Taking fellow steemian @howo to the Pulpit Rock, the best of the Norwegian Fjords!
So this week, me and my fellow @steempress-io co-founder @howo have travelled to Norway to attend Spaceport Norway (a space technology conference I helped co-found some years ago before I joined esa). Of course, when visiting the south-west region of Norway doing a hike in the fjord is obligatory! So hiking we did.
@howo and @fredrikaa at the top of the Pulpit Rock
First of all it has to be said: @howo is one lucky bastard! Stavanger which is the 4th largest city in Norway, my home-town and the capital of Norway’s oil & gas industry as well as the fjord tourist attractions, is also well known for its shitty weather. In fact, it rains approximately 235 days pr year! For us then to arrive in mid-May to 20+ degrees Celsius and blue skies every day now for 4 days is a rare happening to say the least.
Leaving the Stavanger Docks in the morning to go deeper inside the fjords the weather was simply amazing!
The pulpit rock is by far the most popular hike in terms of the region. It’s estimated that during the summer season, 300 000 people make the hike up to the plateau. While it is neat for the region to have this attraction, it also means that the route is rather crowded. Indeed, walking up felt more like walking in a queue than running in the mountains. but who cares if you have people in front of you and behind you if you can turn your head around and look out and over this fjord?!?
On top of the Lysefjord which contains some of the most common attractions in south-western Norway
Tourists and fearless Norwegian-children both can't help but peek down the steep hills at the edges!
What makes this fjord so unique is the steepness of the mountains. Depending on your position in the fjord, you might find yourself on top of a 1000 meter free fall steep mountainside peering down at the fjords below. Needless to say, the view is fantastic but also a bit scary and borderline uncomfortable for those with a weak stomach. For a better appreciation of the share scale and size, I recommend this drone video from an area just next to our hike:
But the pulpit rock is famous for more than just the steepness of the mountains. The ice-age, which carved out the fjord to begin with, left some fascinating shapes behind. The pulpit rock (preikestolen in Norwegian) looks almost like a huge chair meant for a giant. (So needless to say, it's popular for visitors to try and sit on the edge and feel like they are on the top of the world!)
A picture I took while ascending up and behind the pulpit rock
Me sitting on the top and dangling my feet down above the main plateau
@howo with the most typical Norwegian hiking and skiing lunch snack you can have, turning this proud Frenchman into a proper Norwegian if only for a short time
Picture from behind with a view into the end of the fjord
If you haven't guessed so already, I would recommend everyone who loves travelling and would like to go to Norway to pay the pulpit rock a visit! It is truely a unique experience. Although I myself prefer to hike further into the mountains where there are fewer people and you are left more in touch with nature, this gem of a site has to be experienced at least once!
Interested in going to the Norwegian Fjords and would like some more details on how you can get there and other recommendations? Do feel free to ask me in the comments!
Anyways, it was one hell of a trip and also a place I find worth sharing :)
As always, take care!
@fredrikaa
First of all it's really great to hear that you Co - Found an Space Technology Conference and it's appreciable and i want to congratulate for that. And in my opinion you took your Steemian frind to the amazing hiking place and all these natural and beautiful pictures saying one thing that you both had an awesome time. Who will not going to like this kind of gem place. Thanks for sharing this post with us and wishing you an great day. Stay blessed. 🙂
Ah, it's good to see you, out & about having fun, @fredrikaa :)
There is an austere beauty to Norway; I would love to visit, one day. I didn't realize that giant's chair/pulpit rock was in your home town. Impressive chance to commune with Nature in all her awesome majesty (I think it was Milton who defines the sublime as beauty that has terror in it)!
Thanks, for sharing, so that we might vicariously enjoy this adventure with you--stay safe, you & that honorary Norwegian, aka @Howo :P
Global warming. :P
Wow, what a landscape. Breathtaking! Although I am afraid of height, I enjoyed your pictures. ;)
Agree it is amazing! Well, you don't have to walk next to the edge if you don't want to ;). I've done the hike with plenty who hate heights but still loved the trip. For them, standing 5 meters away was enough to feel the butterflies ^^.
This looks gorgeous guys! Cool to see you have a nice time there! We should grab a beer at some point in Paris :)
Hey man, first of all very nice post I hope you had some good fun in Norway!
I am writing you because of a business request, do you have discord, so we can discuss the details?
Regards
Thanks! It sure was a fantastic trip!
My Discord name/ID is: @fredrikaa#6070
You are also more than welcome to join our Discord channel for SteemPress here: https://discord.gg/HBzJNa
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Some really amazing views, it makes me wonder how it would look at night. I imagine a shot of the milky way with the magnificent landscape and the stars reflecting in the water.
I suggest you follow this link to see the picture below in full size. It is really spectacular!
Thanks for that, I also translated the article related to the photo. Pretty cool story about him carrying all his heavy gear and doing it because he loves it so much and never making any money for it.
That's a lot of tourists down there! Preikestolen is such a beautiful location, especially when you guys were this lucky with the weather! I've never been able to visit it myself yet, but hopefully I will find myself at that part of the country some day.
It's one of those places you just have to go at least once ^^.
But as you say, the weather really determines if you'll have a good time.
Yeah, that sounds about right! I really want to do more exploring of Norway in the coming years instead of traveling to other countries. We have so many beautiful and unique places!
amazing photography, but i'm wondering wether i can site on that stone or not, even i think the question is not haha but i would like to thank you about these wonderful shots, hopefully someday i'll be able to be there.
Tell me if you ever plan on going and need some tips ^^
Sitting on the edge is very scary I'll have to admit, but crawling out on your stomach to peek down is a lot more comfortable.
Hi Fredrikaa. That is an amazing view. Going to put it on my travel list. Watch when I arrive it will rain. Always happens. Really fantastic post.