Description

Espedalen lies in a small forest valley, which you reach after a pleasant approach through a farm- and woodland landscape. It's a go-to crag for beginners and families, and often used for climbing courses and rappelling. The top of the wall is easily accessible by foot, which makes it easy to rig a top rope on several routes. The plateau on the top of the wall is also an idyllic site for tenting.

The rock is both high in quality and friction, and on the wall you will find archetypal vertical climbing on crimpers and horizontal cracks. The crag is a nice introduction to outdoor climbing and lead climbing, especially the routes named Stihl MM55 L2 and Saco (both graded 4). In addition, some of the crag's harder routes might pose an enjoyable challenge, even for climbers above that level.

The wall is south facing, but quite shady due to trees blocking the sun. Often you'll have shade on the first meters of the wall, only to climb into sunlight higher up. The wall takes a day or two to dry after a heavy rainfall.

History

Espedalen was discovered in 1992 by a group of climbers who then shortly after established some traditional lines on the wall. Around the same time, the first bolts were drilled into the wall, and more lines were added in the following years.

In 2006 the wall was treated with a solid make-over by climbers Elin Tyssedalstveit and Ole Karsten Birkeland. Now, several old routes were re-bolted and additional bolts were added to make the climbing less intimidating. After this, the wall's popularity rose and is today the most popular place in Bø for outdoor sport climbing.