Trolltunga hike

TROLLTUNGA - one of the most famous hiking tours in Norway. Already on my "to do" list for quite a long time. This year I finally made it :-) WE made it!
I had organized the trip for beginning of August, together with our dear friends Sona & Hugo, Ines & Ricardo and with Ginta. Just her boyfriend Hadrien was missing :-(

Friday, 05/08:
Ricardo, Ines, Marco and I flew already in the morning from Oslo to Bergen.

For work reasons, the other three followed only later in the afternoon. But that was no problem as we anyway had booked two rental cars. That way the first group/car could already leave Bergen, head off southwards to the Hardanger region where we had booked our accommodation and take care of the necessary grocery shopping needed for the whole weekend.
On the way, shortly before hitting the Hardangerfjord, we stopped at the famous Steindalsfossen, a pretty huge waterfall where a small path allows you to walk behind it.

Masses of water - so powerful!

20 minutes later, after 15 km driving along the fjord, we reached Tørvikbygd where we crossed by ferry to Jondal...

...and further on to Odda and then to our accommodation in Tyssedal (close to the starting point of the Trolltunga hike). Here we had rented two apartments for the weekend.

The view from our living room.

The four of us had arrived in the early evening, perfectly on time to have some dinner. By that time, Ginta, Sona and Hugo had also landed in Bergen and were now on their way to our apartments and joining us later in the evening.

Saturday, 06/08:
Getting ready for the big day, the big hike!!!
Though pretty close by, we still had to take our cars to drive (some 10 minutes) from our apartment to the parking place in Skjeggedal where the hike starts.

Ahead of us lay a TOUGH 2 x 11 km hike with 1.200 m uphill and - logically - 1.200 m also downhill on the return.

 

Equipped with hiking shoes, several layers of (partially also rainproof) clothes, sufficient food and water we were ready for our adventure to start: at 06:15 a.m.!!! (Everyone recommends to start very early to avoid the "rush hour" leading consequently also to some "traffic jam" at the viewpoint itself.)

So: let's go!

The first 1,7 km are the steepest = hardest part! On just a very short distance it takes you through the ascent of about 40 degrees via a super rocky and at times (=in our case) muddy path in the forest up to over 800 m.a.s.l., followed by a 45 min walk through a valley, where you can get some fresh water from the streams.

After the steep climb you'll find yourself on a huge flat slick rock with few lakes. It's a good place to enjoy the stunning views and get some rest - provided that it is sunny. Otherwise (=in our case) you face a considerate temperature drop and gusting winds. We passed numerous streams and muddy patches. It's a relatively easy ascent, but the longest of all the stages of the hike.

 

View on lake Ringedalsvatnet.

After passing the big stones and the lakes and few ups and downs it is time for another climb. Now it’s one more kilometre until we reached the edge.

And then there it is: amazing Trolltunga (the "Troll's Tongue") - a piece of rock that stands horizontally out of the mountain above Skjeggedal valley in Odda, situated about 1.100 m.a.s.l., hovering 700 m above lake Ringedalsvatnet.

WOW!

Despite our super early departure, we were not the first/only ones up there. To get your "once in a lifetime picture", with just you alone on the rock, you actually have to queue. During the season and the rush hours (usually 1 pm to 3 pm) you can even expect a queue up to 100 people!
We arrived at the viewpoint at around 10:20 p.m., i.e. after 4 hours walking, and already found ourselves in line with some maybe 35/40 people.

But finally, after 50(!) minutes in the queue, it was eventually our turn :-)

 Bacio bacio!

 At the edge.

 1-2-3: jump!

Ginta, Ines and Ricardo

 Sona and Hugo

 

Not really moving much at the viewpoint while waiting in line and also for the others to get their photo shot, it actually became quite chilly up there.

 

Some nearly 2,5 hours later, when everyone had gotten his/her picture, enjoyed the panorama and the surroundings and had a little snack, we started our return hike, back the 11 km we came.

 So small and unobtrusive from that perspective.

 

Apparently still full of energy: time for fun!

6:30 p.m. - after 5,5 hours walk: finally back at the car park in Skjeggedal. And TOTALLY exhausted - but happy :-)
The hike back was pretty ok... until the last 1,5 km. Of course you felt in your body the kilometres, ascents and descents left behind since the early morning and you had to concentrate even more on the steps you take. Nevertheless, even at km 20 of the whole tour I could have easily continued walking for a while like the last hours. The only thing: on those last 1,5 km the path was not at all "like the last hours". This last part was of course the same as that very first part: that steep, rocky, muddy path through the forest. And on the way down it just KILLED you (meaning your legs/knees)! I think I have never walked such a hard kilometre in my life before. It was HARDCORE! Much harder on the way down than on the way up. My legs were sooooooo happy when they finally reached the car. They wouldn't have resisted much longer...
Despite the exhaustion, there was of course that great and much stronger feeling of achievement and the experience of this tour in itself with its breathtaking viewpoint and in company of lovely people :-)

Back at the apartments: time for shower and RELAX!

And of course well-deserved dinner!

The evening wasn't a long one. Half of us were so exhausted and just fell to bed after dinner.

Sunday, 07/08:
Leaving Tyssedal in the morning after breakfast. On our way, on the left hand side, above the fjord, we could spot the tip of Folgefonna glacier.

First stop of the day, at noon, was in Eidfjord, where I had booked for us a kayak tour in the fjords. There is an activity supplier, FlatEarth Adventures, based in Eidfjord. We use them, i.e. work with them, selling their activities (kayak & canoe tours, rafting, glacier walks and much more) to our clients. I haven't been in contact with them much as this area is not the most developed one (yet) among all the destinations we offer/sell. We try to increase now the volume in this region and for its services.
For that, the best basis is making a hands-on experience by personally testing what they have to offer. So you know what you're talking about when offering this.
On top: as an agent I got a pretty good deal from them :-)

 

Certainly not the best weather we encountered, but it was still a great experience. Everyone enjoyed this paddling tour in such a unique location: on a fjord!
Not far from Eidfjord, you find this round about in a tunnel (a typical Norwegian thing)...

...which subsequently leads to the new Hardanger suspension bridge, constructed about 3 years ago in replacement of the ferry operating between Brimnes and Bruravik.

This bridge brought us to the road leading all the way along the northern side of the Hardangerfjord.
En route we stopped at the Steinstø fruit farm. The Hardanger area is also called the fruit garden of Norway. It grows a lot of different fruits and especially apples. The fruit farm in Steinstø is a well known stop also for our bus groups where our tour guides let our clients enjoy a piece of one of the best apple pies. Of course, we as well wanted to try this famous apple cake :-)

The farm with its café and little shop is situated right at the border of the fjord. Here they do not only sell yummy apple pie, but also other small dishes and cakes, and of course their local fruits and other home made local products (e.g. jams).

 King(s) of the road? King(s) of the road!

20:30 - flying back from Bergen to Oslo.

What a stunning weekend! The hike in itself in its splendid surroundings, the breathtaking viewpoint, the joy of achievement, the unique experience of kayak paddling on a fjord and last but not least the company of lovely friends (even Ines came all the way from Portugal to join us - so great to see her again and having had her with us!). Sure, the weather wasn't the most beautiful. Some sun would have certainly topped it all, rendering the landscapes even more beautiful and the pictures not that dull and grey. However, we were lucky that we didn't have rain. Rain would have turned the hike much more difficult if not even dangerous in some parts, especially on that first/last kilometre. And at last also the temperature was pleasant for hiking.

Thank you Marco, Ines, Ginta, Sona and Hugo for your many pictures used as well in this blog!