-
2024-09-27 19:45:01
**After a small detour I entered the Jotunheimen National Park area and decided I would walk the Bessegen Ridge, A famous -you guessed it- ridge hike that runs all the way along a large lake.**
![view](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_112612658-scaled.jpg)
It was a beautiful sunny day, blue skies and barely any wind. Quite rare conditions for Norway. So I thought that was a perfect moment to spend a couple hours video calling with my brother and his girlfriend. So in the late afternoon I decided to drive up to the trail-head and have some dinner before starting my hike.
At the trail-head there is a parking lot for both cars and campers for which they charge 250NOK (25EUR) per day! Since I was planning on hiking 2-3 days I decided I am too Dutch for this and drove on to the first free parking spot available, just ~1km further up the hill. So loaded up with a beefy backpack and my folding bike I sailed down to the parking lot and locked my bike to a tree. I just saved myself 50+ euros.
## Day 1
![View of a ferry leading into the fjord](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_164921246-2048x1542.jpg)
Most people take the ferry at the trail-head first.
After these delays I was ready to start the hike somewhere between 18:00 and 19:00. “Why so late, are you nuts!?”. Well, it’s not like there’s much of a difference between day and night there, remember. So I didn’t have to worry about a loss of daylight whilst up there. The only danger left was probably bears trying to eat me.
Contrary to what most people do I started to walk first and take the ferry back from **Gjendesheim** the last (of 2) stops. Most people take the ferry to the first stop which is **Memurubu** and then walk back to the trail-head. So while walking I would mostly come across batches of humans that came from the same ferry moving the opposite direction as me. Once they passed I’d be pretty much alone again.
![Shore view of the fjord](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_165541480-2048x1542.jpg)
Just above the trail-head.
After a steep start moving uphill I reached the ‘top’ of the ridge and from there on the walk was pretty flat until right before **Memurubu**. After a few hours of hiking and taking a moment here and there, and there, and there to take in the amazing views. As I arrived at the highest point overlooking two lakes I thought to myself: “Why not stay here?”. So that’s just what I did because the weather forecasts were good, no rain and barely any wind and good temperatures.
| | |
| --- | --- |
| ![A tent on top of a mountain overlooking a fjord with snow capped mountains in the backgroud](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_200957773-1542x2048.jpg)I had to secure the tent to the ground with rocks | ![The same view but now from within the tent, at dusk](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_211841633-1542x2048.jpg)At around the darkest moment of the ‘night’ |
| ![Overlook of the fjord with a lake hugging it.](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_192721980-1542x2048.jpg)My initial idea was to camp right down there between the two lakes. (the right one is much higher than the left) | ![Holding up a coffee cup looking up to the camera with an extended arm](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_205124138-1542x2048.jpg)Coffee? |
This place has been hands down the best view I’ve ever slept with. It was so quiet and felt deeply peaceful. Just being there, cooking a meal, prepping a coffee and slowly winding down to sleep. I walked roughly 7km with 700m in elevation gain.
| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_172811268-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_172816473-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_173801028-scaled.jpg) |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_174100447-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_174107996-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_182458146-scaled.jpg) |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_183012017-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_190846709-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_201113354-scaled.jpg) |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_203700734-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_203707630-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_203909201-scaled.jpg) |
| | |
| --- | --- |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_204803187-scaled.jpg) | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220710_210931889-scaled.jpg) |
## Day 2
![a](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_083241824-2048x1542.jpg)
Gooooooooooooodmorning!
After quite a relaxed night in my tent I woke up around 9 and slowly got up and made myself some breakfast: oats with raisins and cinnamon and of course water. I was in no rush as I had until 5pm the next day to get to the end of the lake, which is about 17km of hiking left and 1500m-ish in elevation changes.
I made my way to in-between those lakes in the pictures above. I was chatting with an old colleague (Yay, 4G!) and we even had a call over an IT problem. You can’t lock me inside an office because most of what I need is already in my head anyways ;). Moving on I entered the true wilderness where few men (and even fewer IT-people) dare to walk: places without cell-signal. But I can tell you I survived, seemingly unharmed.
![Holding a water filter and water bladder in the water](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_084417422-edited-scaled.jpg)
Also a good time to fill up my camelback with fresh water. Filtering takes ~5-10min.
After a couple hours I reached Murumburu (I know, this placename sounds a bit like trying to pronounce a city while eating a sandwich to fast). There’s a cabin/hotel there that also sells some great coffee which is a warm welcome after a hike of 14km and 1700m elevation gain and loss. After enjoying this coffee I walked to the lake where there was a pebble beach that was part part of a riverbed. I decided to go in to freshen up. And fresh it it, because most of the water is fresh melting-water from nearby glaciers. It gets better after the tingling feeling of the whole body fades a bit. Then when you get out, you feel GREAT!
![Overlooking the fjord from a pebble beach](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_121548886-2048x1542.jpg)
The water was probably well under 5 degrees Celsius
I still had plenty of time left so most of the afternoon I enjoyed the sun on my face lying on the grass. Not complaining…
![Shoes in tall grass with a fjord in the background](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_132739154-2048x1542.jpg)
| | |
| --- | --- |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_132338819-1542x2048.jpg) Yup, that’s where we’re going… |![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_160233955-1542x2048.jpg) This is a pretty good summary of Norway |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_154438368-2048x1542.jpg) Looking back at Merumburu | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_204959316-2048x1542.jpg) Next to my campsite for the night |
I basically walked until I would find a suiting spot that was somewhat protected from the elements and ended up next to a small lake that seemed to house more mosquitos than water. But it was a pretty place nonetheless. Surrounded by glaciated peaks and lots of snow.
![a colorful sunset afterglow in the mountains with a tent in the foreground](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220711_210824062-2048x1542.jpg)
Goodnight.
## Day 3
Last stretch! On to **Gjendebu**, where I would catch my ferry back to the trail-head. Just before starting my descent down from the platform I met the last of the very few signs, as 99% of the trail is just following the red T’s. This descend was very much as steep as it looks in the picture down below. I didn’t have much of a chance to take pictures as I needed all my focus not to slide down the bare rock when descending using several chains. Maybe without a backpack it wouldn’t have been too bad but keeping your stability with 10-15kg on your back takes a bit more effort.
![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220712_102516234-1542x2048.jpg)
Here, naive me was still thinking this path would just move parallel to the ridge.
When I made it down and stepped foot in **Gjendebu** it started to rain, so it was a perfect moment to go inside and rest for a bit. I asked my inner voice if I deserved a beer. I did, because I saved so much money on parking and did a good job hiking. So this 9 Euro costing beer was enjoyed to the fullest.
![a beer with behind it a cabin window looking at a bare mountain](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220712_114145796-2048x1542.jpg)
Okay, actually 2 of them…
The ferry was still an hour wait and to kill the time I went outside to sit down at a (covered) picnic table and made some soup. I wasn’t alone as a Norwegian family with kids aged ~1 and ~5 was also there prepping some food. We talked a bit and then the oldest girl -in her best English- offered me one of the pancakes they were making. Of course I couldn’t say no to that.
I really appreciate how they as a young family take the extra effort to bring out their kids to places like this while they could’ve just done the ‘made for kids’ activities in the area.
| | |
| --- | --- |
| ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220712_142908575-1542x2048.jpg) So I climbed almost straight down on this part… | ![alt](https://blackrivertales.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PXL_20220712_143320460-1542x2048.jpg) Thank you for your natural beauty! |
Sorry this was a bit of a long one. Writing these blogs isn’t always as easy and can be a bit intimidating at times. But it’s worth the effort, thank you for reading 😉