Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen), Stavanger, Norway

Stavanger Photos

• Sunday, July 12, 2015: 
• As lookouts go, Pulpit Rock has few peers.  Perched atop an almost perfectly sheer cliff that juts out 2000 ft above the waters of gorgeous Lysefjord,  Pulpit Rock is one of Norway’s signature images and most eye-catching destinations.  It’s the sort of place where you’ll barely be able to look as others dangle over the precipice -far more than seems advisable, even as you find yourself drawn inexorably towards the edge.  Nearly 200,000 tourists make this pilgrimage every year.  There has been only one reported incident where someone accidentally fell off while taking a jumping picture of himself. (Norway considered the idea of putting a fence around, but dropped it for the fear that people may become even less cautious.)  If you notice the big cracks across and on the sides of the rock, you know that it is bound to fall off someday - so don't wait, visit now. 
• The official website suggests that the hike takes two hours to go up the 2 1/2 miles, 1000 ft climb, and about the same time to come back down to the Mountain Lodge (Preikestolen Fjellstue) - the starting point for the hike.  Most people take a ferry from Stavanger and then a connecting bus to the lodge, which adds another hour each way.  If you are coming from the airport, Flybuss shuttle runs every 20 minutes, and takes 30 minutes to get to the City Center.  Add it all together and you have a full-day trip, just to dangle your feet 2000 feet above Lysefjord.  Go figure!
• Needless to say, Pulpit Rock is the main attraction of Stavanger - otherwise there is very little else to see that is unique to Stavanger.  Flybuss drops you right in front of the Ferry Terminal - the last stop.  Unless you have purchased tickets online (cheaper), or at the Ferry Terminal (closed when we got there.), you purchase them on the ferry.
• The 40 minute ferry to Tau runs like clockwork late into the night.  Most locals bring their cars to Stavanger (and back) by the Ferry.  And then there are tourists, who don't have cars and need transportation (bus, taxi) at the other end.  Ferry plus connecting Bus designed -and priced- especially for tourists costs 250 NOK roundtrip.  The last bus leaves at 7:20 PM and drops you at the Mountain Lodge 20 km away in about 20 minutes or so.
• We had planned to take a 3 PM flight from Bergen that would get us to Mountain Lodge by 5:40 PM, and giving us plenty of time to scope out the hike for the next day.  Well, just as we were about to leave Bergen for the airport, (thanks to Google Alert) we found out that our flight was cancelled.  The next flight was at 5 PM, which if everything goes well, would get us on the last bus to Mountain Lodge - it did.  Had we missed the last bus and had to stay in Stavanger for the night, the first ferry-bus next morning would have taken us to the Lodge earliest by 9 am - giving us only two hours for the hike.  Absolutely no way then could we have made it to Pulpit Rock.
• On the plane, we sat next to a Britisher who lived and worked in Stavanger, and had been to Pulpit Rock - not just in Summer, but also in winter, in snow.  He told us what thrill it was, and that his girlfriend wouldn't have allowed him had she known beforehand.  He also told us that the hike is strenuous and physically demanding at places - that there were 4 climbs, third one being the longest, steepest and toughest.  A few years earlier, Nepalese Sherpa were brought in to make this trail more accessible to more people.  The four climbs were made in to steps by using boulders.  Now you don't even need hiking poles, but the climb is still steep, and rocks are rocks - uneven and at times slippery.
• People with limited amount of time in Norway (that's just about everyone) are offered NIN (Norway in a Nutshell) program.  As explained earlier, it is NOT a guided tour, but just a collection of public transport with guaranteed connections, to see the "must see" places in Norway.  NIN to Preikestolen would have taken 4 days, including one day for the hike itself.
• Mountain lodge was full that day mostly with Norwegian tourists who drove there, but a couple of bunk beds were available in an adjacent hostel.  There were 6 beds in our room, 6 in the next one, with a connecting kitchen and toilet facilities.  Showers were in the next building.  Linens and duvet were provided.  All this only for 320 NOK ($40) per person - the lodge rooms were going for $200.  We were happy to have reached here, and to have a place to sleep for the night.
• The lodge has great views all around.  It was raining when we reached, and the forecast was for rain until 4 am.  Because we had to catch 11 am bus back to Tau/Stavanger next day in order to catch a 2 PM onward flight, we have to begin our hike at 6 am latest.  Hoping for the forecast to be right!

Visual Map of the Hike

• Monday, July 13, 2015: When I woke up at 5 am, it was still drizzly but clearing up.  Rain had stopped and skies cleared by the time we left at 6 am.  There was patchy fog, but sunrise being at 4:30 am, visibility wasn't an issue.  Most of the hike was fog-free, except at Pulpit Rock itself.
  - Previous night, we were chatting with two girls in our room, who were working (exchange program) in Norway, and had finished the hike earlier that day.  They also confirmed that five hours for the hike including time at the Rock would be minimum.  So we were all set for the next morning.
  - Here are some numbers: The path starts at the Preikestolhytta at an elevation of 886 feet above sea level, and climbs to 1982 feet.  Even though the elevation differential is only 1096 feet and the walk is not particularly long (2.4 miles each way), the total elevation gain and loss over the course of the hike is more than one might initially expect, as the path climbs and descends various ridges.
  - The trail begins at the Lodge parking lot and climbs steadily right away.  First paved, then dirt trail, then gravel and finally rocks/boulders.  When you reach the first sign (shown above) you have just cleared the first climb.  You can take a breather, take pictures, and continue on a level path and boardwalk over marshy areas.  After the second climb, you start seeing signs showing distances covered vs. more to go.  Only after the third climb - which doesn't seem to end for a long time, you are at the halfway point, and you are already exhausted.  The weather was cool, but we were sweating.  It wasn't raining, but the rocks were wet so we had to be careful.  Lot of running water under and around the rocky climb.  Very peaceful and invigorating, at the same time.  By the time we were close to Pulpit Rock, sky was clear and sun was shining, but fog continued to linger over the water (Fjord) ahead of us.  Pulpit Rock is not visible until the very end.  Any time you feel that you are lost, look for red arrows pointing the way.  We were the first ones to leave the lodge a little before 6 am.  Midway through, one couple went ahead of us (and then waited for the fog to clear with us.)  Closer to the top others were camped overnight - in Norway, anyone could sleep anywhere in open field without restrictions.  They were just waking up as we passed by.

Clear skies and sunshine on the way to Pulpit Rock

• Even when you reach the 50 meter sign, you still don't see the Rock.  Then you turn the corner, and there it is.  One arrow points to the right where you could climb further to the top of a bluff, if you like.  We noticed a few people up there later, but the view (down to the water) was still obscured by fog.  I was happy reaching the Rock before crowds got there. 
  - It was 8 am and we had almost an hour before returning.  After catching our breaths, we checked out the landscape - the 82 feet by 82 feet Pulpit and nearby rocks - to see if there is a better view from a different vantage point.  Just when the fog seemed to clear from time to time, the next wave would roll in.  We could see the reflection of the sun shining in the water, but not enough to appreciate the 2000 feet drop.  By the time we left around 9 am, there were only 10 of us - all having had breakfast/snacks (the hotel provided pre-packed sandwiches.) and waiting for the fog to clear.  At least some of them were for sure waiting to dangle their feet on the edge - when it was completely fog-free.
  - Like many, I had thought that it was foolish to sit at the edge of the cliff and dangle your feet, and in fact wondered how Norway allows it.  But I was tempted all the same.  Will I dare do it when the time actually came - I wasn't sure.  It was not windy (and hence the lingering fog), and the fog also made it seem like I was sitting on a park bench somewhere.  There was nothing to see below by lying down near the edge.  So I went and sat down sideways a couple of feet before the edge and turned myself 90 degrees to lower my feet.  Come to think of it, I should have stretched them out straight.  Reverse the steps and move away from the edge - that's it.  I suppose if it was windy it would have been different.  Any case, another item checked off the bucket list.  After taking some more pictures, we started back down.  See circular rainbows reflecting in the fog (below.)

Foggy Pulpit Rock - I am walking to it on the right.

Sun shining in the Fjord water 2000 ft below

Live dangerously!

You could go up some more if you like.

Circular rainbow(s)

Not many people when we left about an hour later,

Path to Pulpit Rock and fog rising.

• By 9 am, the first bus of the day from Stavanger/Tau had arrived, bringing 50 or so hikers of all ages and levels of fitness who would ascend the trail (and bus every 20 minutes or so thereafter.)  The return trip was also slow because of this rush hour traffic in the opposite direction.  Climbing down was a bit easier because of gravity, though uneven and slippery rocks made you watch your step.  The trail was narrow in places where only one person could pass, but the rest was wide enough for two way traffic.  We very much appreciated leaving early for the hike, and being done before others were starting.  We returned to the Lodge around 10:45 am.  By the time we hydrated ourselves and collected our luggage, the 11 am bus had arrived and we were on our way.  Still plenty more connections where something could go wrong - bus to ferry, to airport shuttle, to flights onward (from SVG to OSL to CPG to HAM.)  It all worked out well.

Revsvatnet Lake near Pulpit Rock

Watch the PPS for this hike.