Trail head by Dallandsmyra.
When the forest road ends you will find a path through the forest.
| Varden from
Dallandsmyra Varden |
| Estimated net time | 1½-2 hours | ||
| Difficulty | No difficulties, but quite cumbersome through dense juniper in the last steep section. | ||
| Drinking water | No stable access to running water. | ||
| GSM coverage | Coverage throughout the route (April 2010). | ||
| Parking | Room for several cars at trail head. | ||
| Start height | 90 metres | ||
| Vertical metres | 330 metres for the roundtrip. | ||
| Trip distance | 2.8 km | ||
| GPS-file | X | ||
| Map |
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| Route photo |
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From Bergen drive road E39 south to Halhjem. From here get the ferry across to Våge on Tysnes. From the ferry port at Våge drive approximately 400 metres to the round about, and turn right, following signs for Stord. Drive 1.3 km and exit right onto a gravel road running parallel with the main road. Find parking immediately after entering the gravel road.
Walk back a few metres and turn left onto a forest road closed by a gate. This forest road runs parallel to the gravel road where you parked. After 300 metres the forest road turns right (north-west), and you continue uphill for another 350 metres to a small plateau, where the forest road ends. Continue straight ahead, towards the forest, and locate a boggy path that will take you north through the forest. After a few metres the path descends a little, and somewhere here you should turn left and leave the path. Find your best route uphill through the juniper. Above the juniper you might find some vague tracks, but in any case just head towards what looks like the highest point. The summit is marked by a proper cairn .
Descend by reversing the ascent route.
I had completed a very fine hike to Tysnessåta earlier this afternoon, and decided to take on Varden as opposed to waiting for the ferry at Våge, before going back to my hotel at Os. But this hike was not in any way as nice as the hike to Tysnessåta; I had to fight a lot of juniper, and I ended up getting into a rush to catch my ferry back to Halhjem. But I had some nice views from the summit, and I even had time to buy myself a Coke and a chocolate at the store at Våge before getting the ferry, so at the end I was a happy chappy.