Day 1 of the 6-day circuit hike in Jotunheimen National Park began in the Gjendesheim “turisthytte”, where we had arrived the prior day to get an early start on day 1. “Hytte” means cabin in Norwegian and these are the lodgings anyone doing the park will be staying at – unless you camp. I will use “lodge” going forward though not every place we stayed felt “lodgy”. Most, but not all, lodges are run by “DNT” (Den Norske Turistforening), an association that maintains runs trails and cabins in Norway (thank you!).
In any case here is how day 1 of my circuit hike in Jotunheimen went!
Our approach to Jotunheimen National Park
As I mentioned in my Jotunheimen NP hike overview post, Gjendesheim became the logical starting point for our hike. It was right off route 51 and offered easy access to hiking trails and long-term parking.
I might add that it is a good starting point for those only wanting to do a 1- or 2-day hike as it has a ferry to two other lodges on the Lake Gjende from which one can hike back to Gjendesheim (or, the reverse, hike to the one or both of the lodges and then just return by ferry). So a good option for those not wanting to do the circuit but still see amazing landscapes.
We approached Gjendesheim from the north having started our drive at Bergen. Of course, we could have come from the south but we were going to do that region after the Jotunheimen hike so we wanted to explore other territory. For example, this allowed us to visit Lom, cruise the Geirangerfjord and stay at Geiranger with its beautiful setting hillside facing the fjord.
Starting the Jotunheimen NP hike at Gjendesheim
We arrived in Gjendesheim the night before. Our car was left at the long-term parking with anything we didn’t need for the next 7 days. The lodge, right by the ferry dock, consists of a couple of main buildings and a couple smaller ones.
We stayed in the second largest building, basically a dormitory, where we shared a room with a bunk bed and nothing else. Toilets and showers were shared by everyone. The main building is where the dining room, common living space, and reception were located. It also may have had rooms but I did not explore. That building had toilets and showers in the basement so I assume it did have rooms upstairs.
The common living space was small but offered great views of Lake Gjende as the sun set.
Dinner started with a delicious pumpkin soup and the main was a lamb stew that was also pretty good (in retrospection, there were no bad meals on the circuit and a couple of spectacular ones later in the circuit). Dessert was rhubarb-something, not sure how to describe it! It is worth noting that while there is no menu to order from – you eat what is served – lodges are very accommodating to vegan/vegetarian diets.
Hiking from Gjendesheim to Glittenheim – 1st half
Alright, so on to the actual hike for the day! Starting a circuit hike pretty cold with a 22.5 km/14 mi route was a bit intimidating. Legs would not be yet fully awake, technique for harder terrain not fresh, etc. We started at 8:30AM taking the trailhead right across from the cabin. The trail started with a 600 ft elevation gain in the first mile so definitely not the easiest of starts. It was not a bad start though. It was good to be finally on the circuit! That first mile took us 46 mins.
The second mile was kinder only gaining about 400 ft. And the third less about 275 ft. So it was an aggressive start that quickly mellowed. By mile 5, our average was 33 mins/mi so we clearly gained speed as the elevation gain eased. That was good as not only I was coming in “cold” (being the first day of the hike) but also first day with the 18-lb backpack on me.
In this segment we passed the end of Lake Bessvatnet and then hit Lake Russvatnet which we would alongside for about 1.5 miles (from mile 4.8 to 6.4) before heading up to reach high mountain terrain after mile 7.5.
Hiking from Gjendesheim to Glittenheim – 2nd half
So the second half of the hike began! From mile 7.5 to mile 11 was my favorite stretch of this day. I just really like wide open, high mountain terrain, allowing the eye to see far. Of course, it helped that uphills were few and smaller. We saw a handful of hikers but that was about it; that was more than we saw in the first half!
The final 3 miles were a mix of flat and downhill. The approach to Glittenheim, for someone who had already walked 12 miles or so, felt brutal: the cabin is right across from you but you can’t cross the water/river there -> you have to walk alongside it for a bit before the bridge to cross it. It felt eternal (it wasn’t) due to being tired and ready to get the boots and backpack off!
How difficult was the terrain from Gjendesheim to Glitterheim?
It is worth mentioning that there were definitely challenging parts to this trail. Plenty of water and mud due to recent rains requiring water crossings, stepping over stones to avoid walking in the water.
This required minding not only finding the next stone to step on but also ensuring not slipping or that the stone would move once you stepped on it. Muddy spots were handled similarly but I hated those more. There were plenty of these and rock fields to maneuver over (not around!). It took focus and, at the end of the day, my neck and shoulders were very stiff and needing a massage.
The trail also included 3 bridges got larger water crossings, including the one at the end.
And the temperature?
My hike was in late August/early September. Skies that day were a little overcast. Temperature-wise, though I started with a jacket, eventually I took it off and my wool baselayer shirt was sufficient. I did wear glove liners; it wasn’t cold enough for real gloves but the liners provided just the right amount of protection against the cold and the wind, while allowing to use fingers more normally. Other than that, nothing of note to report.
The Glitterheim lodge
I couldn’t have been more elated to arrive at Glittenheim. Though not the best of the lodges, it was heaven after a day 1 of 14 miles! There were two large buildings, much as at Gjendesheim.
This time we stayed in the main building on the second story. Our room again was a bunk bed room with no toilet or shower. The hallway did have a bathroom sink which helped with brushing teeth and filling water bottles. The showers and the toilets, though, were in the basement. In the middle of the night, going down two floors, with very sore knees after a 14-mile hike, using a spiral staircase while half asleep, was not my idea of fun. On top of that, lights would not turn on downstairs as, I guess, generators were turned off. I was thankful I had taken my phone for no good reason – the flashlight feature came in handy!
The common living area was nice with a massive fireplace and great views. The dining room, as usual, was communal tables which is nice to meet some other folks, hear where they are from, hear their hiking plans, etc. That night we sat with a young couple from Israel (whom we would see just about at every lodge during the circuit) and another young couple from the Ukraine (living in Poland).
Dinner was buffet-style. The first dish was spinach soup and the entrée a beef stew with potatoes as the side. (If you have not gotten this from describing the food at both lodges… there is no menu. You eat of what is being served!) The dessert was very interesting. It was some form of rhubarb jelly over which one poured something akin to milk. I was hesitant at first but found it delicious!
After dinner we enjoyed beers at the common living space before going upstairs to ready things for the next day and get some good, well-earned rest!
On to Day 2 – Glittenheim to Spiterstulen via Glittentind!
Or, go to read the overview of the circuit at Jotunheimen NP.
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