Vardenes walk

Description

Commence your walk from the car park at Mississippi park. The route passes underneath the E39 main road and meanders upwards towards Tastarustå.

Rustå is an area undergoing great change and transformation from agricultural land to modern town. Residential areas and commercial buildings now occupy what was once meadows and grazing areas. Parts of the cultural landscape are to be preserved for future generations and countless post-holes have been found here as evidence of earlier settlement. The buildings are estimated to be from the iron age, some 200-300 years B.C. The oldest evidence of cultivation dates back 2200 years B.C. In other words, you are walking on historic ground. Remember to turn around now and again so you can enjoy the impressive view over Stokkavatnet.

At Tasta sports ground you can test out the exercise apparatus. Several other exciting playgrounds can be found en route. With a skip in your step, continue down towards the sea and Skogstøstraen. Enjoy the floral variety of the many gardens as you pass through quiet streets named after various local islands.

Continuing, allow yourself a diversion to the beacon at Vardenes and enjoy your pack lunch on the rocks with a great view of Ryfylke. A cairn previously stood here on the headland as a landmark for seafarers, hence the name (varde = cairn in English). You can also find evidence of defensive artillery installations from the Second World War, as well as petroglyphs from the Bronze Age if you look closely (not easy to spot!)

After a refreshing sea dip at Dusavik, you can burn off even more calories ascending the steep slopes behind Vardeneset church and up Vardenes (79 above sea level). Your efforts are rewarded with a panorama view and a good impression of how the near-city arable area has developed. At the top you will also find an old pond that supplied both people and animals at the farm. The pond was recently excavated to improve the environment for the rare smooth newts found here.

Get your breath back on the descent down to Tasta school and complete the loop at Mississippi park where you began.

Accessibility

The walk is passable with a stroller, with the exception of steps and the pathway near Tastasjøen. Instead, follow Skogstøstraen here until you arrive at Skogstøveien. Follow this across to Svaberget until you re-join the marked pathway once more.

Let us know if you discover a problem along the way!

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