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Besseggen

Besseggen Photo: Mathias Øvsteng
Besseggen

Walking facts

Level of difficulty
  • Challenging
Duration
  • 7 hours
Landscape
  • Mountain
Season:
June
August - September

Contact information

Description

This is the most famous hike in Scandinavia. Start the hike at Gjendesheim and hike the Besseggen ridge towrads Memurubu Toursit Lodge which offers good  standard accomodation. You can also taake the boat from Gjendesheim in the morning to Memurubu. From there fairly steep uphill to some 1400 m.a.s.l. Continue in easterly direction, here it is more flat. You pass the lakes Bjørnbøltjønne and Bessvatnet (both lefthand side)and cross Bandet before starting climbing the famous Besseggen ridge. From here you have wonderful views towards the green-coloured lake Gjende and the blue lake Bessvatnet. Furher you pass Veslefjell, with 1.743 m.a.s.l. the highest point on the route, before descending to Gjendesheim. Estimated time for the hike 7 to 9 hours.

There is also an altenative, marked route between the lodges Gjendesheim and Memurubu along the shore of lake Gjende. The route follows the old path dating back to the times when Memurubu was a mountain farm. Today Memurubu is a modern, high standard lodge, suitable for longer stays and as a base for daytrips, for instance to Surtningssui (appr. nine hours).

Categories

  • Hiking Hiking

Facilities

  • Season

    • august
    • june
    • september
    • christmas
  • Nature and terrain

    • mountains
  • Classification

    • Marked trails with red Ts
  • Grading

    • challenging
  • Duration

    • 7 hours

Equipment and security

Please follow these safety tips when you go hiking and walking in Norway.

1. Be prepared
Be sufficiently experienced, fit and equipped for your intended trip.

2. Leave word of your route
Many cabins, hotels and other lodgings have tour notification boxes in which you may put a written notice of your planned route

3. Be weather-wise
You should always be alert to forecasts of bad weather, yet not rely completely on forecasts of good weather.

4. Be equipped for bad weather and frost
Always take a rucksack and proper mountain gear.

5. Learn from the locals
Local people can often tell you about avalanche trails, wind and snow conditions, and the safest routes.

6. Use a map and compass
Always have and know how to use a map and compass.

7. Do not go solo
If you venture out alone, there is nobody to give you first aid or notify a rescue service in an emergency.

8. Turn back in time - sensible retreat is no disgrace
If conditions deteriorate so much that you doubt you can attain your goal, turn around and return.

9. Conserve energy and build a snow shelter if necessary
The stronger the wind, the tougher the walking/skiing. Suit your speed to the weakest member of the party.

Find more detailed safety tips in the Norwegian Mountain Code.

Disclaimer

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