Crossing the bridge over the creek. Photo: Umid Mirzaev

Exploring Trollkyrkja

FRÆNA (Panorama):Yesterday, around 40 international and Norwegian students went on a hiking trip to Trollkyrkja organised by the iFri student group and Eva-Merete Otterlei Børstad, the student advisor at HiMolde.

By UMID MIRZAEV (text & photo)

Trollkyrkja (Trolls’ Church) is a complex of three limestone caves that are connected to each other, with several entrances and exits. Water has paved its way through the thickness of the limestone rocks to form this natural and beautiful phenomenon.

Students on their way to Trollkyrkja through the dense forest. Photo: Umid Mirzaev

It should be noted that limestone is an abundant in this area, and lays the foundation for an industry based on this useful mineral.

The yellow autumn look on the path toward the caves. Photo: Umid Mirzaev

The hike up the the caves is about 1.5 hours long. The path is surrounded by small creeks, waterfalls and marshes.

The brave and curious students are entering the dark hole of the first cave. Photo: Umid Mirzaev

The main cave is approximately 70 meters long and leads to the spectacular reward – the waterfall that drops into a white marble bowl.

The magic lagoon at the end of the cave. Photo: Umid Mirzaev

“The hike was awesome! It’s a very nice experience, and I didn’t think that I would make it, but now when I am at the top of the mountain, I feel very good about myself. I feel very confident that we will make it back down. It’s going to be hard, but we’re gonna make it,” laughs Nikolas Kolb, a German first year master’s student in logistics.

Nikolas Kolb writing in the vistitors book at Trolkyrkja. Photo: Umid Mirzaev

“I really like hiking to mountain tops and places such as Trollkyrkja. I also like hiking during the fall, because when I am at the top of the mountain and look down, I see all the beauty in autumn colors. I have never been to Trollkyrkja before, it’s my first time here,” says Erlend Vevatne, a first year master’s student in supply chain management.

Moshkan Ebrahimi, a second year master’s student in logistics, was also very happy with the hike to the marble caves:

“It’s such a wonderful place! It’s my second time hiking, my first time was one year ago.”