Preikestolen

Joe and I have been meaning to hike Preikestolen since we first arrived in Stavanger so when a friend from home decided to visit and the weather looked promising, it seemed there was no better time.

Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock is a massive cliff that towers over the Lysefjord and it is this region's most visited site.  While only about 25 km from Stavanger, it is about an hours car & ferry ride to the base.  Once at the base, it's a 3.8 km hike to the cliff.

 

 

While it's not considered a very difficult hike in Norwegian standards, the terrain is challenging.  Rocks and boulders form the paths and at times, it's a fairly steep climb jumping from one slippery rock to another.

After 1 hour and 45 minutes of solid hiking/climbing my legs were shaking and my stomach growling but when we rounded the last corner (which was hugging the cliffside and shuffling along a skinny ledge) we immediately knew it was worth it.  The adrenaline rush having conquered the climb paired with the sheer beauty of everything around me had me in complete awe.  It was one of those rare moments where you look around and think, "I can't believe I'm here.  I can't believe this exists" and you can do nothing but stare in wonder.

The below photos are completely unedited.

 

 

 

That's me - looking down all 604 metres (1982) feet.

In the words of our guest, "You know it's good when it's even better in person than it is in the professional photos."

(And good enough to get us through the 3.8 km hike down.)