Preikestolen, also known as Pulpit Rock is visited by almost 300 000 tourists every year. It is an impressive sight, but most people have probably not seen it at its most impressive, when the fjord below is covered by clouds.

Some months ago we wrote about Pulpit Rock and have visited multiple times since, but on the last hike we decided to spend the night and see the the cliff after sunset.

An advantage of going at a different time of day than everyone else is of course the lack of people. Another one is that the light is different from daytime.

On our trip the biggest advantage of spending the night was seeing the fjord below being covered by clouds. The impressive cliff turned into a magical mountain hovering above the clouds.

Sunrise at 05:30 in the morning did not make the view any worse:

However, one minor disadvantage of a trip like this is the lack of sleep. First you need to run around finding the best spot to set up a tent – and the camera. Then you have to frequently check that everything is working as it should be. Before you know it the clock has passed midnight and you try to get some sleep. At 02:50 you have to get up to change the batteries in the camera and at 05:30 it’s time to get up to enjoy the sunrise.

Late in the morning the sun rises in the sky and the clouds turn to fog. The first day-trippers may see the incredible phenomenon, but must tourists will only see a wall of fog. The benefits of spending the night at Preikestolen is by far worth it, especially when this is the final result:

Practical

Preikestolen is located around 30 km from Stavanger, one of the major cities in Norway. To get there from Stavanger there are two routes which both requires a ferry. You can either get a rental car or take the bus as there are shuttle busses running between the ferry and the parking lot at the start of the trail (provided at a charge). A third option is to ride a bike to the start of the trail. It might be physically challenging, but if you are in good shape it is not a problem; large portions of the road has dedicated bicycle lanes or pavements.

At the parking lot where the trail starts there is a toilet and possibility to buy basic food. Parking is paid per visit, so there are no extra charges for spending a night or two, compared to a day trip. The trail is about 3.8 km to reach Preikestolen. There are no facilities on top, but plenty of places to pitch a tent. We think the best view is as shown at the map below. Be aware at night though, 30 cm from where we placed our camera it was a 600 meter straight drop to the fjord below!