SOMETHING has awoken from its deep slumber in the Norwegian mountains – and it’s bringing a whole new meaning to trolling. Or rather it’s turning back time to the real meaning of the word.

Troll was the most viewed non-English language film on Netflix during its first week of release in December 2022. Now, the sequel has arrived, and once again, Norway’s dramatic landscapes are under attack.

Step forward Troll 2 – the writers’ room wasn’t too taxed by the title – and, of course, there’s been a boom in internet searches seeking out the spectacular locations used for the movie shoots.

The nice folks at Visit Norway have been quick to oblige with an online guide to all the scenic spots, which you can visit here.

Nidaros Cathedral

They include the towering Nidaros Cathedral, and Vemork’s historic hydroelectric plant – famous for the WWII heavy water sabotage raid immortalised in the Heroes Of The Telemark movie.

Read more: Telemark raid site opens as tourist attraction

Vemork

But then, across Norway, every landscape tells a story. Folklore has it that the trolls used to roam freely in the mountains and forests, venturing out at night because they feared sunlight.

If they didn’t hide in time, the first rays of the sun would turn them into stone. Norwegians reckon this is why you can still see their faces and bodies carved into mountain sides, cliffs and stones.

Although few still believe in the mythical creatures, trolls remain part of Norway’s cultural heritage — every Norwegian knows what they look like and how they belong to the country’s nature and traditions.

Passed down through generations, these tales were more than stories; they were cautionary guides, warning children away from treacherous swamps, deep lakes, and dangerous shores.

Trollstigen:  Visitnorthwest.no

“We don’t know exactly when or where it started,” says Ane Ohrvik, professor of cultural history and museology at the University of Oslo. “However, you can find them in our sagas, from the Middle Ages

“We don’t know how old they are in people’s imaginations, but it’s old!”

Trolltunga: Trolltunga Adventures

Today, Norway’s trolls are found not only in stories and films, but also in the landscapes that inspired them.

From the Troll’s Tongue (Trolltunga) to the Troll’s Ladder (Trollstigen), visitors can follow their stony footprints across the country’s dramatic scenery — places that feel just as otherworldly as the legends themselves.

Troll 2 images courtesy of Netflix. Location shots courtesy of Visit Norway.

Read more: Getting trolled in Lord of the Rings country