The small Norwegian town Fossmork has been overrun by tourists looking for the famous Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen). The reason? A mistake in Google maps.
Local residents have complained of the tourists clogging up their picturesque village with cars, minibuses and vans every day. The village of Fossmork is 18 miles away from the famed Pulpit Rock, on the other side of a fjord.
“When we are in the cabin, sometimes two, three, four or five tourists come in – every day, asking their way to the famed Pulpit Rock” Gunnar Bøe, a local resident, told the newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad.
The Preikestolen cliff is one of the most sought-after views in Norway. Rising some 604m above the limpid Lysefjord, the Pulpit Rock is a famous Norwegian landmark and reportedly receives more than 200,000 visitors annually.
Related: Pulpit Rock in Norway Draws Record Visitors
Fossmark, the quaint village that the tourists stumble upon, is equally beautiful but, but that’s not what the visitors expect to see.
“We have sent hundreds of tourists away in no uncertainty that they’re on the wrong side of the fjord,” said Gunnar Bøe, who have spoken to tourists from all over the world.
Google maps lead the tourists over the Lysefjord Bridge and into Fossmork. The road is quite narrow and some get quite upset when they’re told they have to go back.
Related: Breathtaking Norway
Google has said the company appreciates the feedback and will resolve the issue as soon as possible and encourage others to report similar errors.
Tourists to the Famed Pulpit Rock in Norway Fooled by Google Maps, written by Tor Kjolberg