• Paul on The Beat Goes On

  • A quiet Norwegian road

  • Relaxing at the cabin

  • Richard on Fingertips

  • Pete & Tish at the top of Mosquito No 7

  • Paul and Richard on Kaa & Co.

  • Pete on Smee

  • Setesdal Valley with Granite Domes

  • Tish on the bouncy dome at the campsite - we had to wait ages for all the children to leave before we could have a go.

  • A traditional Norwegian roof

Slabtastic climbing in Setesdal

This week we have come to a beautiful part of southern Norway, Setesdal.

Setesdal isn’t very far from Rjukan, a place we’ve visited for ice climbing. It’s just a little south and just a little west, but still in Telemark country. Setesdal is a valley running north to south, with the most amazing granite domes on either side. Oh yes, granite domes, that means slab climbing!

Setesdal Valley with Granite Domes
Setesdal Valley with Granite Domes

A couple of years ago I had looked at going to Nissedal in Norway, another valley with granite domes, but the only guidebook I could find to the area was in German and couldn’t be bought in the UK. Fortunately, Richard, the man who knows all there is to know about guidebooks, informed us that a new Setesdal guidebook was on its way. Result! Ryanair flights to Oslo Torpe were booked, car hire was booked and camping cabin in Flateland was booked.

We weren’t sure what the weather might be like, but planned for wet and cold. Fortunately, for this week, the jet stream was in the right place and we’ve had gloriously sunny and hot days.

We started with some short routes, to get acclimatised. We headed to Loefjell Plaisir – Picnic. Here we got used to the fantastic friction with no holds on some two pitch routes.

Paul on The Beat Goes On
Paul on The Beat Goes On
Relaxing at the cabin
Relaxing at the cabin
A traditional Norwegian roof
A traditional Norwegian roof
A quiet Norwegian road
A quiet Norwegian road

On Sunday we checked out Homme Einang – Lord, but we were unimpressed so we went back to Loefell, a little further along than Saturday, to Loefell West – Brokkestoylen. These were one pitch wonders, but seemed much steeper.

Richard on Fingertips
Richard on Fingertips
Pete & Tish at the top of Mosquito No 7
Pete & Tish at the top of Mosquito No 7

By Monday we were ready for some longer routes so we went to Bo Neverland. Paul and Richard took on Kaa & Co. (8 pitches) and Pete and I did Smee (10 pitches). Nearly all the pitches are 60m, but they were of a reasonably easy grade which meant we could climb at a good speed, but also meant very sore feet.

Paul and Richard on Kaa & Co.
Paul and Richard on Kaa & Co.
Pete on Smee
Pete on Smee

On Tuesday we had a rest!

Tish on the bouncy dome at the campsite - we had to wait ages for all the children to leave before we could have a go.
Tish on the bouncy dome at the campsite – we had to wait ages for all the children to leave before we could have a go.

Series - Setesdal

  1. Slabtastic climbing in Setesdal
  2. Setesdal, Southern Norway

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