Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall

Steinsdalsfossen is the easiest waterfall to reach from Bergen and one of the most fun in Norway, because a path takes you right behind the falling water. The falls drop about 50 metres in a single graceful curtain beside the road just outside Norheimsund, on the Hardangerfjord, and there is a walkway behind the water, so you can watch the world through a veil of spray while staying dry. The riverside path to the lower viewpoints at the front of the falls is wide and well kept, and the stairs behind the curtain add a little adventure. There is no charge to visit, parking is free directly across the road and the walk from the car park takes a minute or two. Because it sits beside the main road, it appears on many guided Hardanger tours as a stop, but it also works very well as an independent half-day trip, which makes it a budget-friendly way to experience Norwegian nature.

Getting there is straightforward. By car it takes about an hour and a quarter from Bergen, via the E16 to Trengereid and then Route 7 over the Kvamskogen plateau to Norheimsund, with the waterfall right beside the road. By bus, Skyss routes 925 and 930 run from Bergen bus station to a stop named Steinsdalsfossen in about an hour and twenty-five minutes, roughly every hour or hour and a half, and Bergen Card holders ride free.

Check the current timetable on the day, since services vary and you need to plan the return. Several guided tours from Bergen also include a stop here.

The waterfall can be visited all year, but conditions change. In winter ice can form on the rock face and the path can be slippery, and the section behind the falls may be icy, with parts of the path closed depending on the weather. Public toilets by the car park are open from May to the end of October and closed in winter, so plan accordingly.

The path behind the falls includes stairs, so it is not wheelchair accessible, although the wide riverside path to the front viewpoints is easier. Wear shoes with grip and a waterproof jacket, because the spray is heavier than you expect and everything near the water is wet.

Make a short outing of it. Norheimsund, a few minutes down the road, is a small fjord village with cafés, and the Hardangerfjord scenery makes the drive itself part of the trip. Steinsdalsfossen combines naturally with Vøringsfossen, Skjervsfossen and the Hardanger orchards on a longer tour, and it is a good consolation prize if the weather has ruled out the mountains.

The waterfall has a good chance of looking its best after rain, which in Bergen is not a problem. Allow about an hour at the site and three to four hours for the round trip.

It is also one of the few attractions in this part of Norway that works for almost any age and ability, apart from the stairs, and it needs no tickets, no booking and no special equipment. For families with energetic children, a picnic by the river below the falls turns the stop into an outing, and in the warmer months the surrounding hillsides are green and loud with water. If you want a longer walk, the Hardanger area has many marked trails that start close to the village.