Location: North 60.11830 East 005.99190 (GPS on the summit)
Difficulty: YDS class 2
Climbed April 23, 2022.
Information:
How to get there:
From Bergen, drive to the ferry at Gjermundshamn and take it across to the island Varaldsøy.
Once on the island, drive north on the paved road. Keep right at the first fork, then go left
and enter a dirt road in the next fork (in a right curve on the road). Continue
to a fork where you find a large parking area when going right. This is
location N60.12383, E5.99577, elevation near 203 meter.
There is a sign here informing about a large barlind tree.
Route description:
Walk back and cross the main road. Ascend along the ridge keeping slightly right
of the crest in the beginning. Gradually follow the highest ridge, continue until it
is natural to turn the upper end of the small valley on your left. There is a second
valley that may be turned in a similar way. The summit is now up left, ascend on the left side
then turn up towards the highest point.
The summit is located next to a tree.
Comments:
It was a very nice Saturday and Harald suggested Varaldsøy since he had tickets
to the football match between Brann and Sogndal in the evening.
I still had three peaks to visit on this island, while Harald needed all 4. I had visited
the island highpoint more than 15 years earlier.
We first hiked Veten, a nice dry trail and about 25 minutes from car to summit.
Next, we climbed Sandvikehorgan leaving the car in the same location.
This trip took about one hour each way including a nice stop at the summit to take
in the spectacular views. The trail was wet and partially covered by snow.
Our third summit of the day was the local hill named Bygdaåsen. This hill has no
trail, but plenty of animal tracks and the hiking was easy.
The round trip time was just about one hour.
We now had about 2 hours before the last possible ferry departure if Harald should make
it to the football match. By the time we got to the trailhead, less than 2 hours. I told
Harald to do some trail running, while I looked for a place to park the car.
After parking, I walked up the farm road. First,
looking at the information sign
at the trailhead. Quite informative, in Norwegian, German and English. What surprised
me was the fact that the normal hiking time to the summit was stated as 3 hours
in Norwegian (quite reasonable), while
the English and the German text estimated
one hour only. You would need to run very fast indeed!
I continued uphill to about
400 meter of elevation, then turned around and
drove back up to the trailhead in order
to be efficient in case Harald would return at the last minute. However, I soon spotted
him up on the farm road. He returned with about 15 minutes to spare for the ferry.
A 5 minute drive and no problem catching the ride.
Harald made his football game which ended in a draw 1-1, a big disappointment for
the home fans.