Two lakes
Green and blue.
Espen Faugstad from Norway — CC BY 2.0 · Silverkey (Mickaël Delcey) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Silverkey (Mickaël Delcey) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Silverkey (Mickaël Delcey) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · FrDr — CC BY-SA 4.0
Besseggen is a mountain ridge in Jotunheimen National Park in Innlandet county, southern Norway, rising to 1,634 metres between the lakes Gjende and Bessvatnet. It lies about 5 km in a straight line from the Gjendesheim lodge, where the trail begins. The walk over Besseggen is one of Norway's most popular mountain hikes, made by about 30,000 people a year. The route starts at Gjendesheim, climbs to the high point of Veslfjellet at 1,743 metres, then descends the ridge to Memurubu, where a scheduled ferry returns to Gjendesheim. Many walk it the other way, taking the ferry first, and the hike takes about 5 to 7 hours. From the narrow ridge comes a unique view: the green lake Gjende lies almost 400 metres below the blue Bessvatnet. Gjende's green colour comes from glacial sediment, and bare rocky mountains, some patched with snow, surround both lakes. The hike is long and steep in places, so it needs good fitness and hiking boots. The best season is July to September; check the weather before setting out.
Green and blue.
Narrow above the water.
On Lake Gjende.
Jotunheimen National Park, Vågå Municipality, Innlandet, Norway
5 to 7 hours.
July to September.