Trek in Breheimen - Norway

The Breheimen, which could be translated as "Home of the Glaciers", is a mountainous region in central-western Norway. Its feet dipped in the warmth of the Fjords, its head proudly crowned with the white of what is the largest active glacier complex in Europe — but beyond the geography, a massif of magnificent contrasts.

As a Mountain Guide, I have always been passionate about Scandinavia, and Norway in particular. Every stay brings me a sense of peace that has unfortunately become rare in our mountains, a truly unspoilt nature, a landscape where the marriage of water and rock will never leave you indifferent. It is at the heart of this magnificent Norway that I would like to take you, and I'm willing to bet you won't come back unchanged.

Morning at the foot of the Fjord

Now there's a breakfast not to be taken lightly. Just enough time to dream of the age of the Drakkars and imagine setting off on a maritime expedition. The sea lies at our feet, and the turquoise colour of the Lustrafjord confirms it beyond any doubt. Then Svein, the owner of our Hytte (a typical Norwegian chalet), explains that life isn't always easy at the foot of the Breheimen. The road winds in hairpin bends along the Fjord, and after emerging from the tunnel, the soft light immediately sets the mood. Up above, the summits we can't yet see are waiting for us. It is indeed the path that begins at the foot of the river — yes, the sea still so close. Past the tumult of waves crashing against the boulders, the sight of pansies — flowers that seem to have come straight from the Vosges — and we're off on our first ascent. A steep climb, punctuated by a deep rumbling. Getting louder and closer. Then the mist surrounds us as we pass at the foot of one of Norway's majestic waterfalls. Turning back, a guaranteed shiver as you take in the valley floor, 400 m below.

At the end of the trail, another world

Watch out — the going gets harder here: a gap to pass through, then suddenly the outflow of the torrent, a vast sky of clear blue quickly mirrored by the pure blue of the lake, with the white dome of a glacier as a backdrop, the green beard of the slopes and their wrinkles of rock. Here and there, a few Hytter dotted along the lakeshore. We must skirt this "small" lake for 2 hours. The view opens up more and more, and behind us the majestic summits of Jotunheim emerge. We have the rooftop of Norway before our eyes. The Glittertind (2,434 m) and the Galdhøpiggen (2,469 m), Norway's two highest peaks, are clearly distinguishable.

The Mountain Vikings

Time to turn back towards our barely marked path, only to come face to face with a century-old boat. Its naturally bleached wood speaks to its great age, but it is the clinker construction that truly catches the eye. Clinker is the technical method developed to build the famous "Drakkars": planks on the hull overlapping lengthways, fixed with metal rivets.

No, I wasn't dreaming this morning — the Vikings kept their craft alive for centuries, travelling but also fishing at over 800 m altitude in the mountains.

A green getaway

The path continues between birch trees and moorland grass, feet on green ground and eyes lifted skyward, where peaks and glaciers cut sharp silhouettes. A whole palette of colours adorning the blues of the water and the sky. The day passes quickly in such a setting, and it's on the floor of a "Norway red" Hytte that we regain our strength. All that remains is to skirt the steep slope for another hour to reach our refuge — or rather, our refuges.

Night won't fall quickly — not before 1am — but rest and dinner can't wait. A surprise: we are expected at the refuge. Olav is a carpenter who has just arrived… by helicopter. Perfectly normal, as the DNT (the Norwegian equivalent of the French Alpine Club) pays him to maintain the refuges, and given the long winters (to compare with the Alps, bear in mind that glaciers are present from 1,500 m) the fine season is short! Since he needs to redo part of the floor in the main refuge during our long Nordic summer evening, we find ourselves in the annex. Fear not — this ancient shepherd's shelter, renovated with schist blocks and a turf roof, is in no danger of collapsing. Inside, a wood-burning stove in the entrance room, then our bedroom of pine beams and bare rock: unique and transporting. And so to dinner with a view over the lake, the peaks of Jotunheim as a backdrop — thank you, Olav!

Did you enjoy the trip? Come and experience it with me! Get in touch via my website oxygenenature or by email.