Hiking, biking and skiing…
| 11.05.26 | Blåtind | 697m | 697m | Ulstein, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 12.05.26 | Melshornet | 668m | 560m | Hareid, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 13.05.26 | Orkja | 948m | 470m | Jølster, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 14.05.26 | Andhovden | 509m | 13m | Sogndal, Norway | FP | MAP |
| 15.05.26 | Kaupangsholtane | 423m | 65m | Sogndal, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 16.05.26 | Storehaugfjellet | 1173m | 990m | Sogndal, Norway | WCP | MAP |
| 17.05.26 | Larsokfjellet | 1540m | 170m | Årdal/ Luster, Norway | WCP | MAP |
Blåtind (697m), May 11 2026
Monday: This trip is featured on a separate post…
Melshornet (668m), May 12 2026
Tuesday: I was thinking a bit about a nice hike-and-bike combination and found that hiking from Hjørungavåg, across Melshornet and down to Ulset, and bike back down to Hjørungavåg, would be a fun round.
The route from Hjørungavåg isn’t my favorite route, so I just took it as a plain transport leg.
Getting above the forest was nice and I could finally start enjoying the hike.
This would be my last hike back home, before returning to Sogndal (again) and I already looked forward to a different kind of terrain. I’m getting quite familiar with the Sogndal mountains as well, but I can find more variation down there.
Eventually, I reached the top.
Then, a round of pictures…
…before heading down to Ulset.
Back at the bike, I looked forward to a nice ride back down to Hjørungavåg. Unfortunately, I had a strong headwind against, which was really disappointing. Oh well…
All in all, a good round trip…
Trip statistics: 6,7km on foot, 4,6km on bike, 660 vertical meters, 2h:11m
Orkja (948m), May 13 2026
Wednesday: After finishing my working day, I sat course for Sogndal. As the weather was OK, I decided to pay Orkja (Jølster) a visit. Provided that there wasn’t too much snow on the mountain.
The amount of snow didn’t look bad and so I drove up Dvergsdalsdalen, determined to hike up the 500 vertical meters and be back at the car within the hour. The question, did I still have it in me? I am not getting any younger…
The route runs straight up the mountain and it’s a proper uphill. The lower part is very often wet and muddy and not very fun.
The route is more enjoyable higher up, but still brutally steep. I avoided most of the snow and reached the top 35 minutes after heading out. Fairly on schedule.
I took a couple of pictures and turned around immediately. I knew Anne would like to have dinner before bedtime…
I kept a good pace during the descent, and it was the first time since my hamstring injury in early April, that I’ve put my legs to a proper test. I had a couple of near mishaps, but only because I was a little bit out of practice.
I returned to the car 54 minutes after leaving it. Excellent!
I had a nice drive to Sogndal and had time for some more garden work before dinner.
Trip statistics: 3,1km, 510 vertical meters, 0h:54m
Andhovden (509m), May 14 2026
Thursday: Ascencion Day and day off work. But not a day off from real work. After breakfast, I got started on building a stairway in Anne’s garden. The stones had to be brought from other places in the forest, and it was hard work. But I like working with rock.
I also like to work with wood, and my second chore was to clean up after the neighbour’s session with the chainsaw. Most of it was rubbish, but I secured enough to make a proper stack of wood.
In the afternoon, I wanted to do a quick hike. I tried to get Anne to come along for a hike across Andhovden above Hermansverk, but she didn’t want to leave the garden.
I drove to Njøs, where I left my bike. Then I drove to Sanden and headed out along the path that joins the Njøs route near Bjørkahaug.
I’ve done the Sanden route once before – back in 2019. On May 12th, as a matter of fact. I enjoyed the birch forest. It helped me feel less tired than I actually was.
Approaching Bjørkahaug, the terrain gets more interesting. There are some huge rocks here, some of them I don’t think I can climb.
Then I got to Bjørkahaug and enjoyed a nice view towards Hermandsverk and Leikanger (don’t ask me what separates the two villages) before moving on towards Andhovden.
Prominence-wise, Andhovden is truly an insignificant hump, but I find it cool.
From Andhovden, I decided to continue up to the top of the tractor road.
I really like this terrain.
Occasionally, some good Sognefjord views.
Then I followed the tractor road until I reached the crossing Kyrafossen path. I took left and it took me back to Bjørgahaug.
From Bjørkahaug, I followed the path down to Njøs and found a viewpoint that I’ve missed on my previous hikes here.
Further down, I was approached by a Boer goat. We had a nice conversation before I moved on. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was talking to a goat or a sheep and I had to check when I got back.
It was raining a little bit throughout the hike, enough to have my hood on, to protect my headphones, but not enough to get wet from. From my bike, I only had 1,8km to do before getting back to the car. Then it was back to Anne’s place and do more heavy work until dinner (which was late today) …
Trip statistics: 4,9km on foot, 1,8km on bike, 610 vertical meters, 1h:36m
Kaupangsholtane (423m), May 15 2026
Friday: I had originally planned to work on this bridge day (the day before was public holiday and the day after was weekend), but when the day arrived, I decided to deduct some hours from my ever-growing flex account and spend the day chopping and stacking wood in Anne’s garden. Or – more appropriate – backyard.
In the afternoon, I needed a break – one that didn’t include any form of resting. Anne was in Fjærland so I had to go by myself today as well.
I drove to Kaupanger to bike across Kaupangsholtane. That should probably give me 500 vertical meters, including humps and bumps.
After 360 vertical meters, steep uphill, I could finally enjoy the Kaupangsholtane trails. This area is truly a biker’s paradise.
There aren’t many good viewpoints along this ridge, but I made sure to stop at every place one can see above the treetops.
The paths are just brilliant.
I also stopped by the easternmost point (294m). I hadn’t seen anyone in this forest, and just as I was going to take a panorama, a guy and his dog came out of nowhere and just wandered around.
Then it was time for the descent. I had a very nice trail ahead of me, before returning to the main road.
As I wasn’t sure if I had earned myself 500 vertical meters yet, I biked up to the upper Kaupanger area and took the Brekkeflata road down to the car.
Afterwards, I resumed work in Anne’s backyard, now with a charged chainsaw battery ready for work.
Trip statistics: 14,2km on bike, 560 vertical meters, 1h:44m
Storehaugfjellet (1173m), May 16 2026
Saturday: Another full day in Anne’s backyard – chopping and stacking wood. Except for my bike trip to Storehaugfjellet. As if my already tired body needed almost 700 vertical meters of uphill biking.
While my body might not have needed this trip, my mind did. After an easy start along the 2,3km road to the Lingesete fork, the brutal hill was awaiting.
I did the same trip on May 19th, last year. There was hardly any snow left then. I was eager to see what was awaiting up on the mountain.
Already at 850m, I met snow. But it was possible to bike alongside it.
I had a good view towards Lingesetfjellet, which I tried to bike to at the end of April. That was way too early.
Higher up, crossing snow patches was a bit more tedious. The snow was quite deep!
Then I came across a pair of E-bikes. At first, I thought about leaving my bike here as well and started hiking. Then I regretted the decision and went back to get the bike.
As I was pushing my bike outside the road, the (German) owners of the bikes came running down the road. They had seen me from the top and thought I was in the process of stealing one of their bikes.
They apologized when they realized that I wasn’t a thief. I was really tempted to ask what they were thinking. Would a thief push a stolen bike up the mountain, off-trail and towards the owners? But I didn’t.
Eventually, the somewhat aggravating final ascent was coming to an end.
Now, I had almost 6km of nice downhill riding to look forward to. I had definitely earned it.
But first, a couple of panorama views…
Then, back to Anne’s backyard for more wood work…
Trip statistics: 11,6km on bike, 680 vertical meters, 1h:33m
Larsokfjellet (1540m), May 17 2026
Sunday: This trip will be featured soon…
