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Sport climbing in Norway-advice please (Read 9486 times)

Ged

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Sport climbing in Norway-advice please
June 05, 2016, 11:38:47 am
We've pretty much decided to spend the summer driving the van to Norway and going on a tour doing some climbing and biking. I don't know anything about the place, other than hearing lots of rumours that there's lots of good sport crags and single pitch trad around. I'm pretty keen to stop at flatanger for a while, but what are the must visit crags/areas, especially in the south.

And finally, are mosquitos likely to be horrendous in August?

Thanks in advance for any help, links, suggested guidebooks etc

Ged

bendavison

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There is an app called My Ticks climb Norway, or something along those lines. Free app and £2-3 for sector topos. The choice looks pretty comprehensive.

I was in Flatanger in August and it was prime midge connies but the midges weren't bad at all, just need some spray.

jwi

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This guidebook is bilingual (Norwegian/English)  and covers some of the more popular sport climbing crags
https://www.sportsnett.no/kategorier/klatring/forere-og-litteratur/produkter/climb-norway-1472/n-a-os-6752


jwi

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If you're in St Léger now (as it looks like from the other thread). Look for a white van with Norwegian plates, ask for Thomas Meling. It's unlikely that you will find anyone who knows more about climbing in Norway.

Ged

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Damn it, we're home now.  Thanks though

nash1

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Where will you come into Norway? if you are driving up through Europe I guess it will be Kristiansand? You can then go to the area around Stavanger, great bouldering and sport climbing, the higher you go the better the temps. Bergen is the next major place, but hot stuff in the summer, most crags need an early start and are in the sun by lunch time.

Kristiansand to Stavanger area is 3 hrs, another 4 to Bergen

The next obvious spot is Romdsalen, with the Troll Wall and not bad sports climbing, decent bouldering too. That is another 8 hrs drive.

Then to Flatanger, another 8hrs drive, classy bouldering there as well.

Major driving mission, roads are slow - very scenic though. There are decent guides for Stavanger, Bergen and Romsdal - not sure about Flatanger...

Alternatively, if you land in Oslo, you could bomb straight to Flatanger in 9hrs after checking out good sports routes in the Oslo area?

Ged

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thanks for that. We will be driving, so I guess arriving in kristiansand. Stavanger sounds like a good spot to start off. Will try and get all the way up to flatanger I think. We had originally thought of heading all the way up to lofoten, but seems like that might be a bit too much of a mission.

nash1

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The guide for Stavanger is here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/book.php?id=1158
Best crags are Sirekrok, Lorten, Auto 2000, Oltedal. These are higher up or shady possibilities. There are other good ones, but are often hot in the summer. The bouldering is here: https://buldreinfo.com/browse Best spots will be Lysebotn, Eiane, Hunnedalen and Oltedal.

Plenty more nitty gritty recommendations if you want specific things at specific grades...


andyh

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Also looking for suggestions if I can jump on board...

Wife and I are flying to Bergen at the end of June for 2 weeks. We'll just be in Bergen for the weekend (not intending to climb there), then spending a week going slowly up to Alesund, then a few days in Romsdal before back to to Bergen.

Looking for both sports & bouldering, ideally situated next to some idyllic lake/river and wild camping.

Needs to be easy access and not too hard (ideally slabby). Wife is a beginner and I'm not looking to push beyond the 6's, either routes or bouldering.

Thanks!

a dense loner

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I worked nights in Bergen for nearly a mth in Jan/Feb. Didn't see daylight and it was horizontal lashing rain every single night!

Ged

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Yes please to the nitty gritty recomendations!  Crags with quality at 7c-8b, and good quality 6's (preferably vertical!).  Is that a bit over-specific?!

stavanger sounds good.  Ideas for van spots/other stuff to do?

A vague plan seems to be forming of heading to Bergen next, then on to Flatanger, maybe a stop at Hell?  Any other must visit crags on the way?

jwi

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Hell har good climbing. It's just a few km from the main north-south road through Norway. God for 7b-8b, not so much for 6 I suspect. The easier routes are very short and the harder fairly short. Fairly ugly surroundings for Norway, facing Trondheim airport. I would probably keep going a few hours more to Flatanger.

I don't particularly rate the sport climbing on Lofoten or on Kvaløya, so I would not keep going north of Flatanger unless you're keen on climbing longer routes.

(Sorry, cannot help with any climbing south of Trondheim)

Fultonius

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Yes please to the nitty gritty recomendations!  Crags with quality at 7c-8b, and good quality 6's (preferably vertical!).  Is that a bit over-specific?!

stavanger sounds good.  Ideas for van spots/other stuff to do?

A vague plan seems to be forming of heading to Bergen next, then on to Flatanger, maybe a stop at Hell?  Any other must visit crags on the way?

I remember Bersagel seeming quite fun at the time, but it was a while ago now...

petejh

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I'd be interested in hearing any reports Andyh and Ged, we're planning a week trip to Flatanger end of July. Might check out somewhere on the drive between Oslo.

Ged

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Not going til end of July ourselves I'm aftaid

andyh

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Sure, we're going next week, I'll let you know how we get on.

Stu Littlefair

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Some good info in this thread.

Ged, Andy; how did the trip(s) go? Any advice for someone interested in similar?

andyh

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Hey stu,

Sorry for the slow reponse, am in spain right now.

I don't have a lot of useful info I'm afraid. We didnt have great weather so climbing was largely abandonded for hiking and kayaking. Top tip, take an inflatable kayak with you

did a bit of bouldering near the troll wall, and also staying in an amazing campsite on the way up. It has bouldering in the camp site and was right below a glacier and huge waterfall. Amazing place. From there it was a half hour or so drive to a great looking sport crag.

will dig out the names of the crag and camping when i get home next week. I saw some good guidebooks over there, reckon getting one in advance would be your best bet

Ged

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Hi stu,

The short answer is it's brilliant. Don't expect to climb your are off every day as it definitely rains a lot more than France and Spain.  But if you can cope with that, you'll have a brilliant trip.  I'd sedan the advice to take an inflatable kayak, as you'll spend lots of time next to water. Also worth getting a walking guidebook as that took us to some stunning places.

Climbing wise, flat anger is superb.  We had 6 days there in perfect weather.  Lovely place, great climbing, and it seemed to get better weather than further south.  Could easily spend a couple of weeks there.

The only other place we climbed was in setesdal, where there is lots of big multi pitch stuf, and an awesome sport crag whose name I have forgotten but will look up.

There's tons of stuff around stagnated and Bergen, but it was just too wet last summer.

If you want to buy some guide books, send me a pm.

jwi

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I've nothing to add except that I love auto correct.

SA Chris

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I've nothing to add except that I love auto correct.

I sedan that.

tomrainbow

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What auto correct? Ged's a science teacher!

jwi

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Stavanger > Stagnated is funny and poignant
Flatanger > Flat anger is also slightly amusing.

andyh

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Update - this is the campsite we spent a couple of nights in. Some limited bouldering on site, a lovely spot.

It's a 35min or so drive to the big sport crag at Stryn (Beachen).

Ged

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Urdviki was the Setesdal sport crag.  Awesome spot and brilliant climbing. 

 

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