Pulpit Rock

Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen): The Reality Behind the Photograph

The photograph of Preikestolen shows a flat rock jutting over Lysefjord 604 metres below, with one or two people standing at the edge looking impossibly calm. In peak summer, reality is closer to sixty people standing there simultaneously. That is not a reason to skip it; the view is still extraordinary. It is a reason to think carefully about when you go.

The single best time to be on the summit is late evening in June or July when the sun sets after 11pm and the crowds from the morning shuttle buses have descended. You may have the view largely to yourself for twenty minutes. Go at 6am or after 6pm and you experience a different Preikestolen from the midday photograph.

Getting There

The trailhead is at the Preikestolen fjellstue (mountain lodge) above the village of Tau, accessible by ferry from Stavanger. The ferry takes about 25 minutes and costs NOK 68 one way. From Tau, a shuttle bus (around NOK 100 each way) or taxi covers the remaining 17km to the trailhead. Most organised day tours from Stavanger combine ferry, bus, and guidance for around NOK 400-500 per person.

July and August see 5,000 to 6,000 hikers per day. Late September and October bring a third of peak-season crowds and often better light. Snow and ice on the exposed ridge make the trail genuinely dangerous from November through April without microspikes.

The Hike

From the P3 car park, the route is 3.8km each way with about 330 metres of elevation gain. Most reasonably fit adults reach the summit in 90 minutes to 2 hours. The trail starts through pine forest, opens onto exposed moorland, and involves some careful scrambling over large boulders in the final section. Nothing technically demanding, but waterproof shoes with ankle support make a noticeable difference; the trail can be genuinely slippery when wet.

Parking costs NOK 300 per day. In July the lower car parks fill by 8am.

The View

Lysefjord stretches 42 kilometres to the east from the summit. The walls drop almost vertically to the water. The flat surface of Preikestolen is about 25 by 25 metres. Sitting with your legs over the edge is a personal choice; the Norwegian Trekking Association does not recommend it and does not fence it off. People do sit at the edge; people also choose not to.

Kjeragbolten

The boulder wedged in a crevice 1,000 metres above Lysefjord on the Kjerag plateau is accessible by a harder 10km hike gaining around 700 metres. You can actually stand on the boulder; in summer a queue forms and moves slowly. The hike to Kjeragbolten is more demanding than Preikestolen and requires comfort with exposed scrambling sections.

Lysefjord by Boat

The three-hour fjord cruise from Stavanger Aker Brygge (around NOK 450) passes under both Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten, and also passes the fjord farm at Florli, which is connected to the world’s longest wooden staircase (4,444 steps). The perspective from water level is different from anything seen from the summit and worth doing regardless of whether you hike.

Staying in Stavanger

Stavanger is Norway’s oil capital and more expensive than Bergen or Oslo. Clarion Hotel Energy has a rooftop bar and doubles from around NOK 1,200 in shoulder season. Skansen Hotel in the white wooden house district (Gamle Stavanger) is smaller and more atmospheric.

Fisketorget (the Fish Market) on the harbourfront sells fresh shrimp by the bag; eat at the outdoor tables in summer. Renaa is a two-Michelin-star restaurant with a tasting menu around NOK 2,000 per person. Olhallen has been open since 1871 and serves Norwegian beers; it functions as a tourist attraction because Norwegians actually drink there.

Practical Notes

Always check the forecast on yr.no before heading to the trailhead. The exposed ridge has no shelter and Norwegian weather changes without much warning. Bring waterproofs regardless of what the morning looks like. The hike is not suitable for pushchairs; children need to walk the whole route themselves. Norwegian tap water is safe to drink; fill your bottle rather than buying plastic at the trailhead.