Did you know that you can hike on top of the most famous wall in Norway? The Trollveggen, Troll Wall, is the tallest vertical overhanging rock face in Europe. There are several hiking routes that lead to the edge of Troll Wall, such as Stabbeskaret. Have a look at how to hike there yourself!
Trollveggen Troll Wall
Trollveggen (Troll Wall) is the highest vertical rock face in Europe. Measuring about 1,100 meters from the base to the summit of its highest point, it towers above the Romsdalen Valley.
The jagged peaks on top of the Troll Wall are meant to represent petrified Trolls. And they really looked like that. Especially in the cloudy, misty weather that we had during our hike. You can find trolls all over Norway. We have Troll Road, Troll Tongue, Troll Spike, and many more.
For many climbers and base jumpers, it is a high (literally) goal to climb or jump from the top. There has also been a part of the history of the wall written by Polish climbers. Wanda Rutkiewicz and Halina Krüger-Syrokomska were the first women to climb the east side of the wall and Wojciech Kurtyka did the first winter climb of the northern part.
But even if you are not a climber, you can still get close to the Troll Wall and look a kilometer down to the valley. It is a place that you will never forget and one of the best hikes in Norway.
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Trollveggen Troll Wall hike
There are several routes that will take you close to Trollveggen. The most known ones are Stabbeskaret (that I describe here and recommend!), Bruraskaret, Store Trolltind, and Nordre Trolltind. Some are harder than others. Especially the hike to Store Trolltind requires knowledge of climbing and proper equipment. This is the highest point along the Troll Wall at 1788 meters.
The hike that I chose to do is Stabbeskaret, which is also one of the best viewpoints to the Troll Wall itself. I might try to hike to Nordre Trolltind next to see it from another side.
Details of Stabbeskaret hike to the side of Trollveggen
Length: 5 km one way
Time: 2,5 hours one way
Difficulty: Red (challenging)
Starting point: Near Trollstigen – Troll Road.
Return: the same way.
Highest point: Stabbeskaret 1420 meters.
Elevation difference: 800 m
Hike to Stabbeskaret
I would say that the Stabbeskaret hike can be done by anyone who is relatively fit. You might need to take more time, but you should be able to do it in general.
It’s not very strenuous, but there are parts that involve crossing scree, and they might be quite tiring. Navigating your way on and around big boulders and smaller rocks requires focus and good balance.
Beginning of the Troll Wall hike of Stabbeskaret
The route starts from the famous Troll Road, Trollstigen, part of the National Tourist Routes in Norway. Just before the last viewing platform, you can see a turn to the right and the arrow with Stabbeskaret’s name written on it.
The path then follows steeply up, until it reaches the waterfall. Then, it flattens out for a little bit, to then cross onto the big rock field. The path is marked with red paint.
After going up, you reach several small lakes. There usually is still snow there, that you need to cross, but usually, it’s only a small patch. This is where the jagged parts of Trollveggen start to show up in the distance.
After that, the path goes straight and then down. The last part is the climb on big rocks to reach the edge of the Trollveggen.
On Top Of The Troll Wall
From the top, the view down to Romsdalen Valley is spectacular and the feeling of looking down from the vertical cliff is exhilarating.
On your left, you can see the highest parts of Trollveggen. This is where Store Trolltinded is located at a height of 1788 meters. On the other side of the valley, you can notice Romsdalseggen, one of the most beautiful hikes in Norway.
I like to hike a lot of high mountains with viewpoints located at the edge, and I do not have a fear of heights. My trips often include Via Ferrata, or crossing hanging bridges. I confidently walked on Trolltunga via Ferrata and stood on one leg on Kjeragbolten. And yet, Troll Wall was probably the first place in Norway, where I felt my legs tingling while I was posing for photos on the edge.
The Troll Wall overwhelms with its impressiveness. It’s like you step into a different world, the world of Trolls, and mighty mountains. An unforgettable place to visit.
When to hike the Troll Wall in Norway?
The general hiking season in Norway is in the summer. This is when, usually, the weather is at its best and there is less or no snow in the mountains. Also, the roads that are closed in Norway in winter, are open in the summer.
However, this is Norway and in the mountains, the weather can be far away from the summery. In this post I describe what to pack for Norway in the summer, including the mountains, to be prepared for the changing weather, so give it a read.
What to pack for the Troll Wall hike in Norway?
For general tips on what to pack to Norway in the summer check here. For the hike remember to take the following:
- enough food and water for a day
- a water filter can be useful for filtering water from the streams if you don’t want to carry all of the water with you. Water in Norway is usually safe to drink, but sometimes there are sheep in the mountains, or on popular trails there are a lot of people, and in these cases, the water can be polluted.
- suncream – I always take this suncream as it has great protection, good skincare, and is perfect for kids and adults on the face and body.
- good waterproof hiking shoes with ankle support – Check the price and models here.
- waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers
- first aid kit
- additional clothes for when it gets cold – I swear by the Merino wool base layers (Merino wool top and Merino wool bottoms)
- warm hat and thin gloves
- sun hat for when the forecast is sunny
- Sunglasses – Check UV sunglasses at a good price here
Read more about Norway:
Romsdalseggen ridge – the most beautiful hike in Norway
Tips on how to travel Norway on a budget
30 Best Hikes In Norway Explained + Map
Kjerag hike without the crowds – Kjeragbolten
Best Norwegian gifts and souvenirs to bring back from your trip
Would you like to hike the Troll Wall? Or maybe you’ve already done it? Let me know in the comments!
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