A perfect day out on the Besseggen Ridge
I mostly tend to stay away from hikes that do not include at least some scrambling and also those that draw big crowds. However after my own research and a personal recommendation I had to check out this ridge cutting through mountains and lakes.
A bucket list hike in the Jotumheimen national park of Norway
This ridge traverse is sometimes called the mother of all hikes and does really deliver stunning views while being accessible for most moderately experienced and fit people. The Besseggen ridge is in the Jotumheimen national park (that also is home to Galdhøpiggen, the highest peak in Scandinavia) and is well above a 1000 meters above sea level (peaking out at 1.700 meters.
The area is home to many reindeer and you might be lucky to spot a few even on the ridge. However with the amount of people doing this hike you are never alone and the wildlife is mostly staying at a big distance.
The logistics of this excursion are rather special because to either reach the start or get back at the end you need to take a boat crossing the Gjende lake. Make sure to book it early as it can be quite busy in both directions. The hike itself is about 15 kilometers with 1.100 meters of climbing regardless of which direction you take. I decided to take the boat to Memurubu and hike back to Gjendesheim where the boat starts.
Besides a short stepper and slightly exposed section right in the middle of the hike there are no particular technical challenges with good paths and waymarking all the way. No matter which way round you go, the one big climb will be in the very beginning. It took me 3h30min to get from Memurubu to Gjendesheim - however most people take this at a more leisurely pace.
I would recommend this excursion to anybody coming through the area. Doing this hike and spending the night later that day in a tent under the Aurora Borealis was what I would call a perfect day.
Adventurer: Bengt
PS: Thanks to Wolf for the hint!