Vidden Trail

The Vidden is Bergen's classic walk: about fifteen kilometres across the open plateau linking Ulriken and Floyen, usually done from Ulriken downward because that direction takes the cable car up and the funicular down. The route runs mostly above five hundred metres over bare glacier-scoured rock, bog and small tarns, marked with cairns and red T-paint, with almost no shelter for the whole crossing and the city visible in glimpses to the west. In good weather it is a straightforward long walk with enormous views. In cloud it becomes serious: the plateau is featureless, cairns are hard to follow, and Bergen mountain rescue is called out to walkers here every year, including in summer.

What you actually see

• The open plateau - bare rock, bog and tarns above the treeline.
• The cairn route - the marked crossing between the two mountains.
• The city glimpses - Bergen and the fjords appearing between ridges.
• The two lift stations - Ulriken cable car and Floyen funicular at the ends.

When to go

Late June to September, once the snow has cleared; the plateau holds drifts well into summer and the route is not recommended outside this window without winter skills. Start early to allow six hours plus margin.

Honest expectations

There is no shelter, no water source you should drink untreated, and no phone signal in places. Weather turns fast and fog is common even on clear mornings in the city. Proper boots, wind protection, map and compass are needed rather than optional, and the last funicular down sets a hard deadline.

Nearby

Mount Ulriken and Mount Floyen bookend the route; Bergen's centre is at the foot of both.