Har en god tur - Hiking in Norway

The Norwegians must have wished me “en god tur”, i.e. a good tour, around 40 times during my vacation. I kind of like that. It reminds me that life is an adventure and that after every new encounter comes a farewell, with good wishes for my future journey. You should enjoy every journey, no matter which one.

In my post about tips for your trip to Norway, I mentioned several times that I wanted to write more about hiking there. Norway is a real paradise for hiking and I only realized that over time. Actually, everything here is beautiful and you can just walk off the road into the wild nature. That would be the unplanned option. But of course there are also fixed paths and routes that you can use. In this article, I would like to tell you a bit about what I took away from Norway and how you can best prepare for your tour here.

About the landscape

As I said, hiking here is simply fantastic due to the natural surroundings. There are hiking routes in “normal” areas and also in the national parks, i.e. protected landscapes that are usually of particular beauty. One of the largest national parks is certainly Hardangervidda, which is not far from Kristiansand, a ferry terminal from which you can travel from Denmark. Hardangervidda is characterized by lots of stone, a mystical atmosphere and a feeling of endless expanse. You are also so high up that you are always in the clouds. “Every now and then” was an understatement in my case, as I actually only had clouds around me the whole time. But that also meant experiencing the landscape from a completely different, fantastic perspective. It's just not quite as ideal for hiking because you simply can't enjoy the view.

West of Stavanger is also a real hiker's paradise. This is also where the famous “Preikestolen” is located, with its 600 m high cliff. At Preikestolen, on the other hand, I experienced a lot of forest, rocks and bogs with birch trees. And at the fjords, I felt partly reminded of my landscape at home in southern Bavaria, with green meadows, orchards, grazing animals, the sound of bells and a great view of the valley. I was also recommended the Jontundheimen National Park. I will certainly visit it another time. As I said, Norway has an incredible variety of landscapes that you can immerse yourself in.

On the way to Preikestolen

Route preparation

In the beginning, I also googled a lot and thought I had to find the best and most beautiful route. That changed in Norway. After I realized that you can actually find a route everywhere, I pulled out my “UT” app at the place I was and looked at what was so beautiful in the area. The huts are also marked and described there. If you want to do an easy hike, you can look for something in the app. Once you have downloaded the route of your choice to your cell phone with the app, the app will guide you safely through the terrain using GPS. Very practical. That's probably how most Norwegians do it, I've noticed. Alternatively, you can use a GPS tracker, like I do when I'm out on my own. I also have a Garmin InReach Mini 2 (with satellite subscription) with me so that I can contact the outside world in an emergency. It can also navigate normally and even complains with strange alien-sounding noises if I stray from the route.

When you start the hike, the paths are very well signposted. The red “T”, often painted on stones, shows you the way through the terrain. Many of the paths are also well prepared with steps made of rocks, wooden litter or even wooden bridges. I have also often heard and read that the time indications are not quite up to German standards. This means that a “Norwegian hour” would be around two hours for us. As I haven't hiked that long, it's difficult for me to judge. But it should be said at this point!

Haukeliseter Fjellstue

The huts

What I have come to love Norway for in particular are its huts. There are thousands of them, at least it feels that way. I don't think I've ever seen or experienced as many huts as during my time here. In the UT app, you can view the huts of the Norwegian Trekking Association DNT. If you open it up and see all the markings, you'll know what I'm talking about.

The huts have different categories: There are “betjente” (serviced), ‘selvbetjente’ (self-serviced) and “ubetjente” (unserviced) huts. This means that the first category are huts with a service. These are usually the larger cabins with lots of beds, such as Haukeliseter Fjellstue, which has a restaurant, sauna, conference room and much more. The “selfbetjente” cabins are certainly a large number of these. The great thing about the cabins is that you only need to take a cabin sleeping bag with you. You can find food in the on-site pantry, which means you don't have to lug around travel food. I have met many people who have moved from one hut to the next. The huts are usually a day's hike apart, i.e. a walking time of approx. 5-7 hours. My information here is based on statements from conversations and what I have seen in the app. So have mercy if it's different ;-). The last type of hut are the “ubetjenten” huts, i.e. the unserviced huts. There is usually no running water or electricity here. They are genuine self-catering huts and can be seen more as a place to sleep.

Also worth mentioning are the so-called “Dagshytta”, day huts. These huts are intended as excursion destinations where you can have a snack or enjoy the view even in bad weather. You are not allowed to spend the night here. In my Dagshytta in the south there was a tiled stove, cases, seating, a toilet and lots of books for children and adults to read. The hut was very modern and lovingly furnished.

Dayhut in Farsund

Preparation of the hut tour

If you are going on a hut tour, you should of course take the same equipment with you that you would need on a normal hike. What I've also seen a lot of here and is very popular are rain hats to keep the water off your shoulders and neck and also gaiters to protect your boots from getting wet. Apart from that, rainwear is certainly important because Norway is not necessarily the driest country. Hiking poles are certainly also an advantage to protect your knees when walking downhill for hours.

In most huts, you will only need a hut sleeping bag as they are equipped with bedding and pillows. However, you can also bring your own sleeping bag. The kitchens are often very well equipped and self-service kitchens have a well-stocked pantry. The food used is charged via the “Hyttebetaling” app, as is the overnight stay itself. You can book beds in advance, but there are always a certain number of “emergency beds” available that cannot be booked. An overnight stay in a dormitory costs around €30 per person. If you take out a DNT membership beforehand, there is a good discount. Membership costs around €70 per year and is certainly worthwhile if you are planning several overnight stays. Another advantage is that you are insured on the hike. And if you are under 25 years old, it only costs half the price.

What you should also pay attention to is whether the hut is open or whether it is locked or not. You can see all this in the app in the information about the hut. Some huts are open all year round, but most are locked with the DNT key and some even require a special key. You can buy the DNT key for around €10 and then keep it. You can get it online or at the tourist information offices or at the larger huts. That's where I bought mine. I am now one of the proud hut key owners :-).

DNT-Schlüssel

Difficulty levels

It is also important to note that there are different levels of difficulty for the tours: blue, red and black. The red tour is always marked: only for experienced skiers. I think I would rate the level of difficulty as slightly higher than ours, because Norwegians are certainly more used to hiking. A friend of mine also said that she had already experienced red tours where you had to climb a bit in sections. My tour to Preikestolen was “red” and I can confirm that you have to be at least sure-footed and also need appropriate footwear. Walking up there in leather shoes with flat and smooth soles, as I have often experienced, is not a good idea!

Arrival and overnight stay

As I said, I haven't done any major tours myself, but I'm happy to pass on what I've been told. Many people even hike from hut to hut for a week or longer. Many travel by bus from Oslo or Stavanger to one of the larger huts and start their tour from there. I myself was traveling by car and could simply stop at one of the parking lots at the foot of the trail and start my tour from there.

Haukeliseter Fjellstue

I've already written a bit about the huts, but here's another closer look. I stayed at two larger huts: Haukeliseter Fjellstue and Preikestolen Fjellstue. Both have different rooms in different (price) categories. From chic double rooms with en-suite bathrooms to dormitories with eight beds and a shower and bathroom in the outbuilding. I myself once stayed in a 6-bed dormitory with inadequate and unconventional heating, although I only had a roommate once out of the two nights. For the shower, I scurried into the basement of the neighboring house in slippers and in the rain at about 7 °C. You could shower with coins, which you got at reception.

However, I have always found the sanitary facilities to be very modern and clean. I also used a fridge there and the kitchen in my room. Everything is provided for and labeled. It is always assumed that you take responsibility and leave everything as you found it. You could fetch water from the neighboring house with a canister so that you could do the dishes or cook. We also had a sauna right by the mountain lake and a hot tub. I particularly enjoyed sitting in the lounge by the tiled stove, eating kanelbullar and chatting with the Norwegians about their tours, experiences and their country. You always get the best first-hand tips!

Haukeliseter Fjellstue

In Preikestolen Fjellstue, on the other hand, there were actually only hotel rooms with their own bathroom. I felt totally at home there. It wasn't as busy as in the other cabins, but it was also very nice. The restaurant was more upmarket. There were also great cozy couch corners with a fireplace and furs. In addition to this hut, there was also the “old” first hut, Preikestollen Hytta. This had dormitories and even more rustic, cheaper rooms. There was also the so-called “hikers' camp”. These were half-tubes equipped with beds. Very simple, without insulation and you had to bring your own sleeping bag. We showered and went to the toilet in the neighboring house or shared bathroom. So there is something for everyone. Oh yes, and as a camper you could also stay in the parking lot at Haukeliseter Fjellstue for a fee and use the sanitary facilities there.

Preikestolen Fjellstue

So much for the different hiking huts in Norway. I hope I've been able to give you a little insight into hiking in Norway and make it easier for you to start looking for the right tour. I think Norway is a real paradise for nature lovers and the huts offer a great opportunity to immerse yourself for a longer period of time!

What do you feel like doing? What would you like to try and experience in Norway? Do you prefer something comfortable and “safe,” or something a bit wilder and more adventurous What would be the perfect experience for you? What difference would it make? And how could you make it happen?