A hike up Mount Fløyen; a swim at Nordnesparken badeplass.

It’s a beautiful day in Bergen and I decide to head up to the top of Mount Fløyen for the views.

There’s a funicular that can take you to the top and I consider it for a minute before deciding to walk. It’s 45 minutes to an hour according to the internet, which doesn’t sound like too much of an effort and so I set off from my apartment down Øvregaten, past the church and towards the Fløibanen and the start of the path up.

I stop at a cafe by the cable car to pick up some cinnamon buns for breakfast and to serve as a snack while I hike and then start walking up the winding streets of the upper town until I reach the start of the hiking path where a lone cat stands watch over those embarking on the hike to the top.

It’s a relatively easy walk to the top. After passing a carved figure in the woods I find myself at a large complex surrounding the funicular station. There’s restaurants and shops and facilities and a lot of people taking in the view and wandering around the area.

Checking a map of the area I’m surprised that there are goats that live at the summit and head over to their enclosure for a closer look. Bred to clear vegetation, they’re restricted by a virtual fence and earn their keep clearing the mountain of thicket and forest.

For the most part today they’re lazing around, suffering tourists (like me) who all want to take their photos. As people mill about them they continue to laze about, seemingly unpreturbed. Getting close to one, they let me pet them for a moment before I leave them to their day.

From the goats I walk to an overlook to admire the southern part of the town, where most of the people live away from the touristy wharf area. A disc-like sculpture watches over a bench placed perfectly for quiet contemplation overlooking Bergen.

I’m also surprised to find a huge park at the top of the mountain with trails that run in many direction, including all the way to the nearby peak of Ulriken. Looking at the maps and the distances, I think about taking the cable car to the peak of Ulriken one day and walking back to Fløyen and down, but never quite get around to it.

I decide to take a short walk to Granbakken, a small pond not far from the Fløibanen Upper Station. While walking the path I spot two women foraging in the brush off to the side. I ask what they’re looking for and they tell me wild blueberries. I ask if I can have a look and they invite me up. There are blueberries everywhere. They each have containers half full. I pick a few berries to taste their sweetness before continuing my walk.

There’s a small boat launch and the the pond is dotted with canoes being padded to and fro. I walk to the far side of the pond and find more paths and signs pointing this way and that. Curious to see more of the area I follow a path towards Bjørnebu and a small mountain lake on the map.

Reaching Revurtjernet, I check the map and decide to continue walking. There’s a small cafe nestled in the valley and I decide to walk there and take another path from there back to the funicular station, where I’m thinking of taking it down rather than retrace my steps down to town.

At the cafe I see signs for Fjell-hytten. I’m curious what it is and ask at the cafe to see how far away it is. It doesn’t seem as though it’s too far, but I’m not entirely sure I want to spend the time to get there.

And so I begin to walk a path that leads back to the funicular. But curiosity gets the better of me and I turn back to the cafe and follow the path towards Fjell-hytten, skirting the Blåmansvatnet lake before it heads deep into the forest.

The path winds through the forest before it reaches a clearing with amazing views out over the valley towards the peak of Ulriken. From the cafe I had seen a path that hugged the mountain, looking as though it heads in that direction. Once again I consider doing the hike, debating if I want to make the time.

A couple is taking selfies nearby and I ask if they’d like me to take some photos for them. They hand over their phone and I take some in different formats for them to choose from before heading off towards the cabin.

It’s a quick climb to Fjell-hytten and I pause to take a look at the structure and take in the views. A rusting metal monument commemorates the founding of the sports club Fjell-Kameraterne by members of Skansen's Battalion.

a traditional multi-sports club from Bergen. The club was founded on July 6, 1919 by members of Skansen's Battalion, a boy’s corps founded in 1860.

A woman sits in the shade of a rock just below the foundation and her presence startles me as I come around the bend. Somehow I hadn’t expected to see anyone other than the family that’s exploring the cabin along with me. It’s also quite a view, seeing the city just beyond the pines.

From the cabin I look out at various trails that descend the mountain. There’s one well-marked one that looks to lead back to the mountain top station, but I’m curious about some of the smaller paths that seem to lead stright down the mountain towards town. Feeling adventurous I head towards a stone pillar acting as a survey station to take a look at what paths may extend from there.

Looking out at the fjords I see a cruise ship leaving port. I watch as it rounds the bend, disappearing behind an island before deciding what to do. There’s a small path leading down and I decide to follow it. It has to come out somewhere; if it’s at the base of the mountain in another part of town, more the better.

The path winds down around rocks and through the trees. At times I feel like I’m about to lose it and then finally it morphs into something well-trod and I feel confident that I’m headed back towards one of the main paths.

Ultimately, I end up back at Granbakken, the first pond I had visited. From there I walk back to the funicular but then decide to walk back down the mountain. I end up by the fish market and wander the stalls. I end up ordering a fish and chips and eat under one of the tents before walking home to rest.

Later, I decide to go for a swim. On the map I had seen a public bathing area at the end of the peninsula across the wharf from my apartment. Unfortunately, I can’t jump across and have to go around the port, but I’m curiuos to see a bit more of the city and the destination offers me an excuse to walk through the neighborhood opposite mine.

It’s cool to see Bryggen from another vantage point. It’s also interesting to see the cruise ships, dominating their slips and appearing like apartment complexes when spotted through gaps between the homes that are built along the hills of the Nordnes neighborhood.

There’s a decent number of people at the Nordnesparken badeplass. Some are there watching their children, most are in bathing suits and jumping in.

I dive in. The water is cold but comforting after such a warm day hiking in the sun. Clouds have started to roll over the fjords and the town and by the time the sun is about to set a light rain falls.

I walk along the southern slopes of the promontory back towards the fish market in order to see more of Nordnes, passing Nordnes Park and the ramparts of Fredriksberg Fort. Built on Nordnes’ highest point between 1666 and 1667, the fort has served various purposes, including defense, a fire watch station, and a place of execution.

Nearing the edge of the neighborhood I pass some picturesque streets and Spisekroken, a Norwegian restaurant packed with people. It’s getting late and I don’t feel like a sit-down meal, but I make a note of it for the future. And before I leave I’ll stop by for dinner, opting for the tasting menu.

Arriving early, I have the opportunity to chat with the waitress before it gets too busy. She’ll tell me the restaurant has been open for 30 years and that she’s been working there for a lot of them. She’ll also tell me it’s one of the few remaining privately-owned restaurants in the city, earning it a spot in my heart that goes beyond the delicious food.

I stop by a supermarket on the way home to pick up something to eat. By the time I get to bed I’m well ready to sleep. It’s been a fantastic day, from the summit to the sea, and Bergen is becoming one of my favorite European towns. 🇳🇴