Norwegian Rosendal

On my last day in Bergen (August 2021), I planned the trip to Rosendal, 2 hours by boat (https://rodne.no/en/fjordcruise/fjord-cruise-to-hardanger/) and 3 hours walking around then 2 hours back, passing Hardangerfjord to South of Bergen. I was thinking an easy day before traveling back home. So I took a cup of tea from the breakfast table and went to the ferry terminal which was a bit further away than the tourist office. It was a bit colder day and it has been raining earlier, so Bergen was covered by clouds/ fog surround its mountain. I love this scenery, it looks mysterious, mystical and full of surprises.

The 2 hours journey on the boat just passed like that. I arrived at Rosendal and went directly to the tourist office to ask for some activities that I can do in about 3 hours’ time, before the boat leaves back to Bergen. I got a map and brochure, so off I went to hike to the view point which is only 2.1 km hiking, Sjethaug. The lady said it takes normally 1.5 hours back and forth. I was so excited, yes, for sure I will do this hike and enjoy the view but indeed the information about the hike does not include the elevation.

I passed the church of the village which is a bit higher elevation than the harbor, from there turned left. I passed farmer houses and their lands with either sheep or cows. It was a different scenery, I like it. On the road there are some fruit trees, apples and yellow plumes. I tried to follow the sign till I reached a farmer house who has some cows and the cows were on the road too. Ow no, I read the sign wrongly again, so I was about to turn away then the farmer said in Norwegian that I was on the right way. He came down from his house to move the line for his cows but I could pass below the line, so I said with my broken Swedish that it was ok. Then he offered me some yellow plums, ow so sweet, but I’m allergic to plums. I said thank you politely and added that they live in a very beautiful place here. They have all the land around for their cows, very green also and from their house they have this million-dollar view over the hill and harbor. Then I said good bye. The next challenge was to pass his cows, Betsy number 1-5. I tried to talk to them that I just need to pass but one of the cows decided to come closer and bit my red bag, he lefts some saliva also on my new Norwegian cardigans. I just laughed. The road was getting steeper and steeper but I did not want to go back. Indeed, I just realized that there is about 280 m elevation to the top. So, it was not an easy day that I had planned, I was sweaty like a pig and was taking out one layer by layer of my clothes as I moved to the top of the hill. And I got there, making my signature jumping pictures and enjoying the view while catching my breath back.

I went back down to see the next attractions, I walked with a local with his chihuahua dog. This dog is quite strong, I thought, he went up to the top with his owner. Then I was too excited to pass them and I was walking down too much, so I had to do a detour and climbed back to the church.

My next stop was the barroniet, the sort of Norwegian castle with famous rose garden. I paid 100 NOK to see a movie about the inside of the castle, which was now closed due to Covid. But I could see the garden. The rose garden was still colorful with a nice structure of a high porch garden. There was a café which was quite full of people and they have also a vegetables garden. It was a coincidence that they have the vegetables collection as the garden in Demen, NL. Especially the artichoke and the big green leaves with red stems, those I recognized directly. From there, I walked back to see the saw mill that powered by water and stone garden. Apparently, I was not far enough to see the stone garden which has stone collections from dinosaurs’ time. I saw the rivers with big stones which I thought that was the park, indeed it was a nice area to do picnic. However, I had nothing, no water and no food, only the coconut slices. I found some nice graffities on the building around which attracted me more then I walked back to the harbor area, to be on time for the boat back, allocating some time that I might get lost also. Of course, I managed to get lost. After asking a local lady, I passed through a small street back to the main street with some shops where connected to the harbor. I took some pictures in the surrounding with the mountains that still had some clouds in the middle that I was quite fond of it. After all, it was a nice last day in Bergen!