I met my AirB&B host in the morning as I was heading out to hike Buer Valley. In a short conversation, she recommended me driving further down the road until I found another parking area and hike up next to a wonderful waterfall. Being a local advice, I took note and placed it in my to-do list. After the hike to Buer Valley I drove and found the waterfall not to far from where I was and the parking area. Before heading up, I grabbed my packed lunch and found a nice spot on the other side of the road where I sat under a tree with ample views of the fjord and another gigantic waterfall on the other side. After that and under a very bright day, I grabbed my gear and headed up the trail and right there I found an old storage hut that was very interesting. The bottom was big rocks piled into the mountainside with the door below ground. Above ground, the hut was wood with the customary grass roof. What I found interesting where the two rock slabs on the front. Not sure if they were just placed there without a specific purpose or not.
Then I turned back and got on the trail and started climbing quick. After doing three hikes, I started to realize that trails in Norway are designed with a different goal than here in the US. While here we tend to have graded trails that are designed with horses in mind, in Norway, it seems they design them just to last and be functional. This trail, as the others, follows a chute straight up. Using stepping stones. Is pretty much a big ladder that will get your heart pumping pretty quick
As you gain elevation, you get better views of of the fjord and the waterfall on the other side. Eventually you pass a couple of spots where the waterfall nest to the trail almost splashes at you. In one particular spot, I found a side path to the edge of the waterfall. Mossy and wet rocks stopped me from getting closer which I wouldn’t have done anyway after seeing the force and amount of water coming down.
At the top of the waterfall lies Fossasetevatnet, the lake that feed the waterfall. Next to it I found a couple of farm houses and a cable car that descends thru the trees all the way down to the road. I didn’t see that when I started but it made sense to have some sort of help to bring materials up for those houses and farms up in the valley.
I left those structures behind and continued the rocky trail gaining more elevation. As I did, the sliver of white from the glacier popped in the horizon and I knew I was closer to Lisatevatnet, the next lake. Roughly at that moment, the trail changed into a foot path which seemed weird at first. Later, looking at the map, I realized I had missed a turn somewhere and got off trail. Either way, I made it to the end of the lake and, surprisingly, more farm land.
As I hiked on the lake shore, I saw sheep, a horse but no people. There were at least 4 or 5 houses in the area sharing the mountainside and the lake in an almost idyllic place. As I was looking at that, I was wondering how they get materials and anything else up there. The only thing I saw was the cable car but that was away down the hill. I’m still puzzled as to how they make this work. Towards the western edge of the lake I found the little stream that feeds the lake and took some pictures there.
I noticed the footpath continuing up, so I decided to follow it and explore a bit. For a while I snaked thru the bushes and got glimpses of another lake and the glacier in the distance, but t didn’t seem I was going anywhere. At some point the path got thick and more difficult to navigate so I decided to turn around and head back down the way I had come. Even though this hike was not the most memorable I did in Norway, it was very educational given all the things I discovered or realized.
You can see the rest of the pictures here
