Hiking through the fruit gardens of Hardanger

In Hardanger, the fjord smells of apples – how amazing is that? From April, 600,000 trees bloom here, and in September, wooden crates at the piers are filled with red-orange balls that will turn into sparkling cider with the recognisable "Hardanger" label in a couple of weeks. The Cider Trails route is an amazing adventure that connects two worlds: beautiful orchards on warm slopes and high mountain plateaus at the edge of Hardangervidda.

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime as you climb the hiking trails of Norway through the terraces of fruit farmers, have lunch in a cider lounge overlooking the stunning Sørfjord, and in the evening, go above the clouds to panoramas that have long been included on the lists of the best national park hikes in Norway. Amazingly, all this is possible without a car! An electric ferry, a bus and your own two feet make up a zero-emission chain that fits in perfectly with the ambitious environmental agenda of Norway's national parks.

Day 1. Lofthus → Nosi Viewpoint

We'll start right from the pier, where the electric ferry from Nærheimsunna drops you off right in the centre of the "apple capital" – perfect! Red T-marks lead you through the fruit orchards — wooden supports with fresh buds creak overhead, and beneath your feet is grass that smells of honey and the sea at the same time.

After a invigorating 40-minute climb, the festival of aromas gives way to mountain coolness; the last zigzag leads to the stone ledge of Nosi (650 m). From here, Sørfjord looks like a stunning turquoise river separating gardens and glaciers. Fill a bottle with spring water and head down to Lofthus Cider House for a tasting: the semi-dry Gravenstein Brut is the perfect way to quench the bitterness of the long climb.

Day 2. Dronningstien — "Queen's Trail"

Queen Sonja said that this curving road was her favourite — and there was a good reason for that. A 15-minute bus ride takes you to the starting point at Røte (or Kinsarvik if you are going the other way). The road goes up the mountain and you can see the glacier and the mountain behind it. At 1,100 metres up there is a stone throne. This is the symbol of the route.

You will finish your trip at the historic Agatunet estate, where you will be served cider made from the Aroma variety and soft goat's cheese with herbs in a stone barn. The table is right on the terrace of a medieval maple floor. Bloggers call it a "laptop view" because you don't have to open your laptop.

Day 3. Husadal waterfalls — a contrast of sweet and powerful

The four cascades of Valurfossen roar loudly every two kilometres. It takes 90 minutes to climb each level, and the fjord can be heard somewhere deep below. The path is marked, but watch out for wet rocks: the spray from the water makes the granite rocks feel like ice. When you return to Kinsarvik, you can stop by Økologisk Saftpresseri for a tasting of organic sweet juice (0% alcohol) and learn why "Hardanger" is as strictly protected as champagne in France.

Day 4. Utne Fruit Loop — a walk through the garden amphitheatre

The Norled ferry will take you to Utne, a village with the Hardanger Fartøyvernsenter museum. Behind the museum, the 9-kilometre Fruit Loop begins: apple-shaped signs lead from farm to farm. At Syse Gard, you can try apple cider with elderberry, and at Hardanger Saft & Siderfabrikk, you can try the traditional Spontangjæret with a wild yeast cap.

If you want to go higher, head to the old Almåstølen pastures (+420 m). From above, the gardens look like permaculture geometry, and the fjord shimmers with moonlight.

Day 5. Final chord: Oxen's shoulder or a cider picnic on the ferry

In the morning, you can take a short hike to Oksen Shoulder (300 m climb, 2 hours there and back) — a great view of "four fjords in one frame". If it's raining, why not have a cider picnic on the electric ferry from Utne to Lofthus? The boat glides quietly, and your glass will fog up from the fresh, semi-dry Åkerhaug cider.

When to go

● May–early June — flowering: the mountains are still covered in snow, the gardens are white as cotton candy.

● July — "green wall": the leaves create a tunnel and the paths are dry.

● September — harvest time and the Hardanger Cider Week festival; many farms open temporary bars right in their gardens.

Cider Trails is a symphony of scents: the salt of the fjord, sweet and sour apple pollen, the freshness of the glacier on the horizon. This route is a testament to the fact that outdoor adventures in Norway are not just about conquering peaks and experiencing adrenaline-pumping excitement. It's also about savouring the taste that slowly accumulates in your glass after the climb.

Have you already completed one of the cider trails? Send us your GPX mugs, photos of blossoming terraces, secret recipes for glintssider and notes on where gardeners allow you to spend the night in a hammock. We can't wait to hear your story! It's going to be the perfect addition to our most aromatic section of the catalogue, where we explore the stunning routes through Norway's national parks. This will give travellers another reason to say: "Norway is not just for the eyes, but also for the taste buds."