This is one of the most famous symbols of Norway. Every year, thousands of tourists try to trample on the tip of the "Troll Tongue" (Trolltunga), overcoming a decent distance on foot. And so I decided, since I came to this Scandinavian country, why not conquer the “language”? "I'll take a walk in the fresh air," I thought. Walked.
"Troll Tongue" is located in the Norwegian town of Tyssedal (Tyssedal). It is from this village that a narrow asphalt road takes you to Lake Ringedalsvatnet (Ringedalsvatn), over which, in fact, a piece of flat rock in the shape of a tongue hangs. Everything seems to be simple. But here's the thing - the "tongue" is on the opposite side of the oblong lake. And there is no road there.
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At the starting point of the route there is a wide area for cars, but parking here is paid - 120 kroons per day (950 rubles). You just have to pay a thousand for parking near the mountain! However, when you walk along the path to the language, you understand that this fee is justified by beautiful views and a well-prepared track.
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In the vast majority of reports about Trolltunga, tourists are advised to climb up the abandoned old funicular. In no case do not do this, primarily because it is now partially destroyed. And in general, it is extremely unpleasant to be on this funicular: imagine a dummy ladder in the form of a narrow board with perpendicular sticks pinned on it, along which you have to climb a whole kilometer. Forget it. It is not safe! Nearby there is a beautiful forest trail.
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The old funicular is on the right in the frame. Rises high up 
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If you forgot to buy something for the trip, everything can be done here, in the store at the foot of the mountain 
Let's look at the information board and evaluate what awaits us. So, this is 11 kilometers of travel only in one direction with a climb of up to 1200 meters. Doesn't sound so bad. Again, from the reports of tourists it was clear that the first kilometer is difficult, and then - easy tracking on a relatively smooth surface.
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Indeed, literally the first meters of the ascent are exhausting with their steepness. It’s good that the path is really prepared: steps are laid out somewhere, somewhere there is a fence. The entire track is marked with the symbols "T". There are viewpoints scattered along the way, where you can stop for a short respite.
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Endless hour I crawl up. I'm all sweaty, I'm thirsty. Bach! Only a kilometer passed, as the information plate says. Kilometer! And still go 10! And back 11. Only in this place did he begin to realize the seriousness of his situation. What to do, do not turn back.
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The second kilometer of the distance turned out to be the easiest - the path passes through a small plain, and in some places even boards are laid so that tourists do not get their feet wet. By the way, I had ordinary sneakers on my feet, which got wet just in time for the second kilometer of trekking. When you go to the “tongue”, you will definitely need special waterproof trekking shoes. Don't repeat my mistakes.
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The blissful walk does not last long, because a mountain appeared ahead ... And this is only the beginning of the third kilometer. Oh my God! By this point, I'm already really tired, and another 9 kilometers to shy away.
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The landscapes around are unearthly, however, as in all of Norway. It's good that you still have the strength to enjoy them. Look only.
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In the meantime, the third kilometer of the distance has been completed. How many species have already changed, how many sweats have come down, but only the third kilometer is behind. Then I stopped tracking the distance traveled.
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Surprisingly, even despite the "low season", tourist traffic is quite high here. Here is grandfather of eighty years old. I just go there, and he is already running back. We exchanged a few words. As I understand it, he used to work on ships, including those under the command of Russian captains.
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Naturally, there are many Chinese. They are everywhere.
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Meanwhile, the weather began to deteriorate rapidly. There was such a small unpleasant rain, everything around now and then began to cloud over with heavy lead clouds. And I, like a real athlete, went in jeans.
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Most importantly, I want to say that no easy walk on the top of the mountain, which I expected, did not work out. There is a constant change of heights, large stones, a dirty and slippery surface. Each kilometer is given with incredible difficulty, and this is under deteriorating weather conditions.
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I crawl through the fog on the stones. Rise again. But then the cloud recedes, and he appears - a great, majestic pagan! Creepy beauty.
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This piece of rock hangs over the lake at a height of 300 meters, and the final height above sea level is 600 meters. Words cannot describe what it feels like to stand on the edge of a mountain and watch Trolltunga. As much as I'm afraid of heights...
- a country whose vast territory is located in mountainous areas. One of them is a rock ledge called Troll's Tongue, or Trolltunga.
general information
The Trolltunga (Trolltunga) is a very beautiful and at the same time dangerous place in the mountains of Norway. Troltunga is a ledge in the Skjeggedal rock, towering 700 m above Lake Ringedalsvatn. This place gained wide popularity after the publication of a photo and an article in a travel magazine in 2009. Since then, travelers from all over the world come here to test their strength on the way to this amazing place.
Origin legend
If you believe the local legend, then the rock of the Troll tongue in Norway was formed as a result of the tricks of this particular fairy-tale character. The troll liked to dive into the waters of the local lake and jump from ledges over huge chasms in the dark or rainy days. On one of the sunny days that the Troll was so afraid of, he decided to see if he could do his favorite pranks, and stuck out his tongue from the cave in which he found shelter. The Troll's tongue turned into a rock and became one of the main mustsee of the country.
Route Description
The path leading to the rock is not easy at all and requires at least minimal physical fitness. The Troll Tongue cliff is located at an altitude of 1100 m above sea level, a hike to it is ups and downs of 12 km. The average duration of the hike is 5-6 hours one way. For travel, it is better to choose comfortable shoes (special trekking sneakers are the best option). On a hike, you need to take a sufficient amount of water (although there are streams on the way, the water in which is suitable for drinking), study the weather forecast.
The journey starts from the village of Tyssedal, where at the old funicular road on the map you can see the route to Trolltunga in Norway. Previously, part of the path could be overcome on this very funicular, but after 2010 it ceased to function. Detours are located a little away from the rails, however, there are daredevils who, despite the ban, overcome the path directly along the funicular road.
By the way, safety rules should be observed, because in Norway there have been many accidents related to the Troll's Tongue, including fatal ones. The exhausting road and the difficulties that arise are more than compensated by the view of the Troll's Tongue from the rock and the opportunity to take a photo in the most beautiful place in Norway. But get ready for the fact that at the approach to the Trolltongue cliff there may be a line of people who want to take photos.
How to get there and when to visit?
Let's see where the Trolltunga is located in Norway and how it is most convenient to get to it from Oslo:
- You need to get to the town of Odda, it is most convenient to do this as part of tourist groups (excursions to the Troll Language are organized), but you can do it yourself, for example,.
- From Odda you need to get to the village of Tyssedal, from where you can get to the starting point by bus, taxi or car to Troll's Tongue at the coordinates 60.130931, 6.754399.
- Further, the path is possible only on foot.
The best time to visit the attraction is from June to September (self-climbing is possible). In winter, for safety reasons, tours to the Trolltunga are prohibited. Many tourists plan to hike to the Trolltunga in the spring (for example, in May, considering it warm enough) or in the fall before the onset of cold weather. Of course, you can do this, but only with a guide.
After the ferry, we jumped into the car and drove along the coast of the Sørfjord. On the other side of it, the beautiful Ednafossen waterfall is perfectly visible.
It flows first in one stream, then on a bare rock it is divided into several branches - and gathers again before entering the fjord.
Quite quickly we reached Tyssedal, then climbed along a narrow mountain serpentine to the village of Skjeggeddal - and here the road ended. Further only on foot. The clouds are still clinging to the mountains, but the bluish whiteness of the glaciers is already visible behind them.
To Troll's Tongue - our today's goal - five hours of walking through the mountains. And that's just one way. And the hardest part of the journey is at the beginning. The first 950 meters is a steep climb up the mountain. People also live upstairs, and a funicular leads from the village, by the way, one of the oldest in Europe. However, this building is a private property, and for tourists it has not been turned on for a long time, only for locals, and then very rarely and out of great need. Therefore, there are two options - to walk up the stairs next to the funicular or climb the mountain along a path winding through the forest. According to experienced reviews, the first is much more difficult, since the muscles quickly “clog” from repeating the same movements. So we decided to follow the trail.
It was not an easy path. The trail climbed up, we were drenched in sweat and looked enviously at the local girl walking her dog - she and the Dalmatian easily overtook us and rushed upstairs. The ascent was also complicated by the fact that a huge number of streams flow from the mountain, turning the soil under their feet into mud.
Nevertheless, some one and a half hours - and we, not believing ourselves, were at the top, on a rocky mountain surface, overgrown with moss. Further, the road became easier - but it was more than three hours to stomp to Language.
The path as such does not exist there - you can’t really trample anything in the bare stone. We determined the path by the red letters "T" inscribed directly on the stones. You reach the next such letter - and turn your head, trying to find the next one. On the way there, we almost did not go astray, but we got a little lost on the way back.
Despite the height, the sun was hot. We drank all the water we took with us on the first ascent, but I knew that along the way we would meet many more streams and lakes with clear melt water. Therefore, the thirst has passed us.
Vegetation in those places is sparse. Although flowers grow on stones.
And this picture puts some in a stupor. :-) No, it's not snow. Just periodically along the way come across huge blocks of marble, overgrown with lichen.
Due to the difficult climb, not many tourists get here - it is unlikely that Language will be included in any tour of Norway. The landscape is completely deserted and deserted - you feel lost at the end of the world. But you should not yawn - you constantly have to bypass the clefts that go down deep abysses.
It is better not to approach the edge - it is dangerous.
But from some points you can still see what is below. In the mountain hollow lies a beautiful lake with the unpronounceable name Ringedalsvatnet.
The Troll's tongue is not far away - people are starting to come across who have left before us and are already wandering back. Everyone greets each other - it seems wonderful to see a person in this mountainous desert. :-) And here is the real pointer - so that you don't get lost before the decisive breakthrough.
And finally, the language itself. This is a huge piece of rock that has broken off from Mount Skjeggedal and has frozen in a horizontal position above the lake. The sight is fascinating, we immediately forget about fatigue after a 5-hour rise.
Of course, we posed to our heart's content in the Language itself - it was not for nothing that it took us so long to get to it. :-)
The place is amazing in its energy. I wanted to stay there longer, but the Hardangerfjord area is far from the Arctic, it gets dark here just in time, and walking along mountain paths in the dark is not a very safe occupation. Therefore, having arranged a small picnic and climbed a lot on the Troll's Tongue, we went back.
On the way back we, oddly enough, met people who were still going to the Language. Almost all of them were with huge backpacks, looked exhausted (oh, how sorry they were!) and obviously intended to spend the night in the mountains. However, one of the couples was walking light. I commented aloud with surprise: “But for some reason these people don’t have a tent!”, And they turned out to be Russians and answered: “Yes, we don’t have a tent. We told them that it was still three hours to go, and before dark they would have time to rise, but now they would have to descend in pitch darkness, so it’s better not to risk it. “We left the dog downstairs in the car, so we need to return today,” they said, and I mentally twisted my finger at the temple.
The return was much easier for me personally than the rise, but Anya, despite all her physical fitness and yoga classes, had the hardest time of all. She endured the very last descent especially badly - the ligaments on her knees could not withstand the loads, and already in the car she began to feel sick. As a result, she concluded for herself that such mountain walks were not for her, and Natasha, Sigurd and I were completely delighted with the ascent.
By the way, without trekking shoes that support the foot, such hikes are really difficult. All four of us were quite equipped in this sense, but not all travelers that day were ready. Already downstairs, at the information board, we found a mini-cemetery of shoes that did not survive this 10-hour mountain walk. :-)
Trolltunga is one of the most beautiful and dangerous places in Norway. Once you see this rocky ledge above Lake Ringedalsvatnet, you will definitely want to take a picture on it. It is located at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level.
2009 was a turning point for this place: a review article in a well-known travel magazine saw the light, which led to crowds of curious tourists from all over the world. “Skjeggedal” is the original name of the rock, but the locals are used to calling it “Troll’s Tongue”, since the rock is very reminiscent of the elongated tongue of this mythical creature. 
The Legend of Troll Tongue
Why do Norwegians associate the rock with the troll? It all comes down to an old Scandinavian belief that Norway is so rich in. In ancient times, there lived a huge troll, whose size was commensurate only with his own stupidity. He took risks all the time, tempting fate: jumping over steep abysses, diving into deep waters and trying to reach the moon from a cliff. 
The troll is a creature of the twilight world, and he did not go out into the light during the day, because there were rumors that this could kill him. But he decided to take another chance, and with the first rays of the sun he stuck out his tongue from the cave. As soon as the sun touched the tongue, the troll completely petrified. 
Since then, an unusually shaped rock above Lake Ringedalsvatnet has been attracting travelers from all over the world like a magnet. For the sake of a good shot, they, like a troll fanned with legends, risk their lives. 
How to get to the iconic place?
Odda is the nearest town on the way to the ascent. It is located in a picturesque area between two bays and is a fjord with beautiful colorful houses in the middle of virgin nature. The easiest way to get here is from Bergen, which has an airport. 
Buses run regularly. Overcoming 150 kilometers through the Hordallan region, you can admire the Norwegian forests and the many waterfalls that sprawl here. Due to the popularity of the mountain, Odda is not a cheap place to stay, and it is very difficult to find a free room. You have to book accommodation at least three months in advance! 
The further way to the Troll's Tongue will have to be overcome on foot, it takes 11 kilometers. It is best to come here from June to October, as this is the warmest and driest time of the year. You will have to walk along narrow paths and slopes, but the amazing surrounding landscapes and clean mountain air will quietly brighten up the time. In general, the hike takes about 9-10 hours, so you need to take care of heat-protective clothing, comfortable shoes, a thermos with warm tea and a snack. 
The road is marked with various signs and laid along the old rails of the funicular, which once ran here. The rails have long been rotten, so walking on them is strictly prohibited. A twenty-minute queue at the top of the mountain, and you can add to your collection a breathtaking photo against the backdrop of an abyss, snowy peaks and a blue lake. 
Caution won't hurt
The ledge rising hundreds of meters above sea level is very dangerous, which is sometimes forgotten by brave travelers. In this age of social networking, thoughts are more concerned with how to post a spectacular shot than with your own safety. 
The first and so far the only negative case happened in 2015. An Australian tourist was trying to take a beautiful photo and got too close to a cliff. Losing her balance, she fell into the abyss. The Norwegian travel portal immediately removed a lot of extreme photos from its website in order not to tempt new tourists into risky actions. Physical fitness, proper shoes, slowness and caution - these are the main rules for a successful ascent to the legendary "Troll's Tongue".
Norway, the country of Vikings and fjords, is full of amazing sights. In addition to the Preacher's Chair (aka Preikestolen), the famous Troll Tongue (Trolltunga in Norwegian) is also worth highlighting. The Norwegians believed, and probably still believe, that their country is inhabited by mythical trolls. This is a kind of mountain spirits, inhabitants of the stone labyrinths of the Norwegian rocks.
The appearance of the Troll Tongue actually resembles the shape of a tongue. Moreover, local residents claim that this is exactly what the language of a real troll looks like (although no photographs or video evidence was presented). Well, let's take the Norwegians at their word.
Troll tongue on the map
- Geographic coordinates 60.130931, 6.754399
- Distance from the Norwegian capital Oslo is about 225 km
- Distance to the nearest airport Bergen is about 90 km.
If you have already been to the square Preikestolen, then do not be lazy and visit the Troll's Tongue, which is located 120 kilometers from it and 10 kilometers from the town of Odda.
This attraction appeared quite naturally. A piece of rock broke away from the mountain, but due to its low weight, it hung at a height of 350 meters and did not fall down. Under Troll's Tongue is now an artificial lake.
An unrealistically beautiful view opens from here for many kilometers around. Especially if you are lucky with the weather and the bright sun is shining. Silence and tranquility reign around and envelop you in the fog of primordial nature.
In 2009, photographs of Trolltunga appeared in a popular travel magazine, prompting an increase in tourism to these places.
Previously, a funicular climbed to the top of the mountain, but already in 2010 it stopped working, and then even the ladder-rails (on which the funicular went) were dismantled, thereby complicating the way for travelers to the top.
So, if you are going to climb Tongue, then forget about an easy walk. Arm yourself with patience, water, provisions and good hiking shoes. You can safely throw stilettos into the nearest trash can (even if they were cut by venerable European fashion designers).
The ascent will take about 10 hours of your time. The road is quite difficult, muddy and full of stones. From the parking lot to the Language is about 11 kilometers over fairly rugged terrain. There are practically no modern “helpers” on the trail, except for half-worn red signs.
The best time to visit the attraction is from May to October. At this time there is no snow, and the path is much easier to follow. Having made the ascent, you will be rewarded, because the views that open up will amaze you and leave indelible impressions and amazing photographs to remember.
