Hike to Fantapytten from Høllesliheia – Lysefjord’s Infinity Pool. A return hike along several Mountain Cliffs and Gorges with Out of thie World Panoramic View-points.

Region: Lysefjord, Stavanger – Norway

Places To Stay: Stavanger is the closest city to Lysefjord, and is more than likely where you will fly into. You can stay in or near Stavanger, although you may want to base yourself in the rural areas on both sides of the fjord. Looking for more Norway trails? Head to my ‘Norway Hiking Guides‘ page to see all regions and routes.

Below are a few ideas for day tours, guides and transfers around the Lysefjord, with GetYourGuide offering great discounts and easy booking + a huge amount of options in the Stavanger area, see more here.

For a wider choice of accommodation in Stavanger, Booking.com has a huge variety to browse through.

Hiking to Fantapytten, Lysefjord’s ‘Infinity Pool’, is a tough task, and should not be tried if you have any mobility issues, or you’re not used to hiking. However, if you can do it, it will take your breath away. It’s a brand-new trail, and you’ll spend approximately 75% of your time hiking close to the fjord.

You are several hundred meters above sea level, the trail winds along several mountain cliffs and gorges, including Skjerajuvet and Fantahålå and you will walk through stunning landscapes and past countless panoramic viewpoints, finishing up at the infinity pool.

Staying in Borestranda, Kleppe we drove to the start of this hike, it took us just over an hour to get to The Boulder Skylodge Car Park, you are allowed to park in the bottom car park, the top car park is for people staying at the ‘The Bolder Skylodge‘, which would be an amazing experience.

This is a demanding hike. From the start, the terrain is mountainous, with many small ascents and descents, while the trail winds along and past several cliffs, small gorges and rock formations. Before gorge Skjerajuvet, you will climb a short, but steep hill with a telephone mast at the top, before you meet some new slopes towards Mount Hatten.

Past Hatten, the trail runs downhill following an old cairned route. Here, the terrain is a lot easier, so you can enjoy the views on the Lysefjord, right in front of you, in all its glory. Just before you reach a mountain shelf near Fantahålå, the trail dives down through a fairy-tale like forest slope called Lausefjell to “Fantapytten” – a shallow puddle with a world-class view on the Lysefjord.

Getting There: Directions, GPX and Map

• Start/Finish: The start point is at the lower car park of The Boulder Skylodge.
• Transport: A car is perfect for this hike, for public transport please check first.
• This is a difficult hike, very demanding, so make sure you have plenty of water and food, and you come prepared for all weathers. You could even take your swim stuff and have a swim in one of the pools as we did.
• Download the GPX file here.
• Follow this route on my Outdooractive profile.

Travel Data: I use eSIMs to stay connected — quick setup and no roaming faff. Sim Local has been solid in Italy/Europe with good prices and coverage.

Hike Profile

• Distance: ~5m / 8km
• Duration: 5-6 hours (lots of sightseeing)
• Highest Point: 1302ft / 400m
• Difficulty: Difficult and very demanding (steep short ascent and descents), lots of steps, large rocks to step up on and over, and ladders. Take plenty of water and food.
• Route conditions: Well-worn pathways most of the way around, good walking shoes are essential.

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From Heathrow, we flew to Oslo then Stavanger, and hired cars, Skyscanner found the cheapest flights, try the flight widget above.

Hike Description

The hike for us started at The Boulder Skylodge, took us just over an hour to drive there from Kleppe and we arrived at around 9am. There are no facilities, cafe’s, or water stops on this hike, and I cannot say this strong enough, please take your time and follow the red marks on the rocks. There are occasions where you could easily go off course, and if you can download this route as a gpx file or follow the route on the app, then do, you don’t want to lose track of the red marks, which is your path there and back.

From the car park, head up towards the upper car park and on your left, you will see a sign pointing you in the direction to Fantapytten. It’s a great start as you will see a small shallow lake on your left, and then once you have made your way through the trees to the first level, you will get a magnificent view down the fjord looking at the bridge and the port.

From that beautiful spot looking at the bridge, this is where the real trail begins, and you get your first taste of the descends and ascends as you make your way along the Lysefjord. They are both steep, and you need to concentrate because of roots sticking out, rocks to step over and around and make your way over walkways and up ladders.

There is a lot of work to do yet before we get to Fantapytten, but there is an excellent opportunity to rest at gorge Skjerajuvet, which is very deep and you have a diving board rock where you can get some awesome pics looking over the Lysefjord.

Just before you have a steep short climb which eventually takes you in-between large granite rocks, and on top is a large mast that can be walked too, but there is only one way, and you would need to leave your current path, then walk back to rejoin.

From here, there is again a steep climb, but once at the top it becomes a lot easier and more open, and you are once again treated to panoramic views of the Lysefjord. This path has some ladders and quite difficult rock climbs, and we passed a large pond on our left, which we decided to have a swim in on the way back.

You are now on Hatten, a peak and a plateau, which is a nice relief after the tough terrain you have left behind. After a short while you will start to head back down again, but it’s a nice easy stroll that dives down through a fairy-tale like forest slope called Lausefjell.

Once down through this wood, it’s only a short walk to Fantapytten, the infinity pool looking over the Lysefjord. It’s a beautiful position for the natural pool, but one thing we found out, is that it’s not the best quality to have a swim in. It’s very dirty and muddy, but we had a go anyway, as it was nice to cool off after the walk.

This was a tough first leg, obviously you have the return journey, and I just want to point out again that it is demanding, so make sure you have plenty of water and food, and all the appropriate clothing and footwear, you will need it.

As you seen from the pics it was a beautiful day, but not long after we got to back to the car a really bad storm came in with thunder and lightning, and very heavy rain and strong winds. I’m glad we didn’t get caught in it, but we did go prepared for it as we checked the weather before we left.

That’s me resting before the final drop down to the car park, we absolutely loved it!

Places to Stay in and near Stavanger

For a wider choice of accommodation in Stavanger, Booking.com has a huge variety to browse through.

Recommended Stays

Home Again Apartments Nygata 1

Home Again Apartments Nygata 1 in Stavanger is housed in a historic building, offering a unique and charming environment. Located 12 km from Stavanger Airport, the property is a short walk from Stavanger Maritime Museum and City Hall. Nearby attractions include Godalen Beach and Stavanger Art Museum.

Check Availability

Thon Hotel Stavanger

This modern hotel is centrally located in Stavanger, just 5 minutes’ walk from Stavanger Station. WiFi and access to a well-equipped fitness room are free for guests.

Check Availability

AllTrails: Trail Guides & Maps for Hiking, Camping, and Running | AllTrails ‘Plus’ 30% OFF – Read my ‘Full Review‘ for more details.

Practicalities

• Parking: This route starts from a small roadside parking area near Høllesliheia, located on the mountain road between Jørpeland and Lysebotn. Parking is limited compared to the large facilities at Preikestolen BaseCamp, but the upside is far fewer hikers.
• Distance & Time: The circular hike to Fantapytten and the nearby infinity pool viewpoint is roughly 7–8km return, depending on the exact path taken. Most walkers take 5-6 hours including stops for photos and enjoying the views.
• Terrain: The trail crosses open mountain terrain with rocky paths, sections of exposed granite and some boggy ground depending on recent weather. There are a few gentle climbs but nothing particularly technical. Navigation is straightforward in good conditions but the path can feel faint in places.
• Difficulty: Moderate. The route is shorter and less steep than the hike to Preikestolen, but it still involves uneven terrain and requires basic hill fitness.
• Season: Late spring through early autumn (typically May–October) is the best time to hike here. Snow and ice can remain on the plateau during winter and early spring.
• What to Wear:
• Hiking boots or good trail shoes with grip
• Waterproof jacket — fjord weather can change quickly
• Layers for wind exposure on the plateau
• Sun protection in summer
• Water & Food: There are no facilities along the route, so bring water and snacks with you. It’s a great hike for a picnic overlooking the fjord.
• Safety: The viewpoints sit high above the fjord and there are no barriers or railings. Take care near the edge, especially if the rock is wet. The infinity pool feature may look inviting, but the water is extremely cold and the rocks can be slippery.
• Toilets: There are no toilets at the Høllesliheia parking area.
• Mobile Signal: Generally reasonable across the plateau but can vary depending on your network.

Fantapytten FAQs

Walk this route yourself in 3D!

The video is a 3D walkthrough of this route; it’ll give you a great idea of what to expect before you set foot on the mountain.

I’ve created 3D videos of my walks and shared them with the Outdooractive and Welsh Man Walking communities.

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