The Alesund Sukkertoppen, Sugar Loaf Top Hike in Norway

The Sukkertoppen Hike, or also known as the Sugar Top or Sugar Loaf Top Hike is near the town of Alesund in Norway. This short hike will bring you to the best view in the city. At the end of this hike you will get a complete 360 degree view. As you look around you will see the majestic fjords that Norway is known for, where the ocean meets the coast, and and a beautiful view of the city of Alesund. You can get to this hike a few different ways, read more here to learn how to get there, distance, time, and pictures of the hike.

When we went to Norway the Romsdalseggen Ridge hike was on the top of our list for must sees. It is a hike that can get dangerous in high wind or rain, and the sights are not as great during a cloudy day. We choose to make sure we placed ourselves in this general area to be able to pick the best day for that particular hike. So with our off day we decided to take a drive to Alesund to visit the city, hike the Sugar Loaf Top, and climb the stairs to Fjellstua (pictured below). We got lucky with two great days for weather.

Be sure to check out my post on my Two Weeks in Norway Itinerary .

Many people complete this hike from staying in the town of Alesund, coming off a cruise ship or as part of a day trip to visit the city. We based our selves for our day in Alesund and hiking the Romsdalseggen Ridge in the town of Vestnes. We stayed at this AirBnB (use this link for a $40 of discount). Having a rental car made it easy to reach Alesund, as it was only about an hour drive from Vestnes. Our AirBnB view below.

Booking.com

Stats

Distance: 4.1 kilometers (2.5 miles)

Elevation Gain: 450 meters (1476 feet)

Time: at least 1 hour one way, can be done in less if you are fit or don’t spend much time at the top.

Difficulty: moderate

How to Get There

To get to this hike you have a few different options, by car, bike, walk, or public transportation.

Car

If you have your own car to drive you can find this hike quit easily. At the time of our arrival we didn’t realize that there was an official parking lot. We decided to use street parking, we found a section of the road without many houses and choose to park there so we were out of the way of someone’s home.

But there is a parking lot down the road, called Ytre Hessen 5-7 Parking, you can use the link to find the lot on Google Maps. It is advised to use that lot only if it is after schools hours for the Hessa School nearby.

From the parking lot you will turn left on Ytre Hessen for a short walk before turning right on Sukkertoppvegen Road. Look for a sign for the Sukkertoppen Hike on your right. It will be settles in between two homes with a gated entrance and gravel path to the start of the hike. The walk to the parking lot to the trail-head is only 280 meters (919 feet), a short 5 minute walk.

roundabout in Hessaskaret. Alternativ for parking is an open space at Osane, at the right side of the mountain before the hill up to Hessaskaret.

Public Transportation

If you don’t have a car or the time to walk to the trail head then public transportation is always a great choice.

You can hail a cab from downtown, many locals know of this hike so most cab drivers will known exactly where to drop you off.

Taking the public buses will work as well! Alesund uses FRAM as its public bus transit, you can check this website to look at the time tables and routes. You will want get the bus to the Hessa Skole stop (route 604). The bus route from the city center should only take about 11 minutes and cost around 37 NOK (5 USD).

Bike

Many people rent bikes in town and explore the area on bike, this is a great way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time. From the Alesund city center this should take about 20 to 30 minutes on bike. There are lots of spots to park your bike if using the Ytre Hessen 5-7 Parking, you can use the link to find the lot on Google Maps, they have a bike rack in their parking lot. It is advised to use that lot only if it is after schools hours for the Hessa School nearby. The ride from the city center to the trail head is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).

Here are some bikes rental options in Alesund:

E-Bike & Hike

Visit Alesund

Walk

If you have a lot of time on your hands I have heard of people walking to get to this hike. Many people walk from the cruise ship port to the trail-head. This walk will take on average about an hour. The walk from the city center to the trail head is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).

When To Go

If equipped with proper shoes and gear this hike can be completed mostly at any times of the year. The best times to year to go would be the summer months, June, July, and August. I have heard during spring and fall months this trail can get quiet muddy! Even after a good rain in the summer this trail can get messy and slippery. Make sure you always come with the right foot gear.

Obviously the views are the best part of this hike, try to go on a clear day so you can see it all. We had great weather when we went in early July.

The top is very windy on certain days, always come with layers to keep your self warm.

The Hike

After finding a place to park, getting off the bus, or parking your bike head to the trail head. You can find it right here on Google Maps. Go through the gates and get started.

The first section of this hike will take you through a wooded area for a little bit. You will be passing by some backyards of homes, please be respectful! 🙂

Once out of the wooded area the trail becomes more rocky.

This hike gains elevation at a pretty slow rate, take you time and enjoy the views all around you.

Many locals hike this everyday, so we saw a few people in the early morning on this trail. Even some people hiking with their dogs.

Take a break at the top for some pictures, a snack and soak in the 360 degree view. When you are ready head back down the way you came.

Many tourists go to the Fjellstua viewpoint area (or also known as the Aksla Viewpoint) for a birds eye view of the city of Alesund. This hike will give you a different type of view. I did both and loved the Sukkertoppen Hike more, as it was a more peaceful walk, not as crowded and a better view of where the ocean meets the coast. But if you have time I suggest doing both!

From the Sugar Loaf Top Hike some people also choose to extent this hike down to the Atlanterhavsparken Ålesund (The Norwegian Aquarium), this will add on about another 30 minutes.

What To Bring

For more on what I packed for Norway in the Summer check out my post here.

Hiking Shoes: I brought my Ahnu Hiking Shoes on this trip to Norway for longer hikes. These were good for this hike as the rocks can be slippery. I love this particular hiking shoe because I don’t think it looks awful with jeans or a walk around town. A basic gym shoe should be fine as well.

Rain Coat: A light rain coat, even if no rain is it the forecast the peak can get windy. I love this one for just strolls around the city, it is light weight and pack-able (women’s packable jacket and men’s packable jacket). But, for a hiking trip I like one that is a little more protective in wind and rain storms, and much warmer for those early mornings or chilly days (women’s thicker raincoat and men’s thicker raincoat).

Water: You don’t need a ton of a short hike like this but water is a must. For short hikes and city strolling I love these two for travel and the are collapsible (here and here).

Snack: Never traveling without one in my backpack or purse 🙂

For more on what I packed for Norway in the Summer check out my post here.