Bondhusvatnet - Fjords And Mountains

If you want to see glacier, you don’t need to climb on highest mountain. It is very easy if you are in western Norway, close to Odda, where Folgefonna glacier lies. There is a short, easy and very beautiful trail from Sunndal to Bondhusvatnet Lake. And on the mountain slope on opposite shore of the lake, you can see blue ice of Bondhus Glacier (which is a part of Folgefonna).

Winter came to Norway and I couldn’t go to any more ambitious trips, because of snow. A lot of snow. So, I decided to visit Bondhusvatnet Lake, where I was couple of times earlier. I had to spend in the car one and half hour and drive over 100 kilometers to get there. First, reach the Odda, then go by western shore of Sørfjorden and turn into 11 kilometers long tunnel. Sunndal is located just after the tunnel, on the road 551.

To the lake leads 2,5 kilometers road called Isveien (Ice road), because it was used for transport ice block from glacier, down to the port in Sunndal. The ice was exported then to various part of Europe and used for example for cooling fish. Isveien was constructed in 1863. Earlier, people had to carry the ice on their back.

There is also other trail which starts from the same parking place. It goes to the mountain lodge Fonnabu (1450 meters above sea level). The distance to this cabin is about 10,6 km and during the winter this is an extreme trail.

I kept my plans and soon reached the Bondhusvatnet. I saw the blue ice of the glacier from the distance. I thought that when I was here earlier, the glacier was bigger, but maybe it’s because the snow, covering the mountains. Along the shore of the lake there is a path, which leads almost to the glacier. I tried to go there but after 1,5 kilometers I had to go back. The path looks too dangerous and there was no reason to risk fall down on the slope.