Dronningstien Traverse (1,140 m) – Queen’s Ridge Walk Above Sørfjorden

The most common setup is to start at **Røte** and hike across the mountain ridge before finishing down in **Lofthus** (you can also hike it the other way). If you’re running one car, you can solve the logistics by using **two cars**, **public bus back toward Kinsarvik (get off at Røte)**, or **parking in Lofthus and taking a shuttle bus in the morning to Røte**.

From the lower parking at Røte you can either walk the road up to the upper parking, or take a signed shortcut through the forest. The climb begins on a gravel road that zigzags up the hillside; around **750 m** it turns into a proper mountain trail. From here the route follows Dronningstien southward, roughly parallel with Sørfjorden, with viewpoints almost the entire way. Along the ridge you’ll pass several dramatic outlooks, and you have the option to tag the cairn on **Duk (1,105 m)** and take a short detour to **Nosi (905 m)** just before the main descent to Lofthus. Near the descent at **Rjukande**, the trail turns sharply northwest and leads you onto **Munketrappene**—stone steps built by local monks in the 1200s. The final part drops to Lofthus on trail and then tractor road; if you want to save time, you can use forest paths on the way down. Trekking poles are a big help for the descent.

Quick facts

• Start: Røte (lower parking) → finish in Lofthus (point-to-point)
• Distance: ~16 km (one-way traverse)
• Highest point: ~1,140 m
• Elevation gain: ~1,200 m
• Time: ~6 hours (typical pace with breaks)
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Season: Summer and autumn
• Access: ~2h 25m drive from Bergen (~157 km)
• Parking: Paid (Vipps)
• Gear tip: High hiking boots recommended; poles help on the descent.