I woke up early the next morning overwhelmed with anticipation for the Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike. The walk from Best Western Havly Hotell to Fiskepiren Ferry Terminal took me around ten minutes. I bought the round trip tickets and boarded the Ferry from Stavanger to Tau. It was a comfortable forty minutes ride in the modern Ferry and I arrived at Tau soon after. I spotted the green bus with ‘Preikestolen’ signage waiting at the bus stop and hopped on. However, I understand that not all Preikestolen bus schedules lined up with the Ferry’s arrival timings so it’s best to check beforehand.

It’s very obvious when the bus arrives at the Preikestolen base where all passengers alighted. Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) trailhead is clearly marked right next to the carpark. Time to rock (pun intended)!

The hike up to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)

The Preikestolen hike is less than four kilometres which take an estimated two hours to reach one way. I stopped to take pictures very often so it took me more than two hours for the way up. And there was still some snow and ice which made the hike somewhat more challenging. I would rate the hiking difficulty as moderate because a good part of the trail consists of rocky terrain which can be slippery and difficult to navigate at times. Stepping on an unstable rock will probably result with an undesirable sprained ankle.

It’s not a walk in the park, so put on a sturdy pair of shoes or boots. Food and water are essential items to bring along too.

After the initial steep and rocky ascend, the trail then rewards hikers with easier flat grounds as such.

But Rocky will be saying hi again thereafter and if you are lucky (unlucky) like me, snow and ice await too.

Then there is the frozen lake of Tjodnane, which is the place for a nice cool dip during summer I believe.

The trail is very well marked by a red ‘T’ (Tourist route?) pointing to Preikestolen along the way. Although some of the marks are being covered by snow, it’s easy to find another one nearby. And there is this Preikestolen map which shows you how much further to the top, like a progress chart.

There was more snow nearer to the top and it slowed me down by quite a bit. But knowing that I am very near to my destination kept the motivation level on overdrive mode.

Soon enough, I have a wonderful view of Lysefjord from the top down and it’s amazing.

I was delighted when I finally reached the infamous huge plateau that hangs 604 metres above Lysefjord. Preikestolen looks like a massive granite block with a somewhat flat surface which is so different from the surroundings. There was a Norwegian band recording their Music Video and they were inviting people to be the cheering crowds. Can anyone tell me the band’s name?

There are no safety barriers or railings at the edge so it’s possible to tumble down to the depths below, which is a plunge of 604 metres or 1982 feet. Thank goodness that Preikestolen deaths are uncommon but do not make silly attempts here to increase the statistics though! I don’t really have a fear of height but being at the edge unnerves me so I approached slowly and carefully. But soon enough, I was peeking over the edge and dangling my feet out while enjoying the view.

I wanted to capture the view from above so I continued to the higher ground. And my, Preikestolen looks stunning from up here. The dark clouds were kind enough to reveal some sunlight and blue sky for a while before covering up all over again. Oh well…the fast-changing Preikestolen weather. Anyway, I had my packed sandwiches and marvelled at the wonderful views for the longest time before leaving reluctantly.

The way down was much more difficult as there were many hikers going in the opposite direction. There were ‘human traffic jams’ every now and then at the narrower paths, rocky areas and the icy parts. Preikestolen is, after all, a very popular attraction and definitely worth the hassles. I would love to do the Kjerag hike in the near future. For that, I would probably opt to stay at Preikestolen Mountain Lodge. So for now, it’s mission accomplished and time to rest my tired feet.