Day 14 Preikestolen

We were awake by about 4.30, so light outside that it feels like 6.30.  These long days really mess with your body clock.  We decided to get on our way, as today’s activity, hiking up to Preikestolen, is meant to be crowded and we wanted to get a jump on the tour buses that come from the city.  And what a wise move that turned out to be, except there was not much at all open to get breakfast, and by the time we got to the carpark and saw the hordes of people already there and arriving in a steady stream, we scarfed down a muesli bar each and got on our way.  How I’m expected to do this without coffee, I do not know.  Anyway, we set off about 8am.

Todays walk is meant to be a similar length to Kjerag but not as difficult, and so it proved to be.  There were a number of very steep bits, climbing up man-made rock staircases, but it was achievable, even with our screaming knees and tired bodies.  But the track was mostly stones, or paths made of stones and was very uneven, so you had to watch each step to avoid wrecking an ankle or a knee, so it required a bit of concentration.  

There were bits that had flat sections made of planks of wood, which wasn’t in great condition and had large holes in places, so you had to watch your feet on these as well. 

The first part of the track was under cover through trees and was very green and pretty, and towards the end we were exposed to the elements.  It was a sunny day, not too hot, but the track was wet from overnight rain the night before.

There were already people coming back down, people much keener than us had obviously either got up very early or had stayed the night up there. 

We made it up to the top in about 2 and a half hours, with a few very brief stops on the way to shed a layer of clothing, or to wait for slower people ahead.

The top of the rock is about 25 x 25 metres squared, and it seems very small once you are on it.  It was reasonably crowded, with a line of people waiting to do selfies near the edge.  We weren’t fussed about doing that, enough terror was experienced yesterday to last a few more days yet, so we were happy with pics well back from the death zone.  The rock is pretty spectacular, sitting out there like a tooth, waiting to sheer off and drop into the fjord below, but it’s the view of the fjord itself that is spectacular.  

At the end of the fjord, you can just make our Lysebotn where we came from yesterday.  Lovely.

We ate our customary chocolate chip cookie in celebration, and then climbed up a little further so you can look down on the rock.  We mooched about up there for a bit, bumped into someone we had seen yesterday at Kjerag and said hello, and then decided to finish our knees off completely with the climb back down.

We were so glad we’d left early.  On our way back down the tour buses had obviously arrived from Stavenger (or wherever) and there was a constant stream of people coming uphill towards us.

  

The track is wide enough to pass in most places, but of course there is always someone wanting to overtake, and there were a few people going quite slowly.  We were surprised at the people we saw doing this.  Some seriously overweight fatties, they probably had no idea what they had signed up for, a woman wearing heeled boots (yes really, chunky heels, but still completely unsuitable) some older people (yes, older than us) I would guess at least in their 70’s, and dogs, any number of dogs.  Dogs straining at the lead, getting in the way of walkers, hesitating and taking their sweet time picking which rock to step on next, hanging back in the hope of getting a sneaky sniff of the dog they have just walked past.  It was pretty annoying, and I honestly think they should not allow dogs on the walk.  Whinge over.  

In total, the walk took 4 and a half hours from beginning to end, and we were ready for lunch at the Hikers Café at the bottom.  Another hotdog and a cup of coffee – yay for coffee – with an icecream to follow.  We had a quick toilet stop and hit the road, we have about a 3 and a half hour drive to our next stop. 

We opted for the fastest route, and were advised this would include an unsealed road, a ferry and a toll road, was that ok?  Ok.  So Dora wound us through the residential area of Jorpeland and we were wondering if she had lost her mind, but google confirmed we were indeed on the right track.  We soon hit the unsealed road, and it was basically a short cut through some farmland to miss out of chunk of the peninsular.  There were a few camper vans coming towards us, so I’m guessing it is a common thing for tourists to use this road, though I’m sure it would annoy the locals.  It was a pretty drive, more fjords and more trees and more rocks and some very long tunnels (4.3 kms) and one tunnel that went in a full spiral turning back on itself.  The Norwegians sure know how to build roads in very inhospitable places!  The very crossing is a boat that shuffles back and forth from one side of the fjord to the other, in this case from Hjelmeland to Nesvik. You follow the road which leads straight to a waiting area with queues marked on the road.  We timed it perfectly, and had arrived just as a ferry was docking.  A guy wanders the queue with an eftpos device, and you pay a fee for the car + number of passengers, and as soon as the cars are off the ferry, on you go.  Park up and wait 20 minutes and you are on the other side.  You can get out and go to the loo, or take photos if you want but people mostly just waited in their vehicles.  The vehicles are not tied down, no faffing no waiting, very efficient.  

We climbed up a very high mountain pass where there were poles about 3m high by the road side indicating that the route is snow covered in winter.  We eventually passed the Roldal ski area, lots of gorgeous wooden cabins with grass and trees growing on the roof.  Then we wound our way back down the other side to sea level, to a place called Odda, which is at the very tip of one of the fingers of the Hardanger fjord.  We are staying here three nights in total to give us a crack at the Trolltunga hike.  We had dinner at the hotel, both feeling a bit tired and sore after our excursions of the last two days, and I was in bed and asleep with the blind still open and full daylight outside !!