Visbretind

Scandinavian Mountains over 2000 metres - James Baxter

AreasVisbretind MassifKyrkja › Alternative Routes

There is only one starting place for an ascent up Kyrkja and that is Leirvassbu lodge, and there is only one feasible route up this lop-sided cone and that is the south ridge from the saddle with Kyrkjeoksle. This is described in the main section.

Kyrkja full size mapHowever, there is a an alternative route up to this saddle from Kyrkjetjørni lake to the east. This route could be used if you are going from Spiterstulen lodge to Leirvassbu lodge and want to stretch the day to include the ascent of Kyrkja en route.

Leave Spiterstulen lodge and follow the marked path Vi.1 for a little under 4 hours as you ascend the entire Visdalen valley up to its watershed in Kyrkjeglupen. This easy walk on a good path takes you up the east side of the Visa river until it is just a brook.

At the stony watershed between Kyrkja and Tverrbytthornet you reach the north shore of Kyrkjetjørni lake. Leave the path here and head south across the tundra to the west shore of this lake where a smooth ridge of moraine descends down the north east side of Kyrkja.

Kyrkja seen from the lower slopes of Heillstuguhøi to the north eastAfter 200 metres there is a wide but very shallow stream to tip-toe across. Once past the stream continue round the increasingly stony west side of the lake for a km until you are directly the east of the summit.

Now leave the shoreline and start to traverse up towards the obvious saddle to the west. This slope is composed of boulders with a large slabby patch of bare rock in the middle of it. Go below this slabby patch and then clamber straight up the steepish boulders.

In the first half of summer there is a large snowfield covering these boulders. This snowfield could get quite steep as you approach the saddle, making it difficult to reach it. However, you should be able to see the lie of the land at the point you leave the marked path Vi.1 in Kyrkjeglupen.

Once at the saddle at 1755 metres follow the preferred route as described in the main section. It should take an hour to reach the saddle from Kyrkjeglupen.

Return via the preferred route down the west side of the saddle to Leirvassbu lodge.