Saturday 23 August 2008

Some summer holiday shots from Norway # part 4


Geiranger is a small tourist town in the western part of Norway in the region called Sunnmøre in the municipality of Stranda. It lies at the head of the Geirangerfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord. The nearest city is Ålesund. Geiranger is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, and has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by Lonely Planet. Since 2005, the Geirangerfjord has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Norway's third biggest cruise-ship port receives 140 - 180 ships during the four-month tourist season. Several hundred thousand people pass through every summer, and tourism is the main business for the 250 people who live there permanently. There are five hotels and over ten camping sites. The tourist season stretches from May to early September; in the off-season the pace and activity are reduced to that of a normal small Norwegian town.
Each year in June, the
Geiranger - From Fjord to Summit event occurs. It comprises a half marathon run and a bicycle race, both starting from the sea level at the fjord and ending at the 1,497 m (4,843 ft) summit of Mount Dalsnibba. As there is still a lot of snow left in the mountains at that time of year, the race could also be called From Summer to Winter.
Geiranger is under constant threat from the mountain
Åkerneset which could erode into the fjord. A collapse could cause a tsunami that could destroy downtown Geiranger.














M/S NordNorge



Geirangerfjord - Sightseeing boat














The Geirangerfjord (Geirangerfjorden) is a fjord in the Sunnmøre region, located in the southernmost part of the county Møre og Romsdal in Norway. It is a 15km long branch of the Storfjord (Great Fjord). At the head in the fjord lies the small village of Geiranger.
The fjord is one of Norway's most visited tourist sites and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, jointly with Nærøyfjord, since 2005, although this status is now threatened by the disputed plans to build power lines across the fjord.
The Geirangerfjord is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset which is about to erode into the fjord. A collapse would produce a tsunami, hitting several nearby towns including Geiranger and Hellesylt in about ten minutes.
Along the fjord's sides there lie a number of now abandoned farms. Some restoration has been made by the 'Storfjordens venner' association (see external link below). The most commonly visited among these are Skageflå, Knivsflå, and Blomberg. Skageflå may also be reached on foot from Geiranger, while the others require a boat excursion. The fjord is also host to several impressive waterfalls.
A car ferry, which doubles as a sightseeing trip, is operated by Fjord1. It runs lengthwise along the fjord between the towns of Geiranger and Hellesylt.



The Seven Sisters (no: Syv Søstre, or Syv Systre) is a waterfall consisting of seven separate streams in Geirangerfjord, Norway. The tallest one has a free fall that measures 250 meters.
The legend of the seven sisters is that they dance playfully down the mountain, while the couurtier (a single waterfall opposite of the seven sisters) flirts playfully from across the fjord.









The Seven Sisters (left) and the Suitor (right).
































Hellesylt is a small village in the municipality of Stranda, Norway. Its population as of 2007 is about 600. Hellesylt lies at the head of the Sunnylvsfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord (Great Fjord), and which the more famous Geirangerfjord in turn branches off nearby. In the summertime, thousands of tourists travel through or stay at Hellesylt each day. Most of them take the ferry to Geiranger, which in high season runs every half an hour. The village is surrounded by mountains and valleys.
Hellesylt is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset, which is about to erode into the Geirangerfjord. A collapse would cause a tsunami destroying most of downtown Hellesylt.




Hellesylt Waterfall



















12 comments:

Ivar Østtun said...

PERFEKT Norgesreklame! Punktum!:-)

Ivar Østtun said...

PERFEKT Norgesreklame! Punktum!:-)

Rune Eide said...

Jeg har ikke sett bedre Vestlandsfjorder noen gang. Brosjyremakerne klarer ikke halvparten. Bildet av fossene på begge sider var stort. Og så fikk du med måsene...

ArneA said...

Perfekt.
Dere må ha vært velsignet fra noen jeg ikke har kontakt med når det gjelder været.
Kværnhuset ved Hellesyltfossen ble toppen.
Gleder meg til hva du har fått til av Ålesundsbilder.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

John: What can I say, your photos are a feast for the eyes. I do love the wonderful views of the area. The story of the mountain collapse was sad and I hope the people are prepared. The waterfalls pictures are outstanding. Thanks so much for sharing your trip.

Marcos Santos said...

Hello John

With these fantastic images,
you are convincing me that the best destination for holidays, is the Scandinavia.

The cost of such a tour?

chrome3d said...

Some shots? I think there was more than plenty goodies on offer here. Seven Sisters looked especially breathtaking.

Stanley said...

I really like your shots and enjoyed it tremendously looking at them! Everything is soooooo wide and majestic. Gives off a very calming sorta feeling, like I'm on holiday. HAhhaha...cheers!

Gemma Wiseman said...

What glorious, breath-taking pics! I so love all these water views!

donnie said...

beautiful pics - i was last at geiranger on a grey september day in 1991 - it is an amazing place

Alguns Sonhos Vividos said...

A wonderful place that I have the pleasure to visit! Love it!
But I have the feeling that I will came back! It's an amazing place!
And your photos are great!
Regards, Nadia

Wenche said...

WOW!! For nokre fantastiske bilder frå Geiranger og Geirangerfjorden. Vart kjempeimponert. Trur faktisk vi har tatt bilde av dei "Sju søstre" frå omtrent same staden, og du har nok sikkert rett i at det er ferja som er med på mitt bilde. Elles så er det litt morsomt at vi har fleire felles nesten like bilder, som eg riktig nok ikkje har lagt ut.Men det blir nok slik når ein reiser på same plassane.