On top of the world with Ulriken 643

The idea behind taking Charlie on a travel adventure around Europe was to show him exciting things, but to do so in a way that he would enjoy. Thus lies the challenge I suppose. Autism can be a tricky customer and travelling with Autism is not always plain sailing. The attractions and sites that generally entice a neurotypical child may/need not apply. Plus, every child with autism has different motivations, different attention spans. There is certainly no “one size fits all.” But I was confident that we would find a way, because, let’s face it, that is what we’ve always done.

Now anyone who has had the good fortune to meet Charlie and/or get to know him, will be well aware of his love and fascination for lifts – elevators to my American readers. I have spent many, and I mean many hours going up and down, up and down to throes of “again, again.” So imagine my excitement when I received press passes from the lovely people at Ulriken 643 in Norway.

Mount Ulriken is the highest mountain in Bergen, Norway and it has an altitude of 643 metres above sea level. Hence the name of the cable car company that can take you straight to the top in just 7 minutes. I was pretty certain that this was going to right up Charlie’s street – I wasn’t wrong.

Once we had passed through the ticket booth the staff very kindly stored Charlie’s mobility pushchair for us and we boarded the cable car along with several other passengers. The ride to the summit is smooth and without stops or starts. It also provides you with breathtaking views of the charming city of Bergen as you climb. 7 minutes passed all too quickly for Charlie though who immediately wanted to get back in and return to the bottom. I guess he’s very much an “it’s all about the ride and not the destination kind of guy.” But let’s talk about the destination regardless.

The panoramic views from the top of Mount Ulriken are seriously something else. You can literally see everything, from the city streets to fjords, islands and mountains. I was amazed by the fact that some of the terrain at the top actually looked like it could be another planet. Had we ascended all the way to Mars?

If the striking views alone aren’t enough, sitting atop Mount Ulriken is also a restaurant – Skyscraperen, an activity centre, hiking opportunities and a zipline. Huge shoutout to the people who hiked all the way up, exercised at the top and then hiked back down. I almost felt guilty as we hopped back aboard our speedy sky vehicle – almost!

So would I recommend a ride on Ulriken 643 whilst you’re visiting Bergen? I absolutely would. It really is the best way to take in the entire city and its surroundings. I had no idea the views were going to be so incredible and it’s a memory I will treasure, always. I was also really impressed with how easy everything was for someone travelling and exploring with special needs. Nothing was too much trouble and a happy Charlie means a happy mama.

Getting to Ulriken 643

So now the logistical part….. If you would like to ride Ulriken 643 there are a couple of ways to get there.

1. The Ulriken 643 Shuttle Bus – Ulriken Express departs from city centre to Ulriken cable car station every 30 minutes, every day, from 09:00-18:00. You can find the Ulriken 643 stop and the ticket vendors just opposite the tourist information centre
2. By regular bus – Hop on buses  2, 3 or 12 from the city centre going south. Get off at Haukeland Hospital and follow the signs.
3. Car – If you’re driving from the city centre follow road number 585 towards Haukeland Hospital, turn left just before the tunnel up Haukelandsbakken. Ulriken 643 is signposted.

To find out more about Ulriken 643 and to purchase your own tickets check out their website here and for some visual stimulation (better known as mountain and view porn) they also have an Instagram page too.

Until next time (I promise there won’t be such a long gap)

Thanks for being here with us

Beth Anne xoxo