To go with the mountains were numerous waterfalls.
Once we reached Odda we started our journey at the funicular railway which takes you up the side of the mountain which is 960 meters high with a 42 degree angle slope. According to our information the train was not running this summer and we would have to take a very steep path up the side of the mountain with full backpacks of camping gear. This exhausting start to our trip took a little over two hours.
But is was rewarding to reach the top and after a short rest ...
We continued up the path for another hour and finally made camp at a small clearing by a stream. Making dinner we had an absolutely fantastic view of the sunset over the snow topped mountains.
Being so far north the sun was only set for a few hours and in the morning after packing up camp we started off the trip to Trolltunga. On the way:
We walked through snow ...
We saw crystal clear ponds formed from melting snow ...
Saw many streams and waterfalls of every shape and size ...
and walked along the edge of the fjord.
After hiking through the mountains for about four hours we arrived at Trolltunga!
After taking many pictures and having lunch we headed back the way we came. Along the way we met someone who told us that the railway was in fact running, but only twice a day, at ten and six. We hurried back and four hours later arrived just in time for a ride down the insanely steep mountain. Riding in the front of the car it was like a roller coster ride where you go off the edge, except it took ten minutes to get down.
In all we walked around twelve kilometers over the two days. Originally this trip was all about seeing one little site, but it turned into a full adventure with all sorts of things to see at every step of the way. If you every get the opportunity to goto Trolltunga I would highly recommend it and it is without a doubt one of the highlight of my time in Europe.
Update: After submitting this to reddit and getting a bunch of votes I got a reddit header.
16 comments:
Looks like a great trip, thanks for sharing!
incredible!
Great story (and pics). The moment I saw your headline on Reddit, I guessed that Trolltunga might be the place you were referring to.
Out of curiosity, what would be the total time of your hike with the funicular railway and without? Also, did you take a plane to Trolltech? I'm trying to get a sense of the easiest way to get there.
In any case, thanks for sharing--the last time I only saw the pic, without the comment thread.
@tkk Hmm five hours drive from Oslo (where Trolltech's office is and where I live) to Odda, two hours to walk up the side or fifteen minutes to ride the train and another four or five hours to slowly walk to Trolltunga. From Trolltunga we left at 1:30 and got back at 5:45 to ride the train down at 6 and were in the car by 6:30.
Hey - can we use some of these pics for the Wikipedia entry on Trolltunga
@kayeread: sur, you can put them under the GFDL license.
What an amazing trip and wonderful trips!
These are great pics. In fact, I liked them so much I blogged about them:
http://www.mellowmonk.com/2008/07/journey-to-top-of-world.html
Thanks, Benjamin!
This is such a neat trip. Such a rare thing. Congratulations.
What a great write-up!
It's so weird that I found this post. I just did something very similar. After being inspired by the "wherethehellismatt" video from 2006, I went up to Kjeragbolten near Stavanger, Norway just this past week to stand on a boulder wedged between two cliffs 1000m high.
Norway is such a beautiful country with so many of these picturesque areas that it's hard not to be motivated to go see such great sites!
Great photos and story!
Thanks for sharing.
susi
waren am 24.7. ebenfalls da, mein Mann sowie die beiden Kinder
war die aufregendste Wanderung
My husband and I are planning this trip for next May. Can't wait, thanks for the great information.
Any suggestions on where to visit or stay on the rest of the trip?
looks awesome! i did preikestolen and kjerag this summer so if you haven't done those hikes then you should really try them too.
trolltunga is next on the list.
thanks for putting it on the internet.
Thanks for sharing this trip and posting some breathtaking images.
I have used one of image in my Travelogue of an Armchair Traveller and have given due credit to you.
Hope it is OK with you.
The travelogue is a non-profit ads free blog which I have created as a pastime and I do not derive any monetary benefit from it.
Amazing pictures Benjamin. Last year we were divided between visiting Iceland or Norway, and we ended in Iceland (a place I completely love), but now I see some pictures... Norway is going to be close to next (I also want to go to Greenland).
Cheers,
Ruben
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