You can start and end your trip by taking Ulriken Cable Car or Fløibanen funicular. Between these two beautiful mountains you can see the fjords and islands around Bergen. On a clear day you can enjoy the view to Folgefonna glacier.
If you want to hike up Mount Ulriken (add about 1 hour), you can take bus nr 12 to Montana. Follow the signs to Montana Youth Hostel. Turn right just before the hostel and walk up the hill to the former parking lot and you will see the gravel road which is the starting point. Follow the road for about 10 minutes. When you are walking up the gravel road you will pass the food forest, which is an initiative to grow more local and sustainable food. The produce is grown for everyone to enjoy, so feel free to take an apple with you for your hike!
At the end you will have several options up to Ulriken. The quickest (and steepest) is to follow the signs up the sherpa steps. This is the most popular track. If you want a longer and more gentle climb, keep right for about 10 minutes after the gravel road is finished. (Towards Nattlandsfjellet og Sedalen).
The Vidden hike starts from the top of Mount Ulriken and is well marked. It is a popular hike for locals as well as visitors. The last 1-1,5 hours of the hike is on gravel road coming up to Mount Rundeman. From there you will start seeing the view of the city.
15 minutes before Mount Fløyen you can stop at Brushytten and enjoy a typical Norwegian waffle. Open every Sunday between 11-16 the whole year.
With a guide:
You can do this walk on your own or enjoy the company, safety and knowledge of a local guide from Norway Mountain Guides.
Season:
We recommenddoing this hike between May and October, unless you are skiing. Make sure you check the weather conditions before starting the hike. Remember that from October the days are starting to get shorter with less daylight as we are heading towards winter.
Camping and swimming:
It is illegal to camp and swim in lakes most places in the Bergen city mountains, but there are some exceptions. This map marks the area it is illegal to camp in blue, note that camping is not allowed at all at Mount Fløyen.
Height difference: 20-662 meters
Estimated time: 5 hours (If you are not used to hiking in the mountain, and do not have appropriate hiking shoes, this trip can take 7-8 hours).
Length: 15 km
Starting point: Mount Fløyen or Mount Ulriken
Practical information and rules for hiking in the Bergen city mountains:
• It is mandatory to keep your dog on a leash all year round.
• Lighting a fire is not permitted between the 15th of April until the 15th of September.
• We do not recommend the Vidden hike to inexperienced hikers during fall and winter months unless you have a guide. It gets dark early in fall, and the weather can be unpredictable. Read more about weather in Bergen here. Keep in mind that the temperatures are lower on “Vidden”, than in the city center. Wear appropriate clothing and shoes. Most of the hike is on uneven terrain and depending on the weather the terrain can be muddy and slippery. Correct footwear and waterproof clothing will help keep you safe and warm.
• There are few opportunities to use the toilet while hiking Vidden. The toilet at Brushytten is the last opportunity when hiking from Fløyen, from Ulriken the last toilet is at the upper cable car station.
A digital hiking map of Vidden can be found here.
Read more about our ten practical tips for hiking in Norway.