Easy
Trollpikken is a 12-metre rock column that juts horizontally from a cliff face near Egersund. The formation is made of anorthosite, the same moon-like rock that defines the Magma Geopark, and was deposited in its current position by glacial ice during the last ice age. The name translates exactly as you might expect and the shape leaves little to the imagination. The hike from the car park takes about 45 minutes each way over moderate terrain.
In June 2017, joggers discovered that someone had cut the rock clean off during the night. Drill holes in the stone made it clear this was no accident: someone had brought tools and deliberately destroyed it. The story went viral worldwide, which was probably not the kind of attention Eigersund municipality had in mind. But what happened next was pure Norway: within days, over 500 people donated nearly 90,000 kroner to fund the repair. A local contractor lifted the 12-tonne rock back into place with bolts and special mortar, and just 13 days after the vandalism, Trollpikken stood again. The culprit was never identified. Ironically, the whole affair turned a regional curiosity into an internationally known landmark, and visitor numbers have been climbing ever since.
In June 2017, joggers discovered that someone had cut the rock clean off during the night. Drill holes in the stone made it clear this was no accident: someone had brought tools and deliberately destroyed it. The story went viral worldwide, which was probably not the kind of attention Eigersund municipality had in mind. But what happened next was pure Norway: within days, over 500 people donated nearly 90,000 kroner to fund the repair. A local contractor lifted the 12-tonne rock back into place with bolts and special mortar, and just 13 days after the vandalism, Trollpikken stood again. The culprit was never identified. Ironically, the whole affair turned a regional curiosity into an internationally known landmark, and visitor numbers have been climbing ever since.