[188020] |There is an old saying that goes: "Whoever makes a journey has a story to tell." [188030] |The Norwegian Public Roads Administration is currently working on a "National tourist routes" project designed to touch the hearts and souls of tourists by showcasing magnificent scenery in a harmonious and non-exploitive way. [188040] |
[188050] |Running along fjords, coasts, mountains and waterfalls where time stands still and the past and present seamlessly intersect, these routes embrace Norway and its beautiful countryside, offering domestic and foreign tourists world-class scenery and vistas. [188060] |These are the National tourist routes, memorable drives through a kaleidoscope of contrasts in scenery, culture and climate. [188070] |These tourist routes invite you to take a break from the stress and annoyances of everyday life and take life at a slower pace. [188080] |
[188090] |From now until 2015, eighteen sections of highway are scheduled to be designated National tourist routes, 1,850 kilometres in all through quintessential Norwegian countryside. [188110] |The designs will follow strict aesthetic standards in a way that harmonises with the surroundings and reinforces travellers' appreciation of the great outdoors and unspoilt countryside. [188120] |Along the tourist routes, tourists will be able to fish, take waterfall tours and go mountain hiking, as well as avail themselves of services, accommodation, cultural attractions and much more. [188130] |
[188140] |Information about the tourist routes is available both en route and at various locations along the way, in the form of information plaques and guides. [188150] |In addition, the National tourist routes are posted with the tourist route symbol. [188160] |The guides are usually available at local tourist information offices and at service points along the tourist routes. [188170] |Before you go, you can use this website and plan your trip. [188180] |
[188190] |On the top menu you will find a travel planner. [188210] |
[188220] |Four sections have already been designated National tourist routes: Gamle Strynefjellsvegen (the Old Strynefjell Road - Rv 258), Rv 7 across the Hardangervidda plateau and through Hardanger, Sognefjellsvegen (Sognefjell Road, Rv 55) and parts of Kystriksvegen (the Coastal Road) in Nordland (Rv 17). [188230] |Two of these, the Old Strynefjell Road and Sognefjell Road, are presented at this website with detailed description of the area, sections and points of interest. [188240] |In plenty of time before next summer, Hardanger and Helgeland-Salten will also be presented in the same way. [188250] |As they are designated National tourist routes, the other routes will be described in this manner as well. [188260] |
[188270] |The majority of the tourist routes will be open all year, enabling motorists to experience the Norwegian outdoors under changing weather and light conditions the year round. [188280] |In some places there are ferry connections to take into consideration. [188290] |
[188310] |Nevertheless, be considerate of nature and the environment. [188320] |Dispose of waste in garbage receptacles or receptacles for paper and glass. [188330] |Do not light open fires. [188340] |And leave wild or grazing animals undisturbed as much as possible. [188350] |Do not assume that the ice on lakes is safe to walk on in the spring and summer months. [188360] |Glacier hikes and mountain climbing should only be with a guide. [188370] |Use campsites or other lodgings. [188380] |Rest areas are designed only for brief stops. [188390] |
[188410] |Our contract addresses are: Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Scenic Roads Office, P.O. Box 1010, 2605 Lillehammer, Norway. [188420] |Telephone: +47 815 22000 - fax: +47 61 25 74 80 ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/fp.asp?iCategoryId=86&vt=fp&iTVID=66&iInfoId=106&lang=eng [188430] |SOGNEFJELL - ACROSS THE ROOF OF NORWAY [188440] |
[188450] |In majestic surroundings, high in the mountains past blue ice, jagged peaks and emerald lakes, the Sognefjell Road runs between Sognefjord, the world's longest fjord, and the Gudbrandsdal valley. [188460] |The Sognefjell Road was designated Norway's first tourist route in 1997 and has just been upgraded to a National tourist route in 2003. [188470] |
[188480] |The Sognefjell Road has carried traffic since time immemorial. [188490] |Fish and salt from the west and butter, hides, iron and tar from the east were carried by people on their shoulders or on horseback. [188510] |
[188520] |The Sognefjell Road gives you access to Jotunheimen National Park, with Galdhøpiggen, Norway's highest mountain, and several of the other of the highest peaks in Norway, and to Jostedalsbreen, Norway's largest glacier. [188530] |Here your can poke about on your own among soaring peaks, take a tour over glaciers and mountain tops with experienced guides, and go skiing all year round. [188540] |
[188550] |The route between the inland valley, high mountains and fjord offers breathtaking contrasts in climate and topography and a variety of plant and animal life, from lower elevations with farms, pine forests and the conditions for human settlement to the alpine terrain approx. 1,000 metres above sea level. [188560] |Up here you'll find bare rock with clear traces of the last Ice Age, with grass, moss, lichen interspersed with juniper and willow. [188570] |Here you'll also find hardy polar plants such as arctic buttercup, with mountain birch here and there. [188580] |
[188590] |Wild as well as tame reindeer live on Sognefjell, and down towards the valleys there are moose and deer. [188610] |In eastern regions there may be bears, lynx and wolverines, though they are few and very shy. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/om.asp?iCategoryId=79&vt=omr&iTVID=66&iInfoId=125&lang=eng [188620] |SOGNEFJELL - WITH JOTUNHEIMEN AND BREHEIMEN AS YOUR NEAREST NEIGHBOURS [188630] |
[188640] |The Sognefjell Road runs between Lom in Oppland and Gaupne in Sogn og Fjordane. [188650] |Lom is located in the Ottadalen valley 66 km west of the town of Otta on E 6 in Gudbrandsdal, about halfway between Oslo and Trondheim. [188660] |You'll find tourist information offices in Lom, Vågå and Otta. [188670] |
[188680] |Gaupne is located 30 km east of the regional centre Sogndal. [188690] |There are tourist information offices in Sogndal, Gaupne and Skjolden. [188710] |And even farther west is the ferry landing in Hella providing connections to Vangsnes and Vikafjellet, and Dragsvik and picturesque Balestrand, the starting point of the planned scenic road across Gaularfjellet. [188720] |
[188730] |From the east, the Sognefjell Road passes through Bøverdalen, a side valley to Ottadalen. [188740] |Bøverdalen rises gently in a straight line in the terrain until it meets the high mountains and peaks in Jotunheimen. [188750] |In the west, the terrain drops precipitously and dramatically towards Sognefjord. [188760] |
[188770] |The area has several climatic zones. [188780] |The east side is well sheltered by the prevailing westerly winds and has a relatively dry climate. [188790] |The highest elevations have an arctic climate with winter much of the year. [188810] |The fjord climate is mild, and in the innermost reaches of Sognefjord there is also relatively little precipitation. [188820] |
[188830] |Several side roads connecting to the Sognefjell Road lead into Jotunheimen. [188840] |From Røysheim there is a road to Spiterstulen and from Galdesand to Juvasshytta, with its highest point 1,850 metres above sea level. [188850] |You cannot get higher by car in Scandinavia. [188860] |There is also a road through the Leirdalen valley to Leirvassbu, the starting point for many hikes in Jotunheimen. [188870] |
[188880] |Fortun in the west is the starting point for hikes in Breheimen. [188890] |From Skjolden a road runs along the south side of Lustrafjord to Urnes Stave Church, which is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. [188910] |
[188920] |Along the Sognefjell Road you can enjoy the scenery from your car, but there is much more on offer. [188930] |For hikers there is everything from mountain climbing and glacier hiking to short strolls from the highway. [188940] |Many of the places catering for tourists along the road offer guided glacier or mountain hikes. [188950] |You can also ski on prepared trails the year round and fish in lakes, rivers or the fjord. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/fp.asp?iCategoryId=92&vt=fp&iTVID=89&iInfoId=120&lang=eng [188960] |THE OLD STRYNEFJELL ROAD - past stone walls and guard stones [188970] |
[188980] |"The high mountain's glacial might", wrote the great Norwegian poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in a guest book in Grotli following a visit in 1896. [188990] |The majestic Strynefjell pass has inspired poets and artists up through the ages. [189010] |
[189020] |A narrow road twists at one with nature through the Strynefjell pass, a bit of Norwegian road-building history, which was the only road for vehicular traffic between Skjåk and Stryn for most of the previous century. [189030] |In 1997 the road was designated a tourist route, and was upgraded to a National tourist route in 2003. [189040] |
[189050] |Between the mountain community of Skjåk and the town of Stryn on the fjord, there were for years several paths for packhorses for transporting people and essential goods. [189060] |It was difficult and slow going. [189070] |In 1881 the decision was made to build a road between Grotli and Hjelle, and there was great excitement when the first wagons could set out on the road in 1894. [189080] |
[189090] |I 1978 the Strynefjell Road was superseded by a new 12-km-long all-year road with three tunnels. [189110] |For it is not only the manual labour and the story of its construction that makes it a scenic road. [189120] |Along its length of 27 km, the Strynefjell Mountain Road demonstrates the tension between the topography of east and west, the ancient, rounded forms in the east, and the sudden drop and the more recent alpine forms in the west. [189130] |
[189140] |Here you will find a true wilderness, inhabited only by birds and animals adapted to an arctic climate, perhaps a predator in search of prey, a wild reindeer, a golden eagle, or sheep in summer pastures. [189150] |Here there is plenty of space - and plenty of time. [189160] |Change down to a lower gear and head into the mountains. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/om.asp?iCategoryId=95&vt=omr&iTVID=89&iInfoId=118&lang=eng [189170] |THE STRYNEFJELL MOUNTAIN PASS - SHORT CUT BETWEEN EAST AND WEST [189180] |
[189190] |The Strynefjell Road runs between Grotli in Oppland and Videseter in Sogn og Fjordane. [189210] |In Ottadalen you will find tourist information offices in Skjåk, Lom, Vågå and Otta. [189220] |From Lom, 60 km east of Grotli, another tourist route, the Sognefjell Road, heads west, and at Langevatn, 13 km east of Grotli, you will find the planned tourist route along Rv 63 to Geiranger and Trollstigen. [189230] |
[189240] |The old and new roads through the Strynefjell pass meet at Videseter. [189250] |Here the road winds precipitously downward towards Stryn and the centre of the municipality 37 km farther west. [189260] |There you'll find a tourist information office as well as connections farther west in Sogn og Fjordane and towards Møre og Romsdal. [189270] |
[189280] |Tourism has a long tradition in this area, dating back to the time the first cruise ships called in the western fjords in the early 1900's Tourists were brought on horseback, by car or bus up the steep roads in towards the mountains or from fjord to fjord. [189290] |The stunning mountainscape made a powerful impression on the King of Siam, when he travelled her in 1907 with a large entourage. [189310] |
[189320] |Artists have drawn inspiration from the Strynefjell pass, creating music, art, poetry and films there. [189330] |Although Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson wrote that he "froze at the sight" of the "high mountain's glacial might", he also delighted in the mountains' stunning beauty. [189340] |The sharp contrast between the topography of east and west emerges clearly on the Strynfjell pass. [189350] |The landscape is marked by the events connected with the end of the last Ice Age: plateaus, plains and rounded forms in the east, and alpine peaks, gorges and cliffs in the west. [189360] |In the east, the ice remained immobile, doing little to change the shape of the underlying rock, while in the west, the ice cut into the river valleys facing the sea, scouring the mountains to create their alpine forms. [189370] |
[189380] |A close neighbour to the south is Norway's largest glacier, Jostedalsbreen, of which Tystigbreen is a part. [189390] |It is not only natural and topographical forms that part company on the Strynefjell pass, but also weather and wind. [189410] |The winters are long, the summers short. [189420] |But all seasons have their uniqueness that attract visitors. [189430] |
[189440] |The old road is closed in the winter, but in early May it opens to traffic - and to numerous activities. [189450] |Don't forget to bring your skis. [189460] |You can put them on on the side of the road at Stryn Summer Ski Centre. [189470] |And from the middle of summer and into autumn, it is hiking season. [189480] |For cyclists the road is also a good choice. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/st.asp?iCategoryId=146&vt=str&iTVID=89&iInfoId=169&lang=eng [189490] |Strynefjellet [189510] |The Old Strynefjell Road, Rv 258, winds for 27 kilometres across the rocky, mossy mountainsides in gentle curves between Grotli and the mountain plateau in the east and the cliff at Videseter in the west. [189520] |From forests of gnarled birches the road rises to the arctic vegetation above the tree line, heading then to Stryn Summer Ski Centre, where the valley narrows to a point and then continuing down steep curves to the junction at Videseter. [189530] |The highest point on the road is 1,139 metres above sea level. [189540] |
[189550] |As a piece of engineering, the road is more than a hundred years old and continues to impress with its fine handmade walls of carefully cut stone, long rows of guard stones and the old Jøl bridge. [189560] |It all bears witness to the exertion and the pride of craftsmanship of the locals and the Swedish casual labourers. [189570] |The narrow and twisty gravel road provides you with a close-to-nature experience very different from speeding along a paved highway. [189580] |
[189590] |All the way up until the 1950's, the snow was cleared by hand. [189610] |That was how it was done! [189620] |Today, rotary snow ploughs clear the road of snow in the late spring in the course of a few days. [189630] |
[189640] |In an appendix, you will find a guide, which discusses each stretch of Gamle Strynefjellsvegen. [189650] |This guide is in PDF format and you will need Adobe-Reader software in order to open it. [189660] |You will find the link to a free download of Adobe here. [189670] |
[189680] |Attachments [189690] |Guide Gamle Strynefjellsvegen (1,49 MB) ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/fp.asp?iCategoryId=57&vt=fp&iTVID=20&iInfoId=56&lang=eng [189710] |The Northern Coast of Helgeland - from cascading glaciers to the outermost islands [189720] |
[189730] |The classified road Rv 17 between Steinkjer and Bodø is known as the Coastal Highway. [189740] |The northernmost part of the road between Stokkvågen, west of Mo i Rana and Storvika south of Bodø make up the National Tourist Road for the Northern Coast of Helgeland. [189750] |It comprises several older stretches of road that have been connected in more recent times. [189760] |
[189770] |The landscape along the northern coast abounds with myths and legends. [189780] |The sea along the coast was once Norway's main route for all sorts of ships and boats. [189790] |People have lived in this area since the Stone Age, and through the generations, they have made their livelihood from coastal fishing and subsistence farming. [189810] |
[189820] |The distance is short from Svartisen's mighty glacier arms, stretching between mountain peaks and down to the fjord, to the string of islands that bedecks the coast out to sea. [189830] |
[189840] |In crossing the Arctic Circle, you enter the land of the midnight sun. [189850] |Night becomes day in the summer months while darkness reigns during the winter months. [189860] |Sea and land meet to create an entire spectrum, from the red of the midnight sun to the purple of winter contours. [189870] |A mild coastal climate and lush flora prevail, while the weather provides harsh living conditions at the mouths of the fjords. [189880] |
[189890] |Sharp mountain peaks, Northern Europe's second largest glacier, Svartisen, and the National Park are near and mighty neighbours. [189910] |Several places along the way have been arranged for fishing and hiking, with a starting point near the road. [189920] |The sea eagle reigns among a rich bird life that includes many types of sea birds. [189930] |
[189940] |A little south of Bodø you find Saltstraumen, the world's strongest tidewater maelstrom. [189950] |Every sixth hour the narrow strait becomes a foaming river of fierce whirlpools. [189960] |The river is a paradise for fishing. [189970] |
[189980] |Take the time to enjoy the coast of Norland's vivid landscape. [189990] |Meet the people and take side trips by car, on foot - or by boat out to the islands. [190010] |
[190020] |Kystriksveien Reiseliv as publishes a travel manual with detailed information about ferry boat schedules, overnight accommodation and other useful information for tourists. [190030] |Information about the manual can be found here or by calling +47 74 16 36 17. [190040] |(www.helgelandskysten.com) ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/om.asp?iCategoryId=155&vt=omr&iTVID=20&iInfoId=203&lang=eng [190050] |The Northern Coast of Helgeland - the world's most beautiful coast [190060] |
[190070] |The National Tourist Road for the Coast of Helgeland takes you through a mystical landscape of powerful natural forces surrounded by an island kingdom in the sea and dramatic mountain peaks. [190080] |This is the northernmost part of the coastal highway, Rv 17, between Stokkvågen west of Mo i Rana and Storvika south of Bodø. [190090] |
[190110] |So much to see, so much to experience. [190120] |Take time to visit the coast of Norland's vivid landscape. [190130] |Meet its people - take side trips by car, boat or on foot. [190140] |Northerners consider it to be the world's most beautiful coast. [190150] |
[190160] |The landscape along the Norland coast between Rana and Bodø has a multitude of myths and legends. [190170] |A string of islands, isles and skerries decorates the horizon, and the seasons offer everything from the reddish glow of the midnight sun to purple winter contours. [190180] |This is where the magical Arctic Circle is crossed - where night becomes day and day becomes night. [190190] |
[190210] |
[190220] |The mountain peaks, the deep fjords, the huge Svartisen glacier and the wide wilderness of the National Park and at Saltfjell are some of what characterises the mainland. [190230] |Come hike on glaciers or through the mountains, take boat trips and camp in the wilderness. [190240] |The entire route provides opportunities for fishing in the sea or in mountain lakes and streams, for hiking in gentle terrain or for mountain climbing. [190250] |A rich bird-life surrounds you everywhere and most types of seabirds can be found: from the puffin to the sea eagles of Europe's largest stock. [190260] |
[190270] |Saltstraumen, a bit north of the tourist road's northernmost point, is the world's strongest tidewater maelstrom. [190280] |Every sixth hour the narrow straight becomes a seething river of violent whirlpools. [190290] |The maelstrom is paradise for all eager fishing enthusiasts, and the location has a long and rich cultural history. [190310] |The coast was once the country's main road - and coastal culture has strong traditions of extensive trade and contact with other countries and cultures. [190320] |They rowed and they sailed, they fished and they hunted, and there are monuments here that date back to the medieval period's stone churches. [190330] |
[190340] |Take time for a trip in the Nordland coast's vivid landscape, to one of the world's most beautiful coasts. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/st.asp?iCategoryId=157&vt=str&iTVID=20&iInfoId=209&lang=eng [190350] |Helgelandskysten nord [190360] |
[190370] |The classified road (Rv) 17 between Steinkjer and Bodø is known as the coastal highway. [190380] |The northern part of the road from Stokkvågen, west of Mo i Rana, to Storvika, south of Bodø is the National Tourist Road for the Northern Coast of Helgeland. [190390] |
[190410] |This landscape full of legends and myths invites people to an adventure in the island realm. [190420] |The mild climate of this area has created the conditions necessary for a vivid coastal culture with traditions that date back to the Stone Age. [190430] |There is a wealth of bird life, including the world's largest stock of sea eagles, a wealth of marine life and a wide range of flora. [190440] |The coast was once the country's main highway and the coastal culture has strong traditions of extensive trade and contact with other countries and cultures. [190450] |
[190460] |Together with the sea, mountain peaks, Saltfjellet and the great glacier in Svartisen National Park are near and mighty neighbours. [190470] |You may join groups for glacier hiking and mountain tours, take boat trips and go camping in the wilderness. [190480] |There are opportunities to fish in the sea, hike in easier terrain or climb to mountain summits. [190490] |
[190510] |Conquer mountains, fjords and the blue glacier, or give yourself time to visit the chain of island pearls out to sea. [190520] |Visit the world's strongest maelstrom at Saltstraumen - a paradise for fishermen. [190530] |
[190540] |Travel through the vivid coastal landscape of Norland, and allow yourself to be seduced by the wonders and secrets to be found along this exotic coast. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/fp.asp?iCategoryId=32&vt=fp&iTVID=19&iInfoId=44&lang=eng [190550] |HARDANGER - Mountain, glacier, waterfall and fjord [190560] |
[190570] |Hardanger National Tourist Route stretches from mountain plateau to fjord, through the beautiful and fertile countryside of western Norway, with the Folgefonna glacier gazing regally down from above. [190580] |In Hardanger, nature offers both idyllic stillness and high drama. [190590] |
[190610] |But the distance between all these things is short. [190620] |
[190630] |It is quite possible to visit the Vøringsfoss waterfall, go summer skiing on Folgefonna and take a swim in the fjord - all on the same day. [190640] |The area offers a variety of walking opportunities and all along the Tourist Route there are places to stop for a while for a snack or a swim, try your luck fishing or just enjoy the views and the quiet. [190650] |
[190660] |These fantastic natural surroundings have been attracting tourists to the area for over a hundred years, whilst the natural forces made possible Hardanger's industrial adventure at the beginning of the 1900s [190670] |
[190680] |Hardanger also offers a very rich artistic and craft tradition, including a long history of boat building and textile crafts. [190690] |
[190710] |Today no less than 40% of all norwegian fruit comes from Hardanger. [190720] |The fjordside soils give the fruit it's own fresh, sharp flavour. [190730] |In 2006 Hardanger Fruit received the status of a protected geographic appellation. [190740] |
[190750] |In season, buy fruit from roadside stalls and eat yourself full and happy with pears, plums and cherries from Hardanger. [190760] |
[190770] |For many people Hardanger is a picture of everything that is Norwegian, with its fjord and mountain, fruit blossom and folk art. [190780] |With its green hillsides, ice blue fjord and the Folgefonna glacier like a white cloud crowning the landscape, Hardanger is stunningly beautiful even when the fruit trees are not blossoming. [190790] |
;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/om.asp?iCategoryId=36&vt=omr&iTVID=19&iInfoId=61&lang=eng [190810] |Hardanger - index map [190820] |
[190830] |Dramatic scenery featuring endless moors, steep mountainsides, waterfalls and glaciers drew the very first tourists to Norway to the Hardanger region. [190840] |Below steep mountains, the industrious people of Hardanger have cultivated beautiful orchards and developed their own rich tradition of art and craft. [190850] |
[190860] |Opportunities for walking are many and varied. [190870] |Most of the Hardangervidda plateau is now national park, with a good network of marked paths and cabins. [190880] |The Hardangerjøkul glacier attracts thousands of glacier and skiing enthusiasts every year and even has its own national day parade on the 17th of May. [190890] |The Hardangerjøkul was also used as the location for filming Star Wars II: The Empire strikes back (1980). [190910] |From the flat expanse of the mountain moorland, the road descends through the steep Måbødal valley, past the famous Vøringsfoss waterfall, one of the most visited tourist attractions in Norway with an unbroken fall of 145 metres. [190920] |Several of Norway's largest and most impressive waterfalls are in the Hardanger area. [190930] |
[190940] |Folgefonna is Norway's third largest glacier and can be spotted from the car in many places as you drive through Hardanger. [190950] |From Jondal you can make your way up to Folgefonn Summer Ski Centre. [190960] |Here you can ski, toboggan or walk on the glacier - in the middle of summer. [190970] |
[190980] |The unique Norwegian Museum of Hydropower and Industry in Tyssedal tells you the story of Hardanger's industrial adventure and the building of modern Norway. [190990] |
[191010] |The settlement at Agatunet is an outstanding example of western Norwegian building customs and cultural history and contains exhibitions, sale of home crafts and a weaving room. [191020] |
[191030] |Boatbuilding also has long traditions in Hardanger. [191040] |You can see examples of this at Hardanger Fartøyvernsenter in Norheimsund, in the boatbuilder's in Herand and in the fishing quays along the arms of the fjord. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/st.asp?iCategoryId=178&vt=str&iTVID=19&iInfoId=251&lang=eng [191050] |Hardanger [191060] |
[191070] |Hardanger National Tourist Route follows Highway 7 from Halne on the Hardangervidda plateau to Steinsdalsfossen near Norheimsund and Highway 550 from Utne to Jondal. [191080] |
[191090] |The section along Highway 7 is 123 kilometres long with a ferry connection between Brimnes and Bruravik. [191110] |The longest of these is between Bruravik and Granvin (7.5 kilometres) and in the Måbødal valley there are four tunnels which make the descent possible in all kinds of weather and driving conditions. [191120] |
[191130] |The section along Highway 550 is 37 kilometres long. [191140] |Utne can be reached via the Sørfjord from Odda or by the ferries from Kvanndal and Norheimsund on Highway 7 and from Kinsarvik on Highway 13. [191150] |There is a ferry over the Hardangerfjord from Jondal to Tørvikbygd on Highway 49. [191160] |This section has two short tunnels just before coming to Jondal. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/fp.asp?iCategoryId=138&vt=fp&iTVID=44&iInfoId=163&lang=eng [191170] |LOFOTEN - a wall of jagged peaks rising from the sea [191180] |
[191190] |The tourist route stretches from Melbu in Vesterålen, across Hadselfjord to Fiskebøl in Lofoten and then southwards through the archipelago, before coming to a natural end where the road terminates at Å, 166 kilometres further south-west. [191210] |The fantastic nature, combined with the rich cultural history and the living culture of the coast, draw thousands of visitors each year to the Lofoten archipelago. [191220] |Most come during a few brief weeks in summer and fill the rorbu cabins, art galleries and seafood restaurants of the fishing hamlets with bustle and life. [191230] |Lofoten is an eldorado for fishing, kayaking, sea rafting, climbing, golf and diving. [191240] |But it is also a place of peace and quiet. [191250] |
[191260] |In summer the midnight sun shines out over green mountainsides, turquoise sea, chalky white beaches, red-painted rorbu and time-lagged tourists. [191270] |Winter is the time of the famous Lofoten fishery, which is still vital to the population of Lofoten. [191280] |
[191290] |In Lofoten, nature is always close at hand. [191310] |
[191320] |Lofoten is full of myth, legend and mystery. [191330] |Countless artists have been inspired by Lofoten's nature and its people. [191340] |Moskenesstraumen, one of the world's strongest and most dangerous tidal currents, has inspired story tellers of all eras, including Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe. [191350] |
[191360] |One of the world's biggest sea eagle colonies is here. [191370] |On Lofoten's southernmost islands you can see enormous bird rocks, swarming with hundreds of thousands of puffins and other seabirds. [191380] |Seals, killer whales and whales are regularly spotted in the seas off Lofoten. [191390] |
[191410] |You can also set out on some of the world's most beautiful mountain walks, with paths leading you high up to spectacular views of ocean and midnight sun. [191420] |
[191430] |Enjoy your trip! ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/om.asp?iCategoryId=180&vt=omr&iTVID=44&iInfoId=261&lang=eng [191440] |Lofoten [191450] |
[191460] |The Lofoten archipelago stretches 200 kilometres out into the Norwegian Sea. [191470] |Lofoten consists of a few large and many small islands, with powerful tidal currents flowing between them. [191480] |These natural forces and the ocean are the source of the Lofoten fishery and the rich cultural tradition. [191490] |
[191510] |The mountains were shaped by the ice of several ice ages. [191520] |When the last ice age withdrew 12,000 years ago, the glaciers had gouged out deep valleys, leaving the jagged peaks standing. [191530] |
[191540] |Lofoten is famous for its jagged mountains, red-painted rorbu cabins and racks with fish hanging closely packed to dry. [191550] |But there are also level, fertile farmland, modern fisheries and lively villages with museums, galleries and cafes. [191560] |
[191570] |The good fishing around Lofoten led communities to grow in fishing hamlets. [191580] |They now exist in all sizes, from small clusters of houses to towns. [191590] |There is a big difference between the fishing hamlets on the exposed "outer side", where the midnight sun shines, and those on the more sheltered "inner side". [191610] |But it is easy to detour from the main road out to the fishing hamlets by the open sea, to marvellous ocean views, the midnight sun and surfers playing in the waves off Eggum and Unstad. [191620] |
[191630] |There are many reminders of Lofoten's cultural monuments. [191640] |In the Lofotr Viking Museum at Borg you can visit a reconstruction of the largest chieftain's residence in Scandinavia. [191650] |One of the oldest inhabited spots in Lofoten is to be found at Hov. [191660] |The golf course beside the seashore is quite new, but is becoming well known for its location and the chance to play in the midnight sun. [191670] |
[191680] |On Vestvågøy you can find the two fantastic beaches at Utakleiv and Hauklandsstranda. [191690] |Hauklandsstranda has been voted the best in Norway, whilst in 2005 The Times newspaper of Britain called Utakleiv Europe's most romantic beach, no less. [191710] |There are beautiful and well marked walking paths throughout Lofoten. [191720] |From the hamlet of Reine you can take the local boat into the Reinefjord, one of Norway's most beautiful fjord areas. [191730] |Enjoy the view from on deck or hop ashore and explore the fjord landscape. [191740] |
[191750] |Many of the rorbu cabins offer boat hire - go fishing and catch your own dinner. [191760] |Sea kayaking and rafting are also popular activities. [191770] |From Melbu there are boats to Trollfjord, a very narrow and deep arm of the fjord, which can only be reached by boat. [191780] |Or try rafting in the world's most powerful tidal current Moskenesstraumen. [191790] |
[191810] |Millions of seabirds nest on the bird rocks south of Røst, including about 1.2 million puffins. [191820] |
[191830] |Whales, seals and killer whales are also to be seen in the area and organised boat trips give you the chance of a closer look at the bird rocks and sea creatures. ;;; http://www.turistveg.no/modules/module_123/templates/st.asp?iCategoryId=187&vt=str&iTVID=44&iInfoId=263&lang=eng [191840] |Lofoten [191850] |
[191860] |From Vesterålen there are two ways of joining the tourist route: The ferry across Hadselfjord from Melbu to Fiskebøl or the new E 10 Lofast road across Hinnøya and Raftsundet to Austvågøya. [191870] |
[191880] |The route then continues across Austvågøy, Vestvågøy and Flakstadøy before ending at Å on Moskenesøy, 166 kilometres to the south-west. [191890] |Svolvær on Austvågøy is Lofoten's "capital" and an important hub for the entire region. [191910] |All the islands along the route are connected by bridge or tunnel. [191920] |The Nappstraum tunnel connects Vestvågøy and Flakstadøy. [191930] |This undersea tunnel is 1,776 metres long and lies 63 metres below the sea at its deepest.