Verafjellet

  • Verafjellet
  • 314 m
  • Primary factor 221 m
  • Osterøy, Norway
  • Location: North 60.68949, East 005.62026 (GPS on the summit)
  • Difficulty: YDS class 2+
  • Climbed: April 27, 2014

Information:


How to get there:
Take E-16 from Bergen to Dale, shortly thereafter at the bottom of a long downhill, turn left towards Romarheim and Modalen. This road is rather narrow with many sharp curves. Continue until you see the concrete bridge across to Osterøy in front of you. Keep right here and cross the bridge.
Continue on a very narrow road, to Grøssviki, this is where the road leaves the fjord and heads uphill towards Toskedalen. Continue a bit uphill until the very first sharp (hairpin type) curve going left. A forest road forks right in this curve. There is parking for a couple of cars. This location is N60.67919, E005.67248, elevation about 70 meter. Park here.
Route description:
Take the forest road that starts at the trailhead. When it forks, follow the left branch. This road turns back and climbs the hillside. When it runs out, go right and gain additional elevation while crossing the broad ridge you are on.
The next stage is to cross the narrow Norddalen and gain a local col on the opposite side. There may be a reasonable route across, however, I never found it. Be prepared to negotiate fairly cumbersome terrain when descending to the Norddalen. Ascend on the opposite side and gain the col north of Raunalifjellet. From here, descend in the well defined gully all the way to the fields of the farm named Heimviki. Pass by the farm buildings and locate the farmers (tractor) road that runs next to the small barn (under a bridge used to access the second floor.)
Follow this tractor/forest road and keep left where there is a distinct branch. The road climbs the hillside in many zig-zags. Continue until this road ends completely. Descend into a section of tall trees, further downhill move right and locate the sharp col that separates you from Verafjellet. There are some cliffs here, but traces of old paths will lead you to the spot where you may descend into the bottom without any climbing.
Ascend easy slopes on the opposite side, then follow the terrain along some minor local ridges to the summit.
Comments:
I left my car at 1035 and first climbed Raunalifjellet, since this summit is very much on the way to Verafjellet. I made a short rest there at 1220, before returning to the col and descending to Heimviki. To my surprise, there were people at Heimviki as well as sheep with new born babys. I easily found the local farmers road that took me high on Bjørnakanten. From here, it was not too dificult to find the proper descent into the sharp col separating this mountain from Verafjellet. From here, it was quite easy to ascend to the very summit of Verafjellet. I was there at 1420, the trip here from the road is certainly nontrivial.
Returning the same way, except for a new scramble out of Norddalen, getting back to the car at 1715. A pretty long hike, more than 6 hours, but the day was nice and this was a very good way to complete my climbs of the 30 summits on Osterøy that have at least 100 meter of prominence.

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