mon and Marius! xx