Preikestolen & Kjeragbolten, Stavanger

The walk to Preikestolen is a must!

I’ve made this walk several times since coming to live in Stavanger and hope to do it at least one more time before I leave. The walk and climb to Priekestolen is enjoyable in itself - there are some impressive views on the way up looking back towards Stavanger. However the icing on the cake is the stunning view from Priekestolen itself. If you have the nerve, try peering over the edge - my feet tingle just thinking about it! The first time I did this walk I can recall one Norwegian calmly sitting with his feet dangling over the edge while taking in the view!

Personally, I find the first half-kilometre of the walk to be the hardest. The path is very steep and I always set out too fast! After that, the walk is straightforward with a couple of moderately hard sections of climbing. It should take about 2 hours to walk up at a steady pace with occasional stops.

Advice and tips:

- You should be in reasonable health before tackling this walk
- Take a packed lunch and plenty of water
- Take at least one warm layer plus windproof/waterproof layer
- Good walking boots or stout shoes are recommended

Those points might seem obvious but I’ve seen people who’ve been totally unprepared for walking or hiking. As an example; when I did this trip in April 2004, the weather varied between sunny and warm at the bottom to snow and hail 2/3 of the way up. At the top, Preikestolen was sheltered from the wind, the sun came out and it was warm but on the way down, the wind became very cold with flecks of snow in the air - I was glad to have my fleece and windproof jacket. Incredibly, on my way down I saw one person climbing up in casual clothes and wearing a pair of Italian designer shoes. I also saw someone else wearing tee shirt, shorts and open toed sandals. Utter madness!

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From Stavanger with the ferry to Tau.
If you take the 10:00 ferry, then with the bus to Preikestolen resting place. You are not to late, and have enough time to make the 2 hours journey, up the mountain, rest and enjoy the views and another 1,5 hours journey back.
Otherwise you are walking / scrambling up the hill, while loads of people are coming back.

The walk is tough for people who are not fit, and it is really 2 hours, don't forget that. Bring enough water (better too much water then too less), and something to eat. Also light rain cloths in the backpack is a must.
Make sure to have proper shoes, the walk goes over boulders, wood, is flat, is steep, could be muddy, slippery etc. We saw people with flip-flop's, who probably thought it was a walk in the park.

Do not get upset with people who walk faster, especially on the way down. Just leave them go. And be courteous, if the people in front of you are just a bit slower then you, don't push, but take a step back and respect their speed. It will prevent people from falling and hurting themselves.....!

Do enjoy the whole trip, because the views are breathtaking...!

The hike to Preikestolen is 3.8 kms..It takes 2 hours.In fact is very hard because of the steep path ( there is a 330 meters height difference from the starting point),with big stones and rocks,but it's worth.Really.Looking at the people with their feet dangling over the abyss is hair-raising,scary.
The ferry departs from Stavanger Fish Port (very agreable trip) and a bus is waiting in Tau.

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The Pulpit Rock is a unique place. As the name indicates this looks like a pulpit when seen from below. The plateau at the top, which measures about 25*25 metres, was most likely formed by sucessive periods of frost 10000 years ago. On clear days you get a great view of the Lysefjord.

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The path leading up to Preikestolen is not very easy and in a couple of part is very hard. As the height difference suggest it is a bit of a climb at some places so bring some water, some snack and maybe even some dry clothes. Finding the way to the top you must follow the path and if you can't see a path then you can look for the red T's. The path varies from gravel path, rocks and wooden paths. On the way up you will also find some benches and tables that can be used if you want to take a break and enjoy some of the food that you have brought along. Along the path you can see nice landscape.

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Preikestolen is one of Stavanger's most popular tourist attractions. Preikestolen is know as the Pulpit rock in English and from it you have a great view over the Lysefjorden.
You can arrive to the Preikestolen Parking located at 270 metres above sea level and from it your start to hik the path towards the Pulpit Rock. In distance it is about 3,8 kilometers but it will take about 2 hour to the top and 1 hour and 30 minutes to come back. The Prekestolen is at 600 meters above the sea level which means that there is a 330 height difference from the starting point..
In the Preikestolen Parking there is a restaurant and a souvenir shop.

During my year in Norway, I lived in Sandnes, near Stavanger. The Prekestolen is an easy day trip from there, and climbing it is really something you should do!
You leave in the morning, walk up in about two hours, stay up there for a while and can be back late afternoon/early evening. The hike up isn't too hard really, and not so experienced hikers should not have big problems.
One of the greatest amusements up there is to sit on the famous edge and eat your lunch there with your feet dangling over the abyss! The rock wall falls down steeply a few hundred meter into the fjord below. Spectacular! I have pictures of us sitting up there that made my parents hearts stop. It really isn't so bad though, when you are there yourself, and I'm pretty sensitive about heights myself. But I've also been told nobody ever fell down the Prekestolen.

Preikestolen is one of Stavanger's most popular attractions. Here is a bit of info on my trip to Preikestolen on May 25th 2003.

I got in touch with a Canadian girl named Caroline on LP Thorn Tree and I bragged about how beautiful my hometown Stavanger is and the great view that you can get from Preikestolen. I ended up being a tour guide for Caroline when she came to Stavanger and the first thing I wanted to show her was Preikestolen. We got up early on Sunday morning to catch the 07.20 ferry to Tau and it was worth it. When we came to the parking at Prekestolen I think we were the first ones there.

The hike to Prekestolen is a 3.8 km but it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to the top because there is a 330 meter height difference. The path leading up to Preikestolen has been improved a lot in the last years but you still need a pair of good shoes/boots. Remember to bring water, some snack and maybe even some dry clothes. Finding the way to the top is not a problem at all. The path varies from gravel path, rocks and wooden paths. There are some benches and tables along the route that can be used if you want to take a break.

We started walking about about 8.30 and we walked alone all the way up to Preikestolen. I was quite surprised that we were alone because it can be pretty crowded in the summer time. But I guess it was early in the season, it was early in the morning and the weather forecast was not great. But it made it into a really special experience. When we got up to the top we were more or less alone there (a couple had spent the night in a tent there) so we could enjoy the view and take some pictures of the place.

So what is unique with Preikestolen? Well, it looks like a pulpit when seen from below. The rock itself is 25 by 25 meters and when you stand on the edge it is 600 meters straight down. On clear days you get a great view of the Lysefjord. The path leading up to Preikestolen is also very scenic.

I hope that this has been of some help to people that want to see Preikestolen.

Pulpit Rock /Prekestolen
Pulpit Rock or Preikestolen (Prekestolen) in Norwegian is one of the areas most profound turist attractions. This natural rock formation with a 25 meter squared plateau stands 604 meters above the sea. Thousands of tourists visit the Rock every year. The trip takes about two hours by foot, but the rock formation can also be enjoyed from the sea by boat. The original name of the rock formation is 'Hyvlatonnå' - which means the tooth of a woodplane.


Pulpit Rock or Preikestolen (Prekestolen) in Norwegian is one of the areas most profound turist attractions. This natural rock formation with a 25 meter squared plateau stands 604 meters above the sea. Thousands of tourists visit the Rock every year. The trip takes about two hours by foot, but the rock formation can also be enjoyed from the sea by boat. The original name of the rock formation is 'Hyvlatonnå' - which means the tooth of a woodplane.

If you like hiking you can go to Kjerag. It located deep in the Lyse fjord so it takes a couple of hours to drive there from Stavanger. The view of the fjord is amazing on nice summer days and from 1000 meters you can see a lot :-)