Fossen Bratte in May 2015

As I was looking at some pictures of waterfalls in Norway, I realized how many waterfalls in the country are easy to visit. Since the terrain is so varied, roads are often built where they can be built! That might sound like a weird statement, but there’s limited space for a road. So often, waterfalls are right next door to the road in Norway.

Fossen Bratte is just one of these easy-to-visit waterfalls in Norway. This one isn’t terribly far outside of Bergen, about an hour or so by car. And to view it, you just have to pull off to the side of the road. There’s a designated parking strip, and if you want you can get closer to the falls, though you can also view them from the car.

At 263′, it’s actually one of the “shorter” waterfalls I saw in Norway. And yet it’s obviously a rather wide waterfall and it widens even further as it drops. As I mentioned, you can get closer to the falls, as there is a trail that leads toward the base. It’s definitely worth a stop, and you’ll be able to find many more falls along your journey.

Directions:

1. From Bergen, take the E16 “east”.
2. At the intersection of E16 and Fv7 (Hardangervegen), veer right onto Fv7.
3. Drive about 22 km to the falls, which will be on your right. If you miss them, you’ll enter into a tunnel and will have to figure out a way back.

A note about directions: Fv7 is a narrow road. I took it because I wanted to see waterfalls, but it ended up everyone was directed down this road because of a rockslide on the E16. It created massive backups on a narrow road (due to already existing construction). Obviously these issues are fixed, but the moral of the story is to check the road conditions before you head out.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 263′
Length of Hike: Roadside, short hike to get closer to falls

Where in the World is Fossen Bratte?