Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

exception. From the trailhead at Skjeggedal, it’s a there-and-back hike of at least
eight hours, traversing forest trails, rocky plateaus and granite ridges, many of
which stay snow-covered for at least half the year.
© Versta | Shutterstock
the monstrously good view from Trolltunga
It takes around an hour to climb the first section, a leg-sapping slog up a
staircase cut into the wooded mountainside, emerging on to a mountain plateau
sprinkled with pools formed by summer snowmelt. By the time I reach the plateau
and push on to the next climb, the mist is burning off, and streaks of blue are
breaking through overhead. Peaks appear behind the cloud, lined up like guards
manning a castle watchtower. Lakes sparkle in the morning light, and a carpet of
tundra stretches up the mountain, sprinkled with wildflowers. I refill my water bottle
from a cold stream, breathing in the crisp mountain air before continuing the
ascent.
The trail dips into a grassy valley, then climbs, and suddenly, the blue sweep of
Lake Ringdalsvatnet appears, a curve of turquoise backed by sheer, black slopes,
still topped by a dusting of snow. It’s a cinematic view that stays in focus for much
of the remaining climb to the troll’s lair.
“Lakes sparkle in the morning light, and a carpet of tundra stretches
up the mountain, sprinkled with wildflowers”
I pass a couple of wild campers, and stop for a cup of coffee, brewed over a