Thiis thread is started as a reply to the last question in Norwegian potato cakes , post #12. - the variation in Norway. The reply is based on the view of a Norwgian boy just turned 16 and knowing his contry above average compared to age, without being an expert, and any opininon stated is my personal opininium when nothing else is clearly stated. I do not argue about those opinions or my right for having them, but will try to handle any kind of other qurestions/comments as far a boy at 16 reasonable can handle them, and I have time available.
This first post about the nature in the southern part of Norway, easiest most accessable to most foreigners. A short brief only, a lot more can be detailed if someone want that.
In nature Norway has a large variantion - more than most European contries, I imagine. However, before talking about that, a map of the 19 Norvegians divisions" or "fylker" (sing. "fylke"): https://fylkervalg.wikispaces.com/file/view/fylker.gif/85497747/fylker.gif. I'm using the name of this regions as references.
Lest start in the SE: Most of Østfold, Akershus and Hedmark close to the Swedish border are the deep, large lowland, spruce forests http://borchbio.no/narin/storebilder/14075.jpg, the lazy rivers like https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...telva_Hedmark.jpg/440px-Svartelva_Hedmark.jpg once - and partly still used as the transportation road of the timber to the coast (http://www.gran.kommune.no/Global/Landbruk/Tømmerfløting 2006 (4).jpg). Slighly more avay from the border one'll find the large open rural areas like http://www.skiforeningen.no/img/publish/14287.jpg, the largest Norwegian river Glomma, like http://images.citybreak.com/image.aspx?ImageId=904407 and the largest Norwegian lake Mjøsa, like https://media.snl.no/system/images/7610/standard_mj_c3_b8sa__e2_80_93_2_1.jpg.
Vestfold and eastern/southern part of Buskerud/Oppland is quite similiar (less deep forests and som higher in average) while parts of Telemark (the "upper Telemark") and the more western/northern parts of Buskerud/Oppland is a lot more hilly and more like http://www.reuber-norwegen.de/Oppland/Oppland23_g.jpg, and http://www.kringen1612.no/Bilder_myter/Kruke_900bg.jpg. In the north-west of this area is Jotunheimen (litt: the troll's home) with highest mountains in Norway, like Glitretind (https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/turistforeningen/images/gW/Is/Sr-500.jpeg, and https://peakbook.org/gfx/images/d/07/500fjell_glittroll17a.jpg/500fjell_glittroll17a-1.jpg, all year covered with the snow), Galdhøpiggen (https://static.panoramio.com.storage.googleapis.com/photos/large/7185880.jpg, 8100 feet or 2469 meters) Norway has 21 moutains raising above 2300 meters, 16 of these are found in the that part of Jotunheimen area belonging to Oppland, while the others are found in Hurrangane, the part of Jotunheimien belonging to Sogn og Fjordane). Slightly east of Jotunheimen is Dovrefjell, a moutain barrier betwen the soutern and the northern part of Norway. This area is more flat, but with the Snøhætta raising like https://bjorstad.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/snc3b8hetta1.jpg. South of Jotunheimen is the mountain barrier Langfjella ("the long mountains", more steep in in north than in south, but totally found nearly down to the souithern coast. Buskerud is the silver town Kongsberg wiht the silver mines some miles outside town and available with a city bus + some walking. The mines are closed for commercial use today, but were for centuries the King's silver depot, and all Norwegian/most Danish coins from the period 1700-1900 contains silver from these silver mines. One of the mines are still acessable every Saturday/Sunday between mid-June and late August - the "silver train" is like(http://brattrein.no/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sølvgruvene_wp_brattrein.jpg and inside the mine is like http://www.mn.uio.no/kjemi/tjenester/kunnskap/periodesystemet/media/Ag/bilder/sølvgruvene.jpg. The church at Kongsberg is remarkable - modest outside (https://media.snl.no/system/images/17759/standard_Kongsberg_kirke_1100px.jpg), rich decorated inside ( https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6168/6240773406_2a20b977ee_b.jpg). The idea is to reflect a true Christan soul as seen by men (outside) and by God (inside). The church is the largest in Norway, as the workers in the mine had to annend the Sunday Service if still wanting to be employees next week - and if they were tired and felt asleep they immidialtely got a ruler smack across their fingers...
The southern part of Norway ("lower Telemark", Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder( are the idyllic small white wooden towns like http://www.hyttemag.no/sites/defaul..._1_article_carousel_image/public/_va02108.jpg and http://hytterisor.com/images/meny_L1020037.JPG, idyllic bathing areas like http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Grd3DAP-...1RfIyTGQXA/s1600/19584471479_dbfe4da867_o.jpg with special "svaberg" or coastal rock washed round and softy, not sharp at all. More inland this area is nature like http://teltlivet.no/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/teltlivet_blogg_indreagder2.jpg, http://sdc.novasol.com/pic/600/n34/n34687_associated_01.jpg and http://fvn.mnocdn.no/images/2a9d9436-0ce6-4c3c-be01-42a0a88ce919?fit=crop&h=810&q=80&w=1440.
Along the coast the change betwen sout and west are found where Vest-Agder meet Rogaland, inland at Setesdalen, a long vally N of Kristansand in Vest-Agder. Setesdalen is like http://www.touristphoto.no/images/aust agder/setesdalen/setesdalen.jpg in the south, more like https://res-2.cloudinary.com/simple...rway_ac91d609-636e-4e00-821b-78126416db3d.jpg in the north when meeting Hardangervidda, a moutain plateu starting "Langfjella". The plateu is 1300 sq miles or 3400 sq kilometers, having less than 500 residents (and 50 % of those escaping in the winter). Except close to N/S/E/W no way drivable with a ordinary car (and no off-road driving, except for local when absolutely needed due to their occupation). However, like Jotunheimen easily accessable with NBE-buses when wanting a lonesome mountain hike some days (or weeks), more about that later.
The districts Rogaland/Hordaland/Sogn og Fjordane/Møre og Romsdal) is the Fiord Norway. However, the souternmost part of Rogaland is more like the sothern part of Norway, with the white towns like http://exviking.net/man/large/image/flekkefjord-2.jpg, http://img1.custompublish.com/getfile.php/2497236.1621.ybyeqpwbqx/500x0/5804270_2497236.jpg (the Christmas town Egersund) and with narrow little Skudeneshavn (http://www.rt81.no/uploads/3/1/5/8/31584579/3705525_orig.jpg) finalizing "the white row". The inland area of southern Rogaland is "little Denmark" (http://www.touristphoto.no/images/rogal/jar_steingard.jpg) - flat nearly like the praerie in US (guess trice why farmers from here most felt home in those areas in US...) This area is famous for it's stone fences like on the picture - all area here has been turned into useable farmland by meteriously cleaning from millons of stones: The fjords starts about at Stavanger -first the wide open "Boknafjord" (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Rogaland_hav.jpg) not reminding of a traditinal fiord at all, but more inside splitted in fjrods like Lysefjorden (http://www.touristphoto.no/images/rogaland 2006/lysebotn ferge 02.jpg). Saudafjorden (http://www.saudambf.no/images/Saudafjorden1.JPG) and Lovrafjorden (http://norvege2010.free.fr/05/04.jpg). The eastern side of Boknafjorden is one of the Norwegian fruit gardens.
In Hordaland is the Hardanger Fiord, a long fjord (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...ngerfjord.png/240px-Bergen_Hardangerfjord.png) and possibly the most famous of all Norwegian fiords. Wide and open when starting ( http://www.vestkyst.no/image/pageim...angerfjord_og_Hoylandssundet_i_Kvinnherad.JPG), narrow with steeper mountains in the other end at Odda where the fjord and the Hardangervidda area is meeing (http://adnanthetraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Om5tVYT-1024x683.jpg). Here is also the 2nd largest of the Norwgian glaciers, walkable even for a healty and fit boy/girl at the age 8/9 (only allowed walked with a guide or when having a test paper) - more about that later.
Sogn og Fjordane (last means "Fiords") has a lot of fiords, including the Sognefiord, longest fiord i Norway (https://hurtigruten.global.ssl.fast....jpg?width=1600&height=800&transform=DownFill) . Steeper moutains here than more south, especially the inner part Næøyfjorden (http://fjordtravel.no/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/The-Naeroyfjord-008415-hm.jpg) More to the Norwth is e .g. Innvikfjorde ( https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5622/22209954542_1a86570386_b.jpg) , close to the largest glacier of Norway. As mentioned, Sogn and Fjordane also have a part of the Jotunheimen area, and the highest mountain pass road east -west is here: Sognefjellsveien (national road 55) reachen 1434 meter/4700 Despite "nanional road", expext a narow, windy road - and be prepared for reversing your car a mile if meeting a large car not seen. feet (http://blog.midb.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMG_0997.jpg). A caravan of 20' here? Well, good luck...
Møre og Romsdal is Geirangerjord, http://vizts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Geirangerfjord-a-UNESCO-world-heritage-site.jpg, Ålesund (http://www.helikopter.flights/docs/city/12.jpg), Kristiansund N (http://www.sepeb.com/kristiansund/image_20170130_124637_108881.jpg, the town of the four isles with small ferries acting like "city busses" to distinguish from Krisiandsand S), the "Rose town" Molde, (http://www.hakadal-il.no/bilder/Veteran/bilder_til_artikler/140824_009_Rosenes_by_SOBøe.jpg), the Atlatic road betwen Molde and Kristansund N, The Rauma area (http://www.smp.no/frapapir/article13362840.ece/n7jgkj/ALTERNATES/w980-default/Raumabanen.jpg, the railway ccnnects to the main railway line Oslo-Trondheim) with Kylling bru (http://www.olaviahokas.com/railscenes/rsbilder/kyllingbro.jpg, litterally Chicken Brigde) and a lot more.
Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trøndelag is tecnically the Northern part of Norway, but often prefer to name themself Midt-Norge (Central Norway), The coastal area is like
, the inland area qutie like in SE, but more hills, more open forest and more marsh/swamp areas. Trondheim (3rd largest town in Norway) with Nidarosdomen church (http://web.ecademy.no/Ferie-2016/wp...2016/05/Nidaros-cathedral-west-front-copy.jpg, technically the largest church building in Norway), the old parts Bakklandet (http://www.trondelag.com/files/2012/07/bakklandet_IMG_0071-kompredigert.jpg) and Ila (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBw7SyIbz...AO4/Cacp4bew99Q/s1600/Mellomila7_09042012.jpg). Further the place https://photos.travelblog.org/Photos/27950/190902/t/1417451-Hell-1.jpg, some north of Trondheim,quite interesting seen from the view of English-speaking persons (in Norwegian the name means "successful" or "fortune") who loves picktures like http://thebesttravelled.com/upload/stories/119/944_m_DSCN3221.jpg , https://aroundwellington.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hell.jpg (at the Railway station, notice the letter-box at the left, all post posted here duly stamped "7570 HELL" ) and http://www3.telus.net/rfhaley/images/NorwayMarch27 Hell1.jpg (at the Railway station). Further the modern city of Steinkjer (http://nb-ressurser.ra.no/nib_ressu.../Torget sett mot s fra Jacob Weidemanns g.JPG, the markedplace and church) with the small, yet important Stiklestad (http://www.psykiatribloggen.no/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/verdal_fre_stiklestad_1200.jpg) not far away. (Notice the "openness" in this area. Why important? The battle here July 29th/30th, 1030, was the battle considered as Christianity in Norway and Norway moved from Viking Age to Medival Age).
Satisfied with the differences in Norwegian nature (and some culture) so far?
This first post about the nature in the southern part of Norway, easiest most accessable to most foreigners. A short brief only, a lot more can be detailed if someone want that.
In nature Norway has a large variantion - more than most European contries, I imagine. However, before talking about that, a map of the 19 Norvegians divisions" or "fylker" (sing. "fylke"): https://fylkervalg.wikispaces.com/file/view/fylker.gif/85497747/fylker.gif. I'm using the name of this regions as references.
Lest start in the SE: Most of Østfold, Akershus and Hedmark close to the Swedish border are the deep, large lowland, spruce forests http://borchbio.no/narin/storebilder/14075.jpg, the lazy rivers like https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...telva_Hedmark.jpg/440px-Svartelva_Hedmark.jpg once - and partly still used as the transportation road of the timber to the coast (http://www.gran.kommune.no/Global/Landbruk/Tømmerfløting 2006 (4).jpg). Slighly more avay from the border one'll find the large open rural areas like http://www.skiforeningen.no/img/publish/14287.jpg, the largest Norwegian river Glomma, like http://images.citybreak.com/image.aspx?ImageId=904407 and the largest Norwegian lake Mjøsa, like https://media.snl.no/system/images/7610/standard_mj_c3_b8sa__e2_80_93_2_1.jpg.
Vestfold and eastern/southern part of Buskerud/Oppland is quite similiar (less deep forests and som higher in average) while parts of Telemark (the "upper Telemark") and the more western/northern parts of Buskerud/Oppland is a lot more hilly and more like http://www.reuber-norwegen.de/Oppland/Oppland23_g.jpg, and http://www.kringen1612.no/Bilder_myter/Kruke_900bg.jpg. In the north-west of this area is Jotunheimen (litt: the troll's home) with highest mountains in Norway, like Glitretind (https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/turistforeningen/images/gW/Is/Sr-500.jpeg, and https://peakbook.org/gfx/images/d/07/500fjell_glittroll17a.jpg/500fjell_glittroll17a-1.jpg, all year covered with the snow), Galdhøpiggen (https://static.panoramio.com.storage.googleapis.com/photos/large/7185880.jpg, 8100 feet or 2469 meters) Norway has 21 moutains raising above 2300 meters, 16 of these are found in the that part of Jotunheimen area belonging to Oppland, while the others are found in Hurrangane, the part of Jotunheimien belonging to Sogn og Fjordane). Slightly east of Jotunheimen is Dovrefjell, a moutain barrier betwen the soutern and the northern part of Norway. This area is more flat, but with the Snøhætta raising like https://bjorstad.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/snc3b8hetta1.jpg. South of Jotunheimen is the mountain barrier Langfjella ("the long mountains", more steep in in north than in south, but totally found nearly down to the souithern coast. Buskerud is the silver town Kongsberg wiht the silver mines some miles outside town and available with a city bus + some walking. The mines are closed for commercial use today, but were for centuries the King's silver depot, and all Norwegian/most Danish coins from the period 1700-1900 contains silver from these silver mines. One of the mines are still acessable every Saturday/Sunday between mid-June and late August - the "silver train" is like(http://brattrein.no/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sølvgruvene_wp_brattrein.jpg and inside the mine is like http://www.mn.uio.no/kjemi/tjenester/kunnskap/periodesystemet/media/Ag/bilder/sølvgruvene.jpg. The church at Kongsberg is remarkable - modest outside (https://media.snl.no/system/images/17759/standard_Kongsberg_kirke_1100px.jpg), rich decorated inside ( https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6168/6240773406_2a20b977ee_b.jpg). The idea is to reflect a true Christan soul as seen by men (outside) and by God (inside). The church is the largest in Norway, as the workers in the mine had to annend the Sunday Service if still wanting to be employees next week - and if they were tired and felt asleep they immidialtely got a ruler smack across their fingers...
The southern part of Norway ("lower Telemark", Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder( are the idyllic small white wooden towns like http://www.hyttemag.no/sites/defaul..._1_article_carousel_image/public/_va02108.jpg and http://hytterisor.com/images/meny_L1020037.JPG, idyllic bathing areas like http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Grd3DAP-...1RfIyTGQXA/s1600/19584471479_dbfe4da867_o.jpg with special "svaberg" or coastal rock washed round and softy, not sharp at all. More inland this area is nature like http://teltlivet.no/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/teltlivet_blogg_indreagder2.jpg, http://sdc.novasol.com/pic/600/n34/n34687_associated_01.jpg and http://fvn.mnocdn.no/images/2a9d9436-0ce6-4c3c-be01-42a0a88ce919?fit=crop&h=810&q=80&w=1440.
Along the coast the change betwen sout and west are found where Vest-Agder meet Rogaland, inland at Setesdalen, a long vally N of Kristansand in Vest-Agder. Setesdalen is like http://www.touristphoto.no/images/aust agder/setesdalen/setesdalen.jpg in the south, more like https://res-2.cloudinary.com/simple...rway_ac91d609-636e-4e00-821b-78126416db3d.jpg in the north when meeting Hardangervidda, a moutain plateu starting "Langfjella". The plateu is 1300 sq miles or 3400 sq kilometers, having less than 500 residents (and 50 % of those escaping in the winter). Except close to N/S/E/W no way drivable with a ordinary car (and no off-road driving, except for local when absolutely needed due to their occupation). However, like Jotunheimen easily accessable with NBE-buses when wanting a lonesome mountain hike some days (or weeks), more about that later.
The districts Rogaland/Hordaland/Sogn og Fjordane/Møre og Romsdal) is the Fiord Norway. However, the souternmost part of Rogaland is more like the sothern part of Norway, with the white towns like http://exviking.net/man/large/image/flekkefjord-2.jpg, http://img1.custompublish.com/getfile.php/2497236.1621.ybyeqpwbqx/500x0/5804270_2497236.jpg (the Christmas town Egersund) and with narrow little Skudeneshavn (http://www.rt81.no/uploads/3/1/5/8/31584579/3705525_orig.jpg) finalizing "the white row". The inland area of southern Rogaland is "little Denmark" (http://www.touristphoto.no/images/rogal/jar_steingard.jpg) - flat nearly like the praerie in US (guess trice why farmers from here most felt home in those areas in US...) This area is famous for it's stone fences like on the picture - all area here has been turned into useable farmland by meteriously cleaning from millons of stones: The fjords starts about at Stavanger -first the wide open "Boknafjord" (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Rogaland_hav.jpg) not reminding of a traditinal fiord at all, but more inside splitted in fjrods like Lysefjorden (http://www.touristphoto.no/images/rogaland 2006/lysebotn ferge 02.jpg). Saudafjorden (http://www.saudambf.no/images/Saudafjorden1.JPG) and Lovrafjorden (http://norvege2010.free.fr/05/04.jpg). The eastern side of Boknafjorden is one of the Norwegian fruit gardens.
In Hordaland is the Hardanger Fiord, a long fjord (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...ngerfjord.png/240px-Bergen_Hardangerfjord.png) and possibly the most famous of all Norwegian fiords. Wide and open when starting ( http://www.vestkyst.no/image/pageim...angerfjord_og_Hoylandssundet_i_Kvinnherad.JPG), narrow with steeper mountains in the other end at Odda where the fjord and the Hardangervidda area is meeing (http://adnanthetraveller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Om5tVYT-1024x683.jpg). Here is also the 2nd largest of the Norwgian glaciers, walkable even for a healty and fit boy/girl at the age 8/9 (only allowed walked with a guide or when having a test paper) - more about that later.
Sogn og Fjordane (last means "Fiords") has a lot of fiords, including the Sognefiord, longest fiord i Norway (https://hurtigruten.global.ssl.fast....jpg?width=1600&height=800&transform=DownFill) . Steeper moutains here than more south, especially the inner part Næøyfjorden (http://fjordtravel.no/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/The-Naeroyfjord-008415-hm.jpg) More to the Norwth is e .g. Innvikfjorde ( https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5622/22209954542_1a86570386_b.jpg) , close to the largest glacier of Norway. As mentioned, Sogn and Fjordane also have a part of the Jotunheimen area, and the highest mountain pass road east -west is here: Sognefjellsveien (national road 55) reachen 1434 meter/4700 Despite "nanional road", expext a narow, windy road - and be prepared for reversing your car a mile if meeting a large car not seen. feet (http://blog.midb.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMG_0997.jpg). A caravan of 20' here? Well, good luck...
Møre og Romsdal is Geirangerjord, http://vizts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Geirangerfjord-a-UNESCO-world-heritage-site.jpg, Ålesund (http://www.helikopter.flights/docs/city/12.jpg), Kristiansund N (http://www.sepeb.com/kristiansund/image_20170130_124637_108881.jpg, the town of the four isles with small ferries acting like "city busses" to distinguish from Krisiandsand S), the "Rose town" Molde, (http://www.hakadal-il.no/bilder/Veteran/bilder_til_artikler/140824_009_Rosenes_by_SOBøe.jpg), the Atlatic road betwen Molde and Kristansund N, The Rauma area (http://www.smp.no/frapapir/article13362840.ece/n7jgkj/ALTERNATES/w980-default/Raumabanen.jpg, the railway ccnnects to the main railway line Oslo-Trondheim) with Kylling bru (http://www.olaviahokas.com/railscenes/rsbilder/kyllingbro.jpg, litterally Chicken Brigde) and a lot more.
Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trøndelag is tecnically the Northern part of Norway, but often prefer to name themself Midt-Norge (Central Norway), The coastal area is like
Satisfied with the differences in Norwegian nature (and some culture) so far?
