[1-4 |] Foreword [1-5]
[1-6] It is with great pleasure that Gaz de France and the Stavanger Tourist Association offer you this guide for the hike to the top of Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen). [1-7] As a foreign company in Norway, Gaz de France is particularly pleased that it has been possible to publish this guide in several languages, including French. [1-8]
[1-9] This publication is the first tangible result of the collaboration established in October 2003 between the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT), the Gaz de France Foundation and the French touring association, FFRP (La Federation Francaise de la Randonnée Pédestre). [1-10]
[1-11] We hope and believe that this tour guide will make the scenic hike to Pulpit Rock even more enjoyable. [1-12]
[1-13 |] Bonne randonnée! [1-14 |] Pleasant hiking! [1-15]
[1-16 |] Welcome to Norway's best-known tourist attraction! [1-17] Every year about 100,000 people visit Pulpit Rock. [1-18] The map of the world that hangs in the Pulpit Rock Cabin shows that people from all over the world come here to experience this spectacular rock formation. [1-19] Many of the guests put a pin on their hometown. [1-20] Every year, Europe is covered with pins, but the map shows visitors also come from much further afield. [1-21] Australia, South Africa, Uruguay, China, New Zealand, Mongolia, Kenya, Nepal, Canada, Saudi-Arabia and a long list of other countries have been represented in this way. [1-22] In the cabin guest book, many people write that they found the hike to Pulpit Rock to be the high point of their visit to Norway in more ways than one. [1-23]
[1-24 |] The hike begins at the Pulpit Rock Cabin [1-25] The trail to Pulpit Rock begins at the Pulpit Rock Cabin (Preikestolhytta), which is well prepared to welcome the many visitors of all ages who want to hike to the summit of this mighty rock formation. [1-26]
[1-27] Parking lot with 400 spaces. [1-28] Parking fee. [1-29]
[1-30] During the summer season, a bus runs to and from Tau and Jørpeland several times daily. [1-31] Information on bus schedules can be obtained from Østerhus bilruter, tel.: +47 51 74 02 40. [1-32]
[1-33 |] Jørpeland taxi, tel.: +47 51 74 71 86 [1-34]
[1-35 |] The Pulpit Rock Cabin [1-36]
[1-37 |] Open during the summer season [1-38]
[1-39 |] Open during the summer season [1-40 |] Sale of soft drinks, ice cream, film, running shoes, souvenirs, post cards, the Pulpit Rock diploma, maps, handbooks, [1-41]
[1-42 |] The Pulpit Rock Cabin: www.preikestolhytta.no [1-43 |] Preikestolhytta@enter.vg [1-44 |] Tel.: 971 65 551 [1-45 |] Overnight accommodations: Open from mid-May to mid-September. [1-46 |] Discount for members of Tourist Associations or Youth Hostels [1-47]
[1-48 |] Breakfast: 0800 - 1000 [1-49 |] Lunch/snacks: 1200 - 1600 and 2000 - 2100 [1-50 |] Dinner: 1600-2000 [1-51 |] Licensed for beer and wine [1-52]
[1-53 |] Rentals [1-54]
[1-55 |] Rental of fishing tackle [1-56 |] Trout in Lake Refsvatnet [1-57 |] Free angling in the northern end of the lake [1-58]
[1-59 |] Family-friendly sand beach just below the Pulpit Rock Cabin [1-60]
[1-61 |] The Pulpit Rock Cabin was built at the Vatne mountain farm [1-62] Around 1900, the first tourists found their way up to Pulpit Rock. [1-63] Most of them had to spend a night there in order to complete the trip and in 1920 the Stavanger Tourist Association (STF) furnished 3 rooms for tourists at the roadless Vatne mountain farm. [1-64] In 1925, a tourist centre was also established at the Torsnes farm beside Lake Refsvatnet. [1-65]
[1-66] The stream of tourists gradually increased and, especially in the springtime, Vatne and Torsnes could be jam-packed with hikers making for the top of Pulpit Rock. [1-67] As early as the 1920s, over 100 overnight stays were reported at Torsnes. [1-68] In 1949, STF built the Pulpit Rock Cabin just beside the Vatne farmhouse. [1-69] The construction of such a big cabin deep in the mountains gave a big boost to the tourist association. [1-70] All transport went by way of the Lysefjord. [1-71] A dock was built at Refså on the Lysefjord, and a motor-driven aerial cableway was constructed from the fjord up the steep mountainside to Lake Refsvatnet. [1-72] From there, a motorboat ferried people and goods across the lake. [1-73] The timber for the cabin was cut from the farm's own forest, and a saw was installed down by the lake. [1-74] In 1961, a road was built in to the cabin. [1-75] After that, the summit of Pulpit Rock could be reached on a day trip. [1-76] The influx of visitors increased year after year. [1-77] The area was taking on a new life. [1-78]
[1-79 |] The farm at Vatne was cleared in the 1800s [1-80] There are still many traces of the old mountain farm at Vatne. [1-81] The farmhouse is still standing and is currently used for overnight accommodation for those who prefer self-service. [1-82] In the pasture area surrounding the farm, sites of former buildings, stone walls and piles of cleared stones tell a tale of generations of hard work and toil. [1-83]
[1-84] Vatne is splendidly located on the dry, sunny slope north of Lake Refsvatnet. [1-85] The fields here were larger and the soil deeper than they were at Torsnes, the other mountain farm up here. [1-86] The first person to make use of this area is said to have been an outlaw, but according to written sources there were no farmers at Vatne until the early 1800s. [1-87] Tollag Ellingson from Kalleli on the Lysefjord moved here in 1810. [1-88] He had six children, but two or perhaps three of them died young. [1-89] In 1875, a census was taken at Vatne. [1-90] The following persons were present: Elling Tollefsen, head of family, along with his wife, maidservant and an 80-year-old woman. [1-91] Jonas Aslaksen, head of family, along with his wife, son and/or farm hand, Guttorm, and his foster daughter Inger. [1-92] The following animals were counted in the census: 8 cows, 128 sheep, 35 goats and 1 pig. [1-93]
[1-94 |] Don't set off to Pulpit Rock without sturdy footwear! [1-95]
[1-96] The trail to Pulpit Rock was marked for the first time in 1921. [1-97] At that time it was just a simple footpath with no added improvements, but with the coming of the road to the Pulpit Rock Cabin in 1961 the tourist traffic up to Pulpit Rock increased considerably. [1-98] The many tourists soon began to leave their mark. [1-99] The destruction of the marshes and wet areas was so great that a completely new trail had to be built. [1-100] In the 1990s, a major trail-building project was initiated with the aid of public funding. [1-101] The result was a trail that can withstand the heavy tourist traffic and which is also beautifully adapted to the vulnerable natural environment. [1-102]
[1-103] The hike from the parking lot up to the actual Pulpit Rock plateau is only 3.8 km long, but it still takes about two hours each way. [1-104] The trail rises 350 metres and the surface varies between gravel, stone and polished rocks. [1-105] The rocks can be very slippery in rainy weather, so it is best to watch your step. [1-106]
[1-107] From the Tjødnane lakes, you can choose to follow the traditional route along a sheer clifftop high above the Lysefjord or the newly built trail up to the plateau above Pulpit Rock. [1-108] These alternative routes can be combined to make a round trip. [1-109]
[1-110] The weather can change rapidly here, so remember to bring along rainwear, warm clothing, food and drink in your backpack. [1-111] There is no sale of refreshments along the trail, so you have to carry whatever you need. [1-112]
[1-113 |] Enjoy the view of the Vatne farm and the Pulpit Rock Cabin [1-114]
[1-115] Take a break when you reach the top of the first steep climb from the parking lot. [1-116] From the plateau (350 metres above sea level), there is an excellent view of the Pulpit Rock Cabin and the former Vatne farm. [1-117] There used to be so few trees in this area that the farmer at Vatne cut peat in the marshes above the farm to use as fuel. [1-118] Today, that is no longer necessary. [1-119] The old agricultural landscape is gradually becoming overgrown, and many of the old walls and hayfields are already hard to find. [1-120] This growth of vegetation is primarily due to the decline in both the number of grazing animals and the intensity of timber cutting. [1-121] Precipitation also brings with it a number of nutrients that fertilise the soil and promote growth. [1-122] The Stavanger Tourist Association owns a total of 8,000 decares of this beautiful area and hopes that many people will make use of it for outdoor recreation. [1-123] Here you can find exciting things to do for days on end: bathing, fishing, rowing, picking wild berries and mushrooms - and last but not least hiking on the other marked trails in the area. [1-124] Try it yourself. [1-125]
[1-126 |] The landscape was shaped by glaciers [1-127] At its highest point, the road from Jøssang to the Pulpit Rock Cabin crosses the Vatnerinda ridge. [1-128] In the old days, people believed that the enormous stone ridges along the Vatnerinda ridge and on along the high ground around Lake Refsvatnet had been erected by trolls. [1-129] Today we know that the ridges were thrust up as terminal moraines by the Lysefjord Glacier about 10,500 years ago. [1-130] At that time, the whole Lysefjord was filled with ice, and a tongue of ice reached in to where Lake Refsvatnet and the Pulpit Rock Cabin are situated today. [1-131]
[1-132 |] The Lysefjord Glacier [1-133] The map shows where the rim of the Lysefjord Glacier was located in this area about 10,500 years ago. [1-134] This viewpoint would have been right in the middle of the glacier rim. [1-135] The Pulpit Rock Cabin would have just barely been covered by the glacier, while the road up from Jøssang would have been just beyond the edge of the ice. [1-136] Along the road on the outside of the terminal moraine, melt water from the glacier flushed loose earth and gravel away from the landscape, whereas there is usually an abundance of loose material on the inside of the moraine. [1-137] At the same time as these terminal moraines were built up, other moraines were deposited along the whole Norwegian coast from Finnmark County in the North to Østfold County in the southeast. [1-138] Moraines from this period are often called Raet (end moraines). [1-139]
[1-140 |] The moraine ridges consist of gigantic boulders [1-141] The blocks of ice in a glacier move fluidly, and the glacier can transport gravel and stone. [1-142] Along the rim of a glacier in movement, terminal moraines will be deposited. [1-143] In the area along the Lysefjord, the terminal moraines consist of many enormous boulders and not much fine gravel. [1-144] You will get a good look at this boulder moraine later in this hike, but you can also study it more closely by taking a small side trip here and walking 100 metres up the trail to Mt. Moslifjell. [1-145] (But remember to return to this spot if you want to continue on the trail to Pulpit Rock.) [1-146]
[1-147 |] Crooked pine trees [1-148]
[1-149] The trail levels off and continues along the plateau. [1-150] In this area grow a number of short, compact pine trees, which may remind you of Japanese bonsai trees. [1-151] Pine was one of the first tree species to arrive in Norway after the Ice Age. [1-152] Pine thrives in gravelly soil and is relatively drought-tolerant. [1-153] When they get enough nutrients, pines grow to be tall and majestic. [1-154] The Bonsai variety almost certainly indicates harsher growing conditions. [1-155]
[1-156] Farther along the trail, the pines get a lot taller. [1-157] Here the soil is clearly better. [1-158] Through the trees, you can catch a glimpse of the point on Lake Refsvatnet where the abandoned Torsnes mountain farm is located. [1-159]
[1-160 |] Tasty forest and mountain treats [1-161]
[1-162] As summer stretches into autumn, you may find ripe berries along the trail. [1-163] In the old days, people were very good at gathering berries for juice and jam - nowadays, far too many people just pass them by. [1-164] Take a little stroll off the beaten path and see what you can find. [1-165] There are many tasty treats that can be used in both desserts and exciting dinner dishes. [1-166]
[1-167 |] Bilberries (Wild blueberries) [1-168] Bilberries are quite common throughout the whole area. [1-169] They taste good and are known to have an anti-diarrhoeic effect. [1-170]
[1-171 |] Northern bilberries (Bog whortleberries) [1-172] Northern bilberries are also blue on the outside, but unlike bilberries they are pale green on the inside. [1-173] Northern bilberries are often left behind after the bilberry pickers have gone home. [1-174] That's a shame because the berry tastes good and contains over three times as much vitamin C as a bilberry. [1-175] A tasty soup can be made of northern bilberries. [1-176] They have a pleasant, mild taste that is reminiscent of gooseberries. [1-177]
[1-178 |] View toward Stavanger and the Boknafjord [1-179]
[1-180] After a climb through the forest and over scree, you reach the next viewpoint, 420 metres above sea level. [1-181] In clear weather, you can see most of the Boknafjord from here with the city of Stavanger on the far left - 25 km in the distance. [1-182] In the middle of the fjord lie the islands Bru, Åmøy, Mosterøy and Rennesøy. [1-183] On the mainland to the right, we get a glimpse of the town of Jørpeland. [1-184] For an even better view, take a side trip to the top of Husafjellet, which rises directly to the south of where you are standing. [1-185]
[1-186] The forest here has begun to thin out, and the mountain birches are beginning to get the upper hand. [1-187] The tree line in this part of Norway is about 600 metres above sea level. [1-188] Farther into the interior of the country, the tree line is higher; in Eastern Norway, it can be as high as 1,200 metres above sea level. [1-189] In Norway, the birch is the tree that grows highest up in the mountains. [1-190] In recent years, the tree line seems to be slowly creeping upward, probably as a result of a milder climate. [1-191] Less grazing of farm animals and reduced removal of timber for wood heating are other reasons why the landscape is becoming more overgrown. [1-192] During the last few years, major changes have been noted. [1-193]
[1-194 |] The Mt. Moslifjell trail junction [1-195] From here, you can take an exciting circular trail up to the summit of Mt. Moslifjell (718 metres above sea level). [1-196] This is a good alternative for those of you who still have plenty of energy and do not want to take the same route back from Pulpit Rock. [1-197] The trail begins in the forest and then climbs up into magnificent, open high mountain terrain with views in all directions. [1-198] The Mt. Moslifjell trail joins the Pulpit Rock trail again at the first viewpoint. [1-199] The hike involves a climb of 300 metres and takes another two hours. [1-200]
[1-201 |] Norwegian moose, hart and roe deer can be seen in this area [1-202] In this area, you may get lucky and catch a glimpse of one of the three species of deer that inhabit this area: Norwegian moose, hart and roe deer. [1-203] Along the Pulpit Rock trail, there are usually so many people that these animals keep a safe distance away, but on the hike to Mt. Moslifjell, or if you take a side trip somewhere else on your own initiative, you quickly get into wilder country and may catch a glimpse of the local fauna. [1-204] Even if you do not get to see any living animals, you will often finds traces of them along this trail. [1-205]
[1-206 |] Krogebekkmyra [1-207]
[1-208] Large parts of Norway have been covered by marshes. [1-209] We find marshes, or bogs, in depressions in areas with a lot of precipitation. [1-210] Dead plants do not decompose because the ground is always water-saturated, so that oxygen cannot contribute to normal decomposition. [1-211] The incomplete decomposition forms a gas that smells a little dank. [1-212] This produces the characteristic - and quite pleasant - smell of a marsh. [1-213] Just beneath the upper plant coverage lies a black mire, which is the undecomposed plant remains. [1-214] The mire is completely organic with none of the sand or mineral content generally found in other types of soil beneath plants. [1-215] In marshes, we find various types of plants that have specialised in life in a water-saturated environment. [1-216] The passage of hikers across a marsh tends to enlarge the path. [1-217] Most people don't like to walk through mire. [1-218] We try to bypass the boggy patch, and pretty soon the trail is many metres wide. [1-219] A wooden walkway has therefore been laid across Krogebekkmyra to prevent unnecessary destruction of the marsh and make it easier for hikers to cross it. [1-220] These wooden causeways are constructed according to a tradition that is many hundred years old. [1-221]
[1-222 |] Dwarf birch [1-223] The dwarf birch is a small ground-hugging shrub that thrives in dry places. [1-224] It has small, round leaves that turn a beautiful, intense orangey-red in the autumn. [1-225]
[1-226 |] Frog [1-227] There are frogs in the marsh. [1-228] During the mating season, you can hear the males calling to the females with croaking sounds. [1-229] The females lay hundreds of eggs in shallow water. [1-230] The eggs develop into tadpoles, which are later transformed into frogs. [1-231] Their most important sources of nutrition are insects and snails. [1-232]
[1-233 |] Dragonfly [1-234] Dragonflies are among the most colourful insects that catch our eye. [1-235] They are built for aerobatics. [1-236] Their wings are fastened to a muscular thorax, and their large, colourful compound eyes give them an excellent overview of their surroundings. [1-237] They are hunters that live off flies, small butterflies and other insects. [1-238]
[1-239 |] Bog Asphodel [1-240] The bog asphodel is a small lily that adds a touch of colour to the marshes. [1-241] When it flowers, it turns the marsh golden, but as the fruit begins to ripen it takes on a reddish green colour. [1-242] The stems and leaves gradually turn grey, giving a bewitching greyish tint to bog asphodel marshes in the springtime. [1-243] The plant contains a toxin that gives sheep a skin disease, alveld (literally elf fire). [1-244]
[1-245 |] Sundew [1-246] This beautiful marsh plant is actually insectivorous. [1-247] The sundew's beautiful, bright red, shiny colour attracts many insects. [1-248] The drops on the outermost edge of the rosette of leaves look like water, but insects that land on the plant get stuck fast and slowly suffocate. [1-249] The sundew absorbs the nutrients from the dead insects in order to obtain the nitrogen it needs to survive. [1-250]
[1-251 |] Common cotton grass [1-252] Cotton grass is often abundant in Norwegian marshes. [1-253] The white "cotton" is not a flower, but a brushlike attachment to the fruit, which gives the airborne seeds mobility so that they can be dispersed a great distance from the mother plant. [1-254] The "cotton" has been used as pillow stuffing. [1-255] There are eight different cotton grass species in Norway. [1-256] Common cotton grass is extremely abundant in acidic marshes. [1-257]
[1-258 |] The scree up to Neverdals Pass [1-259]
[1-260 |] The scree was deposited by the Lysefjord Glacier [1-261] This massive field of scree is part of the big terminal moraine that was formed by glaciers about 10,500 years ago. [1-262] At many other places in the mountains of Rogaland - and elsewhere in Norway - there are large patches of scree, but many of these were formed after the Ice Ages when rocks were cracked and weathered by frost until they dislodged from the steep mountainsides. [1-263] In these cases, we should be able to see marks in the mountainside where the rocks in the scree originated. [1-264] This type of scree formation continues to this day. [1-265 |] Crusty lichens [1-266] Bare rock and stone are not quite as bare as you might first think. [1-267] A closer look will reveal that rock walls and stones have their own special plant life as well. [1-268] The crusty lichens grow in a thin layer on the stones. [1-269] Most of the crusty lichens become more or less a part of the rock beneath them. [1-270] By means of chemical substances, the surface of the rock is dissolved so that the plant can get a foothold. [1-271] There are hundreds of lichen species. [1-272] Many of them are as grey as the stone on which they grow; others are easier to see. [1-273] Water is usually in short supply for lichens; it runs off the slippery stones as soon as the rain has ceased. [1-274] Because of this, crusty lichens grow extremely slowly, often no more than 0.1 mm in a year. [1-275] If you find a large crusty lichen, it may well be many hundred or even a thousand years old. [1-276]
[1-277 |] Abandoned mountain farms [1-278]
[1-279] At Neverdalsskaret (540 metres above sea level), you get your first glimpse of the Lysefjord and the Lyseheiene mountains. [1-280] Here you arrive at a junction with the trail that continues along the north side of the Lysefjord to Bratteli and on from there all the way in to Lysebotn at the head of the fjord. [1-281]
[1-282] The trail to Pulpit Rock winds along a good gravel road through the scree. [1-283] The numerous big boulders were deposited by the Lysefjord Glacier 10,500 years ago. [1-284] In the autumn, the colour on the dry stony ridges turns to red as the black bearberry and bilberry leaves change to their autumn hues. [1-285]
[1-286 |] Farming on mountain ledges [1-287] The conditions for farming along the Lysefjord are meagre. [1-288] Nevertheless, people have somehow managed to settle and eke out a living on little green patches of land on the mountainsides, which they have worked into small farms. [1-289] The mountains provided important additional resources through hunting and fishing. [1-290] In bygone days, one of these small places was situated in the Neverdalen valley. [1-291] We can still find the sites of houses that once stood in here, but this area had already been abandoned before 1900. [1-292] The name probably comes from bjørkenever (birch bark), which was used in those days for roofing. [1-293] If you continue on the trail along the Lysefjord, you will find abandoned mountain farms at both Hengjane and Bratteli. [1-294] The farm at Hengjane lies just behind the Hengjanenibbå peak, which rises straight up from the Lysefjord. [1-295] In the 1600s, there was a summer farm at Hengjane that belonged to the farm at Bratteli. [1-296]
[1-297 |] In the mountain forest [1-298]
[1-299] The mountain forest is the last bulwark against the elements before you reach the high mountains. [1-300] Here the mountain birch is the dominant form of vegetation interspersed with a few rowan trees. [1-301] The mountain birch is often damaged by the snow, leaving it crooked and distorted in appearance, but it is hardy and puts up a good fight even when its back is bowed. [1-302] The gnarled mountain birches have inspired many a local artist. [1-303] Here and there in the various cabins, you will find many strange figures made of mountain birch wood. [1-304] It used to be popular to make cups and bowls from knots of flame-grained wood. [1-305] If you study the trunk of a mountain birch a little more closely, you will find that many different species of lichen are growing on its branches. [1-306] The bark on the lower part of the trunk is often bare, which indicates how high the snow usually accumulates in the winter. [1-307]
[1-308 |] Take a swim in the Tjødnane lakes [1-309]
[1-310] Norway has an abundance of lakes. [1-311] The country boasts hundreds of thousands of large, medium-sized and small lakes, ponds and tarns, the result of the glaciers' rough-handed excavation and grinding down of the bedrock over hundreds of thousands of years. [1-312] Rugged, uneven rock surfaces of this kind are only found in countries that have been subject to ice ages. [1-313] The considerable amount of precipitation that falls on western Norway throughout the year ensures that these lakes are never empty. [1-314]
[1-315] In the summer, warmed by the heat of the sun on both the water and the surrounding rocks, the water in these shallow lakes can rapidly reach bathing temperatures. [1-316] There is little chance that you will disturb any fish in these waters; they don't have any spawning brooks here, and in addition, the pH of the water is too low due to the acidic bedrock and acid rain. [1-317]
[1-318] Most of the water in the uninhabited Norwegian countryside is potable, as long as the water is flowing and appears to be clear and pure. [1-319]
[1-320 |] The bedrock [1-321] The rocks on which you tread on your way to Pulpit Rock belong to the Norwegian bedrock, which consists of acidic granites and gneisses that were formed many kilometres beneath the surface of the earth more than a billion years ago. [1-322] Over millions of years, the rock that covered the current surface was worn down and removed by erosive forces, i.e. water, wind, chemical decomposition and last but not least glaciers. [1-323]
[1-324 |] Trail junction [1-325 |] Two trails lead on to Pulpit Rock [1-326] The trail forks here. [1-327] You can take the trail to the left and approach Pulpit Rock along a rock ledge, where some parts of the trail are safeguarded with wooden bridges. [1-328] Conversely, you can take the right-hand fork on a newly cleared trail and approach Pulpit Rock by passing over the summit of Mt. Neverdalsfjell. [1-329] This trail takes you up to 645 metres above sea level. [1-330] If you want, you can make a round trip and return by the other trail. [1-331] In this booklet, we describe the traditional route on the left-hand fork. [1-332]
[1-333 |] At the bridges [1-334]
[1-335] At the safety bridges, the drop to the verdant Neverdalen valley is precipitous. [1-336]
[1-337 |] Pine forests and sawmills [1-338] It was probably the pine forests that provided the economic basis for most of the farms along the Lysefjord, at any rate from the 1500s onward. [1-339] The forest had a chance to grow large in the centuries following the Black Death. [1-340] Saws were constructed by the waterfalls. [1-341] Starting in the 1600s, pine timber from the Lysefjord also became an important export product to other countries in Europe where the growing shipbuilding industry required a source of good raw materials. [1-342] A number of shipbuilding slips were also established at Lysebotn, Håheller and Viga. [1-343] Lysefjord pine was straight and tall with good, dense heartwood, which, among other things, was well suited for ship masts. [1-344]
[1-345 |] The rock ledge along the fjord [1-346]
[1-347] Suddenly, the Lysefjord is directly beneath you. [1-348] The last part of the hike passes along a narrow rock ledge 600 metres above the fjord. [1-349] Be careful. [1-350] The Pulpit Rock plateau is about 25 metres x 25 metres and juts out 604 metres above the Lysefjord. [1-351] Pulpit Rock was given its name when people from Stavanger discovered this distinctive rock formation almost 100 years ago. [1-352] Locally, it had been given the descriptive name "Hyvlatonna" (the planing blade) because its shape resembled the blade of a plane. [1-353]
[1-354 |] Pulpit Rock [1-355]
[1-356] Many people have regarded Pulpit Rock as a personal challenge. [1-357] Members of Stavanger turnforening (the Stavanger Gymnastics Association) have performed supple handstand exercises on the edge. [1-358] A few years ago, a world-famous French artist sat on a chair that was balanced atop a number of water glasses out at the very edge. [1-359] The Stavanger Symphony Orchestra has held concerts here. [1-360] "Pulpit Rock rock" is a well-known event, and weddings complete with vicar and bridal veil have been performed here. [1-361] Every year a religious service is held on Pulpit Rock. [1-362] However, its steep walls are not well suited to rock climbing or BASE jumping because of the loose rock and the unpredictable updrafts. [1-363] Enthusiasts of these two sports should have a go at Kjerag farther in toward the end of the fjord. [1-364]
[1-365 |] Circular trail [1-366] A marked trail shows the way to the plateau above the actual Pulpit Rock. [1-367] Many people go up here to take photos. [1-368] This trail continues over Mt. Neverdalsfjell and down from there to the other Pulpit Rock trail near the Tjødnane lakes. [1-369]
[1-370 |] What is a fjord? [1-371]
[1-372 |] The peneplain and the Lysefjord [1-373] Before us, we see many landscapes of different ages. [1-374] The mountains on both sides of the Lysefjord are remains of an old landscape - a peneplain - (= almost flat). [1-375] This flat landscape was formed 600 million years ago at which time it was at sea level. [1-376] Younger types of rock may have been pushed up over this flat landscape during the Caledonian folding 350 million years ago. [1-377] These mountains were later eroded away and the landscape became flat again about 60 million years ago. [1-378] In the time since then, the movements of the earth's crust have raised this flat landscape up to its current height, 7-900 metres above sea level. [1-379]
[1-380] The contrast with the deeply cut valleys and fjords is striking. [1-381] The Lysefjord first came into existence in the form of a river valley after the old flat landscape began to rise. [1-382] Rainwater, mountain streams and rivers then commenced their erosive activities. [1-383 |] The effect of the glaciers [1-384] During the ice ages - which occurred from time to time during the last 1-2 million years - the river valley was broadened into today's U-shaped valley. [1-385] Glaciers will scrape away the sides and likewise dig deeper. [1-386] They pry blocks of stone away from the sides and from beneath the bottom of the glacier; they polish the rock flat, and they transport most of the loose material away from its place of origin. [1-387] Glaciers are the world's most effective landscape transformers. [1-388] They tear down, they transport materials, and they build up new landscapes along the rim of the glacier. [1-389]
[1-390] The Lysefjord is a genuine fjord; i.e. it is overdeepened and has a sill at the mouth of the fjord, and it is filled with salt water from the sea. [1-391] The fjord is deepest - 457 metres - at Songesand, where the fjord changes direction. [1-392] The Lysefjord is 15 metres deep at its mouth. [1-393] Only glaciers can create this kind of trough-shaped length profile. [1-394] A valley formed by a river may never be deeper than sea level. [1-395]
[1-396 |] A host of interesting experiences [1-397]
[1-398] The Lysefjord is majestic with its perpendicular rock walls. [1-399] The landscape is exceptional by any standard, and Pulpit Rock and Kjerag are world famous. [1-400]
[1-401] However, the area around the Lysefjord consists of more than just stone. [1-402] It also contains an old cultural landscape, vital farms that are still in operation and shellfish farms in the fjord. [1-403] Lysebotn and Flørli are major producers of electrical power. [1-404] The power stations are now subterranean, but at Flørli you can visit the venerable old power station, which is now in the process of establishing itself as an art gallery. [1-405]
[1-406 |] Try Fjord hopping [1-407] Combine a boat trip with a hike and discover more of what the area around Lysefjord has to offer. [1-408] A marked trail around the fjord connects Pulpit Rock, Kjerag, Lysebotn and Flørli with old mountain farms. [1-409] In many places, the trail leads down to docks by the fjord. [1-410] There you can hop on and off the two passenger boats that run in the fjord and plan your own itinerary. [1-411] A special brochure provides more information about these possibilities. [1-412]
[1-413 |] Other possible hikes around the Pulpit Rock Cabin [1-414]
[1-415] Many of our guests come back to the Pulpit Rock Cabin year after year, not just to return to Pulpit Rock, but also to use the cabin as a base for other interesting experiences in the Ryfylke district, and not least for taking other hikes in the area. [1-416] You can savour the mysterious atmosphere on a circular trail through the forest or climb to the top of one of our local peaks. [1-417] If you want to go for a walk by yourself, our special orienteering map will guide you safely through troll-inhabited forests, past moss-covered stones and idyllic small tarns. [1-418] Here there are permanent orienteering posts for the whole family to discover, and when the summer is past its peak, you can gather mushrooms and berries. [1-419] At the end of the day, you can go out in a rowboat, do a little fishing, go for a swim or play a game of football on our football pitch. [1-420]
[1-421 |] RECOMMENDED HIKES: [1-422 |] Ulvaskog [1-423 |] 3 hour round trip [1-424] This hike takes you through forested terrain to the cabin in Ulvaskog where Norwegian resistance forces hid out during the Second World War. [1-425]
[1-426 |] Around Lake Refsvatnet [1-427 |] 3 hour round trip [1-428] This hike takes you past the abandoned Torsnes farm. [1-429] If you like, you can take a side trip down to the Lysefjord at Refså. [1-430]
[1-431 |] Mt. Moslifjell [1-432 |] 3 hour round trip [1-433] From this 718 metre high peak, you have a fantastic view of the Jæren plain, the Boknafjord and the Ryfylke district. [1-434]
[1-435 |] The Vatnerinda ridge [1-436 |] 2 hour round trip [1-437] Forest walk in the area above the cabin.