Climb Alden (481 masl) – the Norwegian horse

About

Visit the island Alden and hike up to the top also called «the Norwegian horse».

The mountain rises straight out of the ocean, 481 m above sea level. This is one of the most significant sailingmarks on the western coast of Norway and it is visible from more than a 100 km away. From the top you can enjoy a spectacular 360 degree view!

From the pier at Alden you walk up to the farm where you will find signs towards the top. The trail is steep in the beginning. The trail is quite narrow but very visible all the way to the top. At approximately 300m above sea level you will reach the platou, and the terrain gets more flat. Further east and up to «Instestova» it is easy to walk. From this point you will have a spectaluar 360 degree view! To get an even better view you should walk to the westernmost peak «Ystenova» wich will give you a breathless view. If you look west you will see the islands Værlandet and Bulandet, and perhaps some of the oil platforms in the north sea. In the east you will see outer Sognefjord and Sunnfjord, and you can see the majestic mountains Lihesten, Kvamshesten and Blegja. In the north you can see the westeernmost glaciers in Norway, «Gjengalunden» and «Ålfotbreen».

The hike is quite steep in the very beginning of the trail, however further on the hike is graded as moderate for people who are used to walking in terrain. The duration of the hike is estimated to 3 hrs. The trail is good and if you need a break you can have a seat and enjoy the amazing view.

In the summer we recommend that you stay overnight on the island to enjoy the sunset and sunrise, nothing can compete with that view!

We recommend not to hike when it is snow on the mountain.

How to get to there?

You can easily travel to Askvoll by ekspressboat from Bergen or Nordfjord. Please go to www.norled.no for timetables and tickets. From Askvoll or Fure you can go by ferry to Værlandet. From Værlandet a private boat to Alden must be arranged.