Kjeragbolten (English: Kjerag Bolt) is a boulder on the mountain Kjerag in Sandnes municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The rock itself is a 5-cubic-metre (180 cu ft) glacial deposit wedged in a large crevice in the mountain. It is a popular tourist destination and is accessible without any climbing equipment. However, it is suspended above a 984-metre (3,228 ft) deep abyss. It is also a popular site for BASE jumping. The boulder is just southwest of the village of Lysebotn, just south of the Lysefjorden.[1]
| Kjeragbolten | |
|---|---|
 A man standing on top of Kjeragbolten | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 984 m (3,228 ft) |
| Coordinates | 59°02′01″N 6°35′36″E / 59.0337269°N 6.5932748°E |
| Geography | |
  Kjeragbolten Location in Rogaland | |
| Location | Rogaland, Norway |
| Topo map | 1313 III Lyngsvatnet |
Geology
editRogaland lies in a weak tectonic zone, allowing the river to dig into the surrounding sandstone mountain. During the several glaciations known to have occurred in Scandinavia, Norway was completely covered in glaciers. Between the glaciations, the meltwater formed and reformed the valley up to 22 times.[2] After the last glacial period, global warming caused a rise in sea level, flooding the fjords. The boulder was deposited during this last glaciation at around 50,000 B.C.[3] As the Norwegian Glacier melted, it was accompanied by a rebound in rock formations as the ice was removed. In Kjeragbolten's case, the rebound was faster than the rising sea level, which wedged the rock into its current position.
Tourism
editKjeragbolten has long been a famed photo opportunity in the Kjerag trails. It was featured in the 2006 viral video Where the Hell is Matt? where traveler Matt Harding danced atop the precarious boulder. Because of its enormous popularity, long lines usually form with people who want to have a photo from the site. Expected waiting time can be anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour, especially when there are cruise ships in Stavanger. The Boulder is easy to step onto from the side. There have been no recorded deaths from falling off the boulder in Norwegian history.[citation needed]
It is a popular location for BASE jumping,[4] but one source noted that "there are several BASE-jumping accidents every year" there.[5]
In popular culture
edit- A movie song called Amali thumali (from 01:33m to 1:35m and from 04:19m to 04:21m) from the 2011 blockbuster Tamil language movie Ko (film) features the lead couple dancing on the top of the boulder at Kjeragbolten.[6]
- Kjeragbolten is depicted on the cover of the album A View from the Top of the World by American progressive metal band Dream Theater.[7]
See also
edit
- List of individual rocks
- Preikestolen
- Kjerag
- The Immortal Bridge, a similar formation on Mount Tai
References
edit- ^ Jøssang, Tor Inge (2008-09-12). "2700 vellykkede hopp fra Kjerag". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2010-03-12.
- ^ "Lysefjorden Earthcache - Kjerag and Preikestolen". Geocaching.
- ^ Arnold, Amanda. "Afraid of heights? Kjeragbolten will make your knees buckle". How Stuff Works. Archived from the original on 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2012-12-30.
- ^ "BASE Jumping Off Kjeragbolten In Norway, Over 3,000 Feet In The Air". HuffPost. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Berezin, Henrik (2011). Norway Travel Adventures. Hunter Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 9781588437068. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ "KO 2011 Amali Thumali Song Video". YouTube. 10 November 2014.
- ^ "DREAM THEATER RETURN WITH 'A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE WORLD'". Dream Theater. 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
External links
edit
Media related to Kjeragbolten at Wikimedia Commons