Dronningstien, also known as the Queen’s Trail, is a famous panoramic hike in Hardanger with spectacular views over Sørfjorden and the Hardangerfjord. The trail runs from Røte in Kinsarvik to Lofthus, crossing exposed mountain terrain with wide fjord views. Map to use: Hardangervidda Nordvest 1:50000.
It´s starting point is at Røte in Kinsarvik and ends at Lofthus, making it a total of 16 kilometers long. The 6-10 hour long hike is heavy and steep, so it is recommended for more experienced hikers.
INFORMATION ABOUT ROADS IN THE LOFTHUS AREA – Many of the roads in Western Norway can be prone to landslides and avalanches, especially in rainy and snowy weather. The roads in the Lofthus area and along Sørfjorden are some of these exposed roads.
Dronningstien – HM Queen Sonja`s Panoramic Hiking Trail
Direction: Drive 2.5 kilometer of steep and narrow road from Kinsarvik to Røte where you can park the car.
From Røte you follow the forest road to Heng (890 meters above sea level). This is where the marked Queen`s Trail begins.
At Heng you can see down to the Hardangerfjord, and the view is breathtaking. The four branches of the Hardangerfjord meets here; Sørfjorden, Utnefjorden, Eidfjorden and Kinsarvikbukti.
Heng is a great place for a break and to take in the view to the fjords, the surrounding mountains and the Folgefonna Glacier on the other side of Sørfjorden. The photos in this article were taken at Heng.
The descent down to Lofthus
The trail goes south towards Lofthus, and the highest point is 1100 masl. Part of the descent towards Lofthus is on the famous Munketreppene (Monk`s Steps), 616 steps of large stones that was built by British monks in the 13th century.
The monks also teached the locals how to cultivate fruit trees. You can see the result of this today, with hundreds of thousands of fruit trees spread around in Lofthus and Hardanger. Lofthus is also referred to as the Orchard of Hardanger.
You can do the hike from July to Mid September, all depending on the amount of snow in the mountains. Normally the terrain in the high mountains along the Dronningstien is covered with snow well into the summer.
The hike ends down by the fjord at Lofthus. A great way to end a great hike is a relaxing sauna with panorama views of the Hardangerfjord followed by a refreshing dip in the outdoors pool at Hotel Ullensvang. Hotel Ullensvang is a great place to stay if you are exploring the area around Sørfjorden.
It is an approximately 15 minutes drive from the Hotel Ullensvang to Røte in Kinsarvik, the starting point of HM Queen Sonja´s hike. In connection with Dronningstien and the many other mountain hikes you can do in the area, you can book transport along this road at Shuttlebus Hardanger.
Sørfjorden in Hardanger
The 38 kilometer long Sørfjorden is one of the many side fjords of the Hardangerfjord.
Along Sørfjorden are small picturesque villages like pearls on a string, surrounded by fjords, mountains, waterfalls and rivers and not least all the fruit trees that are widely known for their beautiful blossoming in spring.
In the villages around Sørfjorden, there are cafés and restaurants and sales of produce from local orchards.
Here you can read more about Sørfjorden which has attracted travellers since the dawn of time, ever since English tourists discovered Norway in the mid-19th century.
But Sørfjorden and Hardanger have attracted travellers long before the tourists rediscovered our country in the 19th century. As early as the 13th century, British monks taught local people how to grow apple trees. You can see the result of this today, with with many hundreds of thousands of apple trees scattered around Sørfjorden and throughout Hardanger.
The Hardangerfjord Area – What to See and Do
The Hardangerfjord area, Norway’s orchard, is known for its spectacular fruit tree blossoms in spring. Lake Bondhusvatnet and the Bondhusbreen glacier in Kvinnherad by the Hardangerfjord were among the first places visited by English tourists when they discovered Norway in the mid-19th century. See Vøringsfossen in Måbødalen, Låtefossen in Oddadalen and all the other beautiful waterfalls in the area around the Hardangerfjord. The Hardangerfjord is Norway’s second longest fjord and is located in Vestland county, near Bergen, in the middle of Western Norway.
Visit Hardangerfjord – Visit Sunnhordland
Visit Hardangerfjord and Visit Sunnhordland are the official destination companies for the Hardangerfjord area.
Hotels and Accommodation at Lofthus and Kinsarvik
Hotel Ullensvang at Lofthus
Ullensvang Gjesteheim at Lofthus
Lofthus Camping at Lofthus
Kinsarvik Fjord Hotel in Kinsarvik
Kinsarvik Camping in Kinsarvik
Mikkelparken Ferietun in Kinsarvik