NORWAY: BETWEEN FJORDS AND WATERFALLS

In the common imagination when we think to Norway immediately our thoughts go to fjords and waterfalls.
And, probably, no commonplace was so suitable. But we must also say that besides that there is much, much more.
Norway is the northern country in Europe. It has a population of 5 142 000 and is not part of the European Union. The territory covers an area of ​​385,199 km², and is comprised mostly in the Scandinavian peninsula, extending from North to South for over 2,500 km. At some points in the North, there are no more than 50 km from the coast to the Swedish border. In Norway there are frequent highlands, excavated by glaciers; Dominant element in the center-south of the country, the plateau is almost absent in the far north. In the northernmost part (Finnmark), the relief includes a single high plateau high 300 to 500 meters, whose landscape is sporadically interrupted only by a few rare and not very high hilly groups. From here the coastline runs along the coast, running southwest and crossing the whole country. The centromeridic part is the highest and also includes some glaciers over 2 000 m. In general, the western slope is steep and dug by valleys that end up on the sea forming the fjords. The inner side of the Scandinavian Mountains, on the other hand, has a sweeter inclination.

Just in one of these highlands, the Hardangervidda, and the homonymous fjord where it ends, were among the stages of my trip to these magnificent places.
What struck me most at the first impact of this country, already in the first day transfer from Oslo to Hardangerfijörd through the famous Telemark park, which gave its name to an old cross-country skiing technique, was the amount and the color of mosses and lichens that, almost uniformly, cover the undergrowth. These are not thick layers but thick mattresses, sometimes even more than a meter. You should also be careful when walking on it, because you are likely to sink at every step. In Hardangerfijörd there is the most impressive waterfall, across the whole of Norway, the Longfössen waterfall. The waterfall goes down the highway and I assure you it's the closest thing to an earthquake I've ever tried. But there are hundreds of other waterfalls, all different from one another: like Twindfössen, which seems to be designed by an architect for landscape photographers; Or that of Voringfössen inside a spectacular canion.

The environments of the plateaus are extremely special (and cold). I was there in March and it was very cold. But in return the ice in the lakes gave sensational landscapes to every corner.
Another thing that strikes in this country is the huge amount of rivers and lakes. By the side of every road flows a river that ends up in a lake to go back river and end up in another lake. In short, water is a constant present.

In summer. In addition to landscapes, it is possible to meet many animals, especially birds and mammals, some of which are also very special and majestic such as moose, reindeer and, above all, musk ox.

In short, a trip to this country will certainly give us great satisfaction (and photographs).

So if you want to travel in Norway and be sure to photograph the best landscapes and fauna in these places, do not hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to accompany you.

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