Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen, Norway

When you google hiking in Norway there are 3 main pictures that you’ll see. They all display rock features absurdly high above a breathtaking Norwegian background. And undoubtedly with people standing on top of them. Kjeragbolten is a boulder that is wedged between two cliffs and suspended 900m above the fjord below.

From our ski hut accommodation, we had a 40-minute drive to the starting point of the trail. We set our alarms for an early wake-up and were on the road soon after intending to beat most of the expected crowds to start the hike. The trail to Kjeragbolten is only 6km traversing up the cliff edge with the massive fjord below. Reviews of the trail mentioned the trail commenced with a significant incline and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Once we had summited the first crest we descended a short steep section and then faced an almost carbon copy of the first stage. The final stage again moved upwards along the cliff edge. It then levelled out into a smooth rock surface plateau. The path was marked by sporadic cairns (rock piles used to mark hiking routes) and I assumed we were getting close. I had been tracking our distance on my Garmin GPS watch. As we approached the 6km mark, we saw a signpost pointing us back towards the fjord. Dropping into a narrow dry creek bed carved into the rock we followed it down for about 50m before it opened up to the feature itself.

There was Kjeragbolten, exactly as I’d seen in the photos. The opposing cliffs had been formed from the creek eroding through the cliff edge over the vast period since the fjord was gouged out by the long-gone glacier. The boulder was suspended between the two sides with a crazy drop off below. In peak season it is said that the queue to get your photo can be over an hour long. We’d successfully beat the majority of the crowd and could get straight out onto it for the essential “Instagram” profile pic photo.

The way onto the boulder was by a narrow path around one cliff edge and a slightly unnerving hop across the abyss below. Apparently no one has ever fallen from it but it certainly wasn’t something I was keen to try a handstand on.

So there we were, about 11 am and we’d made it to the top of the hike we expected to take most of the day. The benefit of travelling with a group that isn’t shy of challenge. With all of us keen to maximise our time in Norway, we started discussing whether we could get back to the car and squeeze in a second hike the same day. The forecast for the next day was for a big storm and heavy rain all day so it made sense for us to get the most out of the weather we had today. After some quick maths and allowing for the travel time to the next hike we figured we could at least try. The fact that hike was planned as a whole day the next day wasn't even considered a deterrent. With the new challenge set, we started our descent and were back to the car before lunch.

The second of our planned hikes, and another of one of the 3 main feature locations in Norway, was Preikestolen. Or Pulpit Rock, as it’s called in English. While located on the opposite side of the Fjord to Kjeragbolten, due to the topography of the area we needed to drive a 3-hour loop to get there. We arrived at about 3 pm which still gave us enough time to finish the 8km return hike before sunset. Now with slightly fatigued legs, and stiff after the long drive, we started our second hike with the knowledge that a rainy day tomorrow would be more satisfying having pushed the double today. The hike to Preikestolen was basically a single ascent from the car park, and mostly through forest so much less scenic than our morning hike.

Being much closer to the nearest tourist town of Stavanger, this hike had much more people on it and the crowds at the top were more like what we had heard about. Pulpit rock is a large flat top of a cliff that drops away abruptly to the lake below. The weather had cleared slightly from the mostly overcast we’d had the rest of the day and the view was magnificent! One thing I love about Norway, compared to Australia at least, is that these natural features don't have excessive safety barriers, despite the obvious risks. With simply a warning sign nearby that “falls will likely result in death”, the responsibility lies solely with the individual and there are no barriers to interrupt the view.

And now with just the descent to go, that was our first day of hiking in Norway. Finishing 2 of the 3 feature destinations back-to-back and ready to head back to Stavanger for a beer and a well-earned shower!Read more