Hessa – Where the City Meets Nature

On the left-hand side, you can see the island of Hessa, and just behind the houses along the shoreline rises Sukkertoppen – one of the most popular hiking destinations in Ålesund. It is not a large mountain, but the view from the top is something truly special. From the summit, you can look straight out toward the open ocean on one side, and back over the entire city on the other. It is the kind of place that almost every local has visited at least once. The western side of the mountain, facing the open sea, was affected by a wildfire on March 17, 2026. The fire spread quickly through the dry terrain and led to the evacuation of several homes in the area – a reminder of how quickly conditions can change out here. Hessa is much like the rest of this area. Close to the city, yet deeply connected to nature. A place where you can feel how quickly the landscape takes over – and how little truly separates the urban from the wild along this coastline.