Day 02 - 26/7-09 (Hiking to Prekestolen)
0 km - Total milage: still 690 km
Stavanger
One of the things to see whilst in Norway is a place called Prekestolen (since Norway has two official languages it is also known as Preikestolen)
From Wikipedia
"Preikestolen or Prekestolen, also known by the English translations of Preacher's Pulpit or Pulpit Rock, and by the old local name Hyvlatonnå, is a massive cliff 604 metres (1982 feet) above Lysefjorden, opposite the Kjerag plateau, in Forsand, Norway. The top of the cliff is approximately 25 by 25 metres (82 by 82 feet) square and almost flat.
During the four summer months of 2006, approximately 95,000 people took the 3.8 km (2.4 mi.) hike to Preikestolen, making it one of the most visited natural tourist attractions in Norway."
Yngve's place in Stavanger is only a short car and ferryride away from Prekestolen so day 2 of the trip was earmarked long before we left Oslo.
P: Lars
One can wonder if they're not related....
And Lars may not be at all the runway shows in Milan, Paris and New York, but he's not lacking in fashion sense..... from his vantage point looking out of his store window in downtown Oslo, he has picked up on the latest trend from all the 15 year old girls - the bare belly look.
We drove off the ferry and followed the line of cars going to Prekestolen. Hindsight is a bitch. Sunday. Late july, but the later of the two main holiday periods is still not over. Crap. None of us had thought about that, it'll be like Karl Johans street on may 17
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P: Scanpix
And ofcourse, not far from the mainroad by the sea we were holted by a couple of officials and told that the parkinglot was full, we'd have to park in the ditch along the road and walk the rest. Not perfect, but it wasn't that big of a deal really. Was a bit longer than we thought though.
After a while we reached the start of the trail out to the pulpit itself and acc to Lars GPS (which he's always carrying) we had covered 3,8km on asphalt already.
P: Lars
Took a breather before taking on the trail from hell
P: Lars
They've built a long bridge over some marshlike terrain. The trail continues over the top in the background
After you make it to the top there's a sign telling you were you are. I've also added where we parked....
But the climbing wasn't over yet. Looking at the trees there's no question what people grab onto
Guessing that if we were in the US there would be fences...
First peek of the fjord.....
.........and around the next corner - the pulpit
Lars just making sure our track has been logged
There are many different ways to near the edge. Here's one technique. Used by many I might add. It's a huge drop.
P: Lars
Here is the other way
Lars isn't too keen on heights so I thought I'd show him how the view from the edge was.
Wonder how many pictures are now circulating around the interwebs with a point of view from the cruice ship looking up ?
P: Lars ('s camera, hehe)
Yngve packed the Jetboil and his wife had made chocolate cake. Mmmmm
However nice this place is, it's sad to think about how many people commit suicide here each year. It's our Golden Gate bridgde I guess.
Going back down. I wouldn't recommend this hike for those who have problems walking. That said I saw surpirsingly many elderly and obese people up there. Good on ya !
P: Lars
We had planned to continue the trip north after returning back to Yngve's, but we were too tired and decided to carry on in the morning instead. We'd been lucky with the weather so far......
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