Voss
Voss is a municipality in Vestland county, and the administrative center is the village of Vossevangen. Voss is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forests, lakes and fast-flowing whitewater rivers. This has led to its development as a notable center of skiing, watersport, skydiving, paragliding and other adventure sports. Every year in the last week of June the area hosts the Ekstremsportveko (Extreme Sports Week), which is regarded as the world's premier extreme sport festival. Bømoen, the local airstrip, is home to Skydive Voss, one of the largest dropzones in Norway, as well as a gliding club. The rivers provide various levels of white water, attracting kayaking, rafting and river boarding. Kite surfing and para-bungee may be seen on lake Vangsvatnet. The ski area, to the north of the town, is accessible via a cable car, Voss Gondol.
Tvindefoss Waterfall
Tvindefossen is a waterfall near Voss on the road to Flåm. The many-stranded 110 meters high waterfall is formed by a small stream, the Kroelvi, tumbling over a receding cliff. It is famous for its beauty and many stop here to admire it.
Stalheim
The small village of Stalheim lies along the highway in the northeastern part of the Voss municipality. The village sits at a high point in the inner part of the Nærøydal valley which leads northeastwards towards the Nærøyfjorden. The view from Stalheim hotel i amazing
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a narrow fjord in the municipality of Aurland and is a branch of the large Sognefjord. The 18-kilometre (11 mi) long fjord is only 250metres (800 ft) wide in some parts. The river Nærøydalselvi flows down the valley Nærøydalen into the fjord at the village of Gudvangen. Since 2005, the Nærøyfjord has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it has also been rated by National Graphic Society as the world's number one natural heritage site.
Aurlandsfjord
The Aurlandsfjord flows through the municipalities of Auland, Vik and Lærdal. The 29-kilometre (18 mi) long fjord is a branch off of the main Sognefjorden, Norway's longest fjord. The fjord is deep and narrow, reaching a depth of about 962 metres (3,156 ft) and its width is generally less than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) wide. About 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) south of the mouth of the fjord, the Nærøyfjord branches off from it to the west. The village of Flåm sits at the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord; other villages along the fjord are Aurlandsvangen and Undredal. Most of the fjord is surrounded by up to 1,800-metre (5,900 ft) tall, steep mountains with little habitation along the fjord except for in a few small valleys.
Flåm Railway
Flåm Railway is a 20.2-kilometer (12.6 mi) long railway line between Flåm and Myrdal. A branch line of the Bergen Line, it runs through the valley of Flåmsdalen and connects the mainline with Sognefjorden. The line's elevation difference is 866 meters (2,841 ft); it has ten stations, twenty tunnels and one bridge. The maximum gradient is 5.5 percent (1:18). Because of its steep gradient and picturesque nature, the Flåm Line is now almost exclusively a tourist service and has become the third-most visited tourist attraction in Norway. Construction of the line started in 1924, with the line opening in 1940. It allowed the district of Sogn access to Bergen and Oslo via the Bergen Line. Electric traction was taken into use in 1944.
Kjosfossen Waterfall
Kjosfossen waterfall is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Norway. Its total fall is around 225 metres (738 ft) and here is a small power station on the waterfall which is used to power the Flåm Line railway. The waterfall is located about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) northeast of Myrdal Station and Flåm Railway passes directly in front of and over the upper part of the waterfall. During the main tourist season in the summer an actress dressed as a legendary Huldra (a seductive forest creature in Scandinavian folklore) dances and sings in front of the waterfall as the trains enter the station for the amusement of the tourists.
Bergen Railway
The Bergen Railway is a 496 kilometres (308 mi) long scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Oslo. It is the highest mainline railway line in Northern Europe, crossing the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 metres (4,058 ft) above sea level. The railway opened from Bergen to Voss in 1883 as the narrow Voss gauge line. In 1909 the route was continued over the mountain to Oslo and the whole route converted to standard gauge and the Voss Line became part of the Bergen Line. The Flåm Railway remains as the only branch line, after the closure of the Hardanger Line.
Hallingskarvet National Park
The mountain massif Hallingskarvet rises from the surrounding moorland, with steep cliffs towards the north and south and Folarskardnuten towering on top at 1,933 metres above sea level. Between the barren high mountain plateau and the fertile area around lies the characteristic steep cliff edge, which has given it the name Hallingskarvet. Skarv means bare mountain or rock. The cliffs, several hundred metres high, that characterise Hallingskarvet are almost inaccessible , but the high mountain plateau shows the signs of some harsh years. The deep hollows cutting inn from the north reveal the wear and tear of time. The erosion has left the hard gneiss of Hallingskarvet on its own, towering above the surrounding plains. It’s a hard life in the mountains. Some have learned to tackle the conditions however. The wild reindeer wander around the mountain all year round, looking for pastures, and the glacier buttercup turns her face towards the sun to gather light and warmth.
Facts about Hallingskarvet National Park
- Hallingskarvet National Park was established in 2006 and is 450 km2.
- The highest point is Folarskardnuten at 1933 m.
- The plateau itself is approx. 35 km long and varies in width from 1-5 km.
