Signalen (18.12.2016)

© Helwig Hauser

Note that this track has been created from memory, i.e., it was not recorded automatically.

Trip Summary

We drove west from Bergen to Sotra and then further to Fjell, where we took the road 559 into the direction of Møvik. At the upper (eastern) end of Møvik, we parked near a supermarket on the northern side of the road (where a small road called Signalvegen leaves towards the right (north).

Getting started

From there, all this short hike is pretty straight-forward: First, we followed Signalvegen upwards until we came to Signalvatnet (not quite as full as it seemingly seems to be at other times!). We followed the gravel road further until we came to the dam at the western end of Signalvatnet.

From the gravel road to the trail

There we crossed over, using some wooden stairs that invite to step up to the hillside conveniently. Then, it's just a few steps until one reaches the upper parts of the western end of the Signal-hill. At the "top", there even is a nice cairn. We then walked over (in eastern direction) to the actual top of Signalen. It's all easy to walk, actually, but one needs to take care at the northern edge of Signalen: there, a major drop of this hill can cause uncomfortable falls, in case of a lack of caution.

Returning by completing a round

Since the weather was everything else than inviting, we returned, after having taken a look at the northern side, and walked back a simple path that finds Signalvatnet from the other, eastern side, then. The round is then completed on the southern side of Signalvatnet, where one gets back to the gravel road, passing by the water in western direction. Once back on the gravel road, it's only a few minutes back to the main road.

Summary

Unfortunately, the clouds where so low and so thick that we did not have a chance to experience the likely nice views from Signalen. Does this mean that we will come back another day?

Useful Resources

See also the related FB-page Hiking around Bergen, Norway.
Petter Bjørstad has a useful page about Signalen (with some images that show, how the view can be from that hill).
Web page UT.no from the Norwegian Trekking Association recommends pretty much the same hike.