This is the most iconic of the Lofoten bouldering spots. Presten Boulders, or Hammaren, itself is the big lump of rock that sits west of the 816 road, offering a large number of problems on all sides. When local climbers are talking about going bouldering ”under Presten” (below Presten), Hammaren is what they usually refer to.
Apart from the variety of the climbing, the rock is mostly very solid and dries up quickly after rainfall. There is a wide range of grades and the landings are generally very good. All this plus the roadside aspect make up for one of the most popular bouldering spots of Lofoten.
Support the local business by buying the printed Lofoten Bouldering Guidebook at one of the local shops.
When climbing took off around Henningsvær in the late ’70s, with the development of the Gandalf wall and the first ascent of Presten, it wasn’t long before the beautiful boulders at Hammaren below Presten were discovered. This idyllic spot, next to the ocean, was the perfect place to practice your climbing skills. Much of the focus was on traversing and ”traversing” was also the term they used for bouldering back then. Prestentraversen is perhaps the most classic of the problems here, but other lines were put up too. Some of the early developers of the Presten boulders were Arild Meyer, Kjell Ove Storvik and Haakon Christiansen.
During these early years bouldering was done in stiff mountain boots, since it was still just practice for the ”real” stuff. During the ’80s sticky rubber entered the scene and bouldering became a little more popular. But with only a small group of local climbers development was slow. Most of them were still, quite naturally, focusing on the traditional climbing, but every once in a while they would sneak in a ”traversing” session.
The sunny aspect, quick drying rock and variety of grades ensure that the popularity of Presten Boulders stays intact.
