Pretty excited about today.
The main reason we came to Norway was to stand on a rock. A pretty famous rock called Trolltunga or Troll tongue. When we were chatting with locals in Oslo about this they kept telling us that it was a really challenging hike and they have a rescue helicopter on standby just for this mountain. How hard can this walk be?
The day started extra early to get the first bus at 6.30am. After another half hour bus ride around the fjord/lake, past amazing waterfalls and up a mountain we arrived at the Skjeggedal carpark, which was already full. We started hiking at 7am.
From our extensive research we found out that you can only hike this route unguided from mid June until mid September. We also thought that this hike was 11 km up to the rock and that the first 4km would be the hardest. Turns out to even get to the start, we had to walk 3 km up a road. The road goes straight up the side of a mountain and boy it was steep.
After our unexpected warm up, we started the walk proper, and headed straight up the side of the mountain. The first 1.5 km went up 450 meters. It then evened out a touch for a while before hitting some rock steps and a section of steep smooth rock that took us up to the ridge. This was hard and fair to say the calves and the lungs were burning by the time we reached the top. The final 7 km to the rock were over dried up river beds, up and down a few smaller inclines, and finally over some glacial potholes before we arrived to the main event...Trolltunga itself.
The views along the top section of the track and from Trolltunga are ABSOLUTELY worth the hike up there. This was one of the most amazing places we have ever been.
The rock itself was formed during the last ice age 10,000 years ago when the valley was formed by a glacier. When the glacier met the cliff, the ice froze in the crevices of the rock and broke off large chunks which were carried away when the glacier melted. This left Trolltunga, a rock suspended 700 meters above Lake Ringedalsvatnet. High school geography is slowly coming back!
July 17, 2018
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Trolltunga, Norway
Pretty excited about today.
The main reason we came to Norway was to stand on a rock. A pretty famous rock called Trolltunga or Troll tongue. When we were chatting with locals in Oslo about this they kept telling us that it was a really challenging hike and they have a rescue helicopter on standby just for this mountain. How hard can this walk be?
The day started extra early to get the first bus at 6.30am. After another half hour bus ride around the fjord/lake, past amazing waterfalls and up a mountain we arrived at the Skjeggedal carpark, which was already full. We started hiking at 7am.
From our extensive research we found out that you can only hike this route unguided from mid June until mid September. We also thought that this hike was 11 km up to the rock and that the first 4km would be the hardest. Turns out to even get to the start, we had to walk 3 km up a road. The road goes straight up the side of a mountain and boy it was steep.
After our unexpected warm up, we started the walk proper, and headed straight up the side of the mountain. The first 1.5 km went up 450 meters. It then evened out a touch for a while before hitting some rock steps and a section of steep smooth rock that took us up to the ridge. This was hard and fair to say the calves and the lungs were burning by the time we reached the top. The final 7 km to the rock were over dried up river beds, up and down a few smaller inclines, and finally over some glacial potholes before we arrived to the main event...Trolltunga itself.
The views along the top section of the track and from Trolltunga are ABSOLUTELY worth the hike up there. This was one of the most amazing places we have ever been.
The rock itself was formed during the last ice age 10,000 years ago when the valley was formed by a glacier. When the glacier met the cliff, the ice froze in the crevices of the rock and broke off large chunks which were carried away when the glacier melted. This left Trolltunga, a rock suspended 700 meters above Lake Ringedalsvatnet. High school geography is slowly coming back!
Once we made it to the top, we had to get in a line to stand on the rock itself. The popularity of this place has exploded in the last few years. Approximately 800 people hiked it in 2010. In 2016 more than 80,000 people hiked it. It may look like we were the only ones around, but there would of been at least 100 people in the line and twice that hanging around watching. After waiting for an absolute age we were able to get an Aussie to take our photoshoot - Thanks Kirsten!
Was brilliant to meet you and share the hike :-). Walking out onto the rock is weird. It slopes up so you can't see over the end (unless you are Jo and got a massive adrenaline rush after momentarily getting over your fear of heights!), but you know you're a long way up with nothing around you. It was a surreal feeling!
After a quick lunch of soggy sandwiches and an apple, we started the long walk home. It was about 3 km into the walk home we realised how people get into trouble. A storm hit with wind, dust, and rain lashing us on the exposed track until we started to head into the next valley. Once we got over that ridge however, we appeared to have left it behind us and the sun came out again. Nature is weird.
By the time we made it back to the carpark, we were shattered, that last 3km down the switchbacks was tough going. Had a well deserved beer at the bottom. Even though it did cost 10 pounds or about NZD$20 for a pint, it tasted so good after the hard day! Back home to Odda for a jump in the fjord/lake and a quick dinner before passing out and hoping not to be too stiff tomorrow. One hell of a day.
1.
On our way!
2.
The second longest travel day... so far!
3.
What we came to Norway for
4.
Travelling through postcard worthy scenery
5.
The city of seven mountains
6.
Our first overnight train and Ryanair sucks
7.
Tiger Woods and Ellie Lock
8.
Scotland in the school holidays
9.
A sleep in and a distillery
10.
Island hopping in Scotland
11.
A Ben is a mountain
12.
Highland weekend
13.
Hopefully the earliest start of the trip
14.
Catalonian culture and Spanish summers
15.
Travel lessons
16.
The Moorish Kingdom in Europe
17.
Exploring sunny Granada
18.
Holy shit it's hot
19.
Seville round 2
20.
Back to Madrid
21.
Spanish Culture and 101 Montaditos
22.
Travel days and Swiss facts
23.
Toddlers and Mountains
24.
Cow fighting and Swiss horn orchestra
25.
À bientôt Suisse et ciao Italia!
26.
Back to the seaside!
27.
Wine tasting and the beach
28.
Scenic walk and the beach
29.
Falling Towers and the Renaissance
30.
Michael and David
31.
Florence round two
32.
Avoiding flying Italians
33.
Tour de Umbria
34.
Don't go chasing waterfalls between 1 and 3pm
35.
Saints and signal failure
36.
Floating city and random catch ups
37.
Sunsets, pasta and tiramisu
38.
Ciao Italia, zdraveĭ Bŭlgariya
39.
More Romans and the Ottomans
40.
Balkan bites
41.
Victory Day!
42.
The oldest city….we have visited
43.
Pilgrimage to ANZAC Cove
44.
Living in caves
45.
Sun comes up, sun goes down
46.
Hiro tour let’s go!
47.
It’s a party in the sky with Turkish Airlines!
48.
Corn, fish sandwiches, and the art of bargaining
49.
The longest travel day by far
50.
Chilling and a cultural education
51.
Famous graves and forest walks
52.
Living like a local
53.
Escaping the city
54.
New York, New York!
55.
Bagels and memorials
56.
Old faces and sexy shoes
57.
J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS
58.
Green space in a concrete jungle
59.
“Bonus” night in NYC
60.
Toronto!
61.
We can play dodgeball!
62.
The bright lights of the big waterfall
63.
Roughriders and Whiskey
64.
The Sunshine State
65.
Going to the zoo zoo zoo
66.
California Sunsets
67.
I feel the need, the need for speed!... and shopping!
68.
Beverley Hillbillies
69.
A day at the beach
70.
Escape to suburbia
71.
Back to the hustle
72.
Last day on tour
73.
The most beautiful country in the world
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