Mt. Floien Hike - Bergen Norway

[sabrefan]

Currently booked for this excursion hiking down from Mt. Floien in Bergen, Norway. I have been to Bergen before and I know they get a lot of rain. So I am wondering what the path or trail down Mt. Floien is like when it rains a lot there? Any advice on what the path or trail down the mountain would be appreciated.

[philw1776]

I hiked it but in good weather. I dead reckoned and did it alone. The route starts out with dirt switchbacks and the last portion is downhill through paved streets if this helps.

[deec]

we had a sunny day...not fun in the rain.  We did it by ourselves too!  Took some turns that may not have been the fastest but walking through the neigborhood was great.

[janetcbl]

It had rained shortly before we did this walk, but the path was okay…I always take hiking poles, but didn’t need them.

[photopro2]

I would agree with others that this is an extremely easy excursion to arrange for yourself, as we did.

The funicular station is a short walk from the ship and one-way tickets can be purchased online to avoid queues.

As well as the cost saving, a big advantage of doing this on your own is that you can judge the weather on the day. As well as the frequent rain the top could be in fog or cloud. If so you can easily change your schedule depending on the forecast for the day, or even decide to do something else instead.

[SJD117]

I took the funicular up and down in a raging storm with close to zero visibility on top. I would not want to hike the trail in those conditions.

[photopro2]

6 minutes ago, SJD117 said:

I took the funicular up and down in a raging storm with close to zero visibility on top. I would not want to hike the trail in those conditions.

My point exactly 😁

[Spurlady]

2 hours ago, photopro2 said:

I would agree with others that this is an extremely easy excursion to arrange for yourself, as we did.

The funicular station is a short walk from the ship and one-way tickets can be purchased online to avoid queues.

As well as the cost saving, a big advantage of doing this on your own is that you can judge the weather on the day. As well as the frequent rain the top could be in fog or cloud. If so you can easily change your schedule depending on the forecast for the day, or even decide to do something else instead.

How long do the queues get in the summer months?  We will do this on our own,  but don’t want to have to book ahead of time.

[janetcbl]

25 minutes ago, Spurlady said:

How long do the queues get in the summer months?  We will do this on our own,  but don’t want to have to book ahead of time.

Long! Last year,  by afternoon, lines were down the block and around the corner. We went first thing in the morning (after checking that there was a great view from the top) and got on right away. We did not book ahead as we wanted to make sure the weather was good since we hiked down.

[Goosebear Mum]

Yes, we went up as soon as it started to clear, late one morning (earlier I wasn’t sure if it was going to). By the time we came down (after glimpsing views as the clouds rolled in/out)  the queue at the bottom was so very long, we’d not have bothered to queue!  It really is easy to make your own way there. Bergen is known for its rain. I love Bergen, but I’d never commit to an outdoor excursion, or one that relied on views.    

[CurlerRob]

21 hours ago, Spurlady said:

How long do the queues get in the summer months?  We will do this on our own,  but don’t want to have to book ahead of time.

You can book tickets on the funicular online - if you don't want to risk doing it well in advance, you could always try a few day earlier once you've seen the forecast (which, true to Bergen's reputation, will likely be for rain ...). A fun town but a tough spot for weather! 🍺🥌

[tscoffey]

I booked mine for late July yesterday. $32 US. If it is a rain out the loss is minimal.

 

[Port Hope]

I booked our tickets online the night before we docked in Bergen once I’d read several weather forecasts. We had a beautiful sunny day and I was glad to skip the ticket line. 

[photopro2]

Another option is to buy tickets at the station the previous evening after the crowds subside, The station is open quite late into the evening, at least during the summer months. As I recall, the tickets were valid for 24 hours and we used them late the following afternoon to get straight in line for a short wait for the train.

 

Of course, you don't have to walk back down immediately. The area on top of the hill has many forest paths and it was good to get away from the crowds around the top station. We took about an hours easy walk along well made paths to the Sandvikspilen viewpoint, passing a beautiful lake along the way. We returned into Bergen via the Skredderdalen trail. However, I would only recommend this route back for experienced and well equipped (booted) hikers as it is a steep descent over rough terrain.

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by photopro2
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