HÆGEFJELL
Once upon a time, there lived a girl, a young shepherdess called Hæge. She grazed sheep and goats in the moors. One day a fog descended so thick that you could not see the hand in front of your face. The girl followed the frightened herd, trying to control the panicked animals. She caught them at the top of the mountain, on a bare rock. She pulled out the salt to calm the herd. Sheep and goats, noticing what she has in the hand, flocked around her, pushing towards her. As a result, Hæge was pushed off a cliff. She fell and died on the rocks below.
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This is the most common legend about Mount Hægefjell. The real meaning of the name is ‘The Holy Mountain’. Probably due to its unique shape: high, not obstructed by other peaks and really impressive. Hægefjell may have had a religious significance in the past. Lighting the fire at the or making sacrifices in such unique place could send the favor of gods.
Today, Hægefjell is a pilgrimage destination for climbing enthusiasts. The naked, vertical south wall attracts attention and even during my few hours presence in the area, I counted several teams with ropes and other climbing equipment. Getting to Hægefjell is not easy. There is only one gravel road leading to the site from the south, in addition it is private and tolled. The mountain is located in the municipality of Kviteseid, in the Telemark area, on the western shore of Lake Nisser (in its northern part). Coming from the east (towards Oslo) on the E134 road, I had to turn to Kviteseid and Vrådal (road 41) and then go all the way around Lake Nisser. At the southern end of the lake is Treungen, a small town from where I made another amazing hike two weeks earlier to Skuggenatten. About halfway down Lake Nisser, there is a ferry crossing to the other side, which may be an additional attraction as the route is served by a small cable ferry. Unfortunately, I did not catch this boat, but for those who are willing to get this ride, see the cruise schedule and price list.
Initially, the trail runs along a wide road in a picturesque surroundings. Visible from a distance, the vertical wall of Hægefjell, here was so close and even more impressive. The day was sunny and warm. After about 2 kilometers of walking, a narrow forest path turns north, which starts climbing fairly quickly. I got breathless and that warm day turned into a real stuffiness. Fortunately, the forest section is not long and soon a fresh breeze greeted me in the open space. The rest of the route runs along bare rock, covered occasionally with single trees and low vegetation. The panorama stretched from the west to the far south of Lake Nisser. I was doing so well that I reached the top relatively quickly. There, the view extended to other world directions. Before I started descending, I wandered around the upper parts of Hægefjell, photographing and enjoying the views.
Coming back, I was forced to go around the lake again. First south to Treungen, then on road 41 north towards Eidstod and Kviteseid as far as road E134. The trip turned out to be extremely successful and I can confidently recommend it, as the trail is not too demanding and the views from the top are enchanting.
