Preikestolen
A square of rock above a mile-deep blue.
Preikestolen — the Pulpit Rock — is a near-level plateau of granite that juts out 604 metres above the Lysefjord, its edge dropping clean away to the water far below. The flat top measures roughly 25 metres across and has no railing, which is exactly why it draws photographers from across the world.
Reaching it is a reward in itself: an eight-kilometre round-trip hike climbing about 350 metres over boardwalk, stone steps and open mountain. Allow four to five hours there and back, and treat the weather with respect — the rock can be slick and cloud can close in fast.
Go at the shoulders of the day to trade the midsummer crowds for quieter stone. From late spring to early autumn the trail is in good condition; in winter it becomes a serious mountain route best done with a guide.
Getting there
Preikestolen is reached from the trailhead car park at Preikestolen Fjellstue, about 40 minutes by car from Stavanger via the Ryfylke tunnel. In season, bus-and-ferry combinations run from Stavanger to the trailhead. The hike to the ledge begins at the car park — there is no road to the top.