Norway / Innlandet - Jotunheimen National Park
Norwegen / Innlandet - Jotunheimen Nationalpark
Leirungsdalen seen from Knutshøe ridge
Leirungsdalen gesehen vom Knutshøe Grat
Knutshøe hike
Knutshøe Wanderung
Jotunheimen National Park (Norwegian: Jotunheimen nasjonalpark, lit. "Home of the Giants") is a national park in Norway, recognized as one of the country's premier hiking and fishing regions. The national park covers 1,151 square kilometres (444 sq mi) and is part of the larger area Jotunheimen. More than 250 peaks rise above an elevation of 1,900 metres (6,200 ft), including Northern Europe's two highest peaks: Galdhøpiggen at 2,469 metres (8,100 ft), and Glittertind at 2,465 metres (8,087 ft).
The national park covers most of the mountainous region of Jotunheimen, including Hurrungane, but Utladalen and its surroundings are within Utladalen Landscape Protection Area. Geographically, it lies in both Innlandet and Vestland counties. Geologically the Jotunheimen is a Precambrian province. Glaciers have carved the hard gabbro rock massifs of the Jotunheimen, leaving numerous valleys and the many peaks.
Wildlife in the park include the lynx, moose, Norwegian red deer, reindeer, roe deer, and wolverine. Most lakes and rivers hold trout.
History
Jotunheimen has been the site of hunting since before recorded time. Remains of Stone Age hunting camps have been found near the lakes Gjende and Russvatnet. These remains extend through the bronze and Iron Age, up to recorded times. The high pastures have been used as seters for at least 1000 years.
A "Royal Road" decree from the 15th century required that the residents of Lom must keep the mountain crossing passable to the middle of the Sognefjell, allowing folk from the north Gudbrandsdal access to their trading town of the period, Bergen. Caravans carried farm products down the mountains and returned with salt, iron, cloth and lutefisk.
The name Jotunheimen, or "Home of the Giants" is a relatively recent usage. Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818–1879), a famous Norwegian poet and journalist who is remembered for his pioneering use of nynorsk, as well as being an exponent of Norwegian romantic nationalism, coined the term in 1862, adopting it from Keilhau's "Jotunfjellene" or the mountains of the giants. A memorial was raised in 1909 to Aa. O. Vinje at the western end of Lake Bygdin at his dear Eidsbugarden at today's outskirts of the national park where he had a private hut. Old friends and followers wanted to commemorate his contribution to appreciation of Norwegian nature and strengthening of the Norwegian national identity. Today Eidsbugarden appears as a rather large mountain tourist centre, with a newly restored hotel from 1909 that reopened in the summer of 2007, a Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) cabin and approximately 160 private huts. It can be reached by car or boat in summer and by snowmobile in winter.
In 1869 the DNT built its first hut on the shores of Lake Tyin. Today the DNT's tourist huts make this area one of the best developed touring areas in Europe. There are also a restricted number of private cabins by the lakes.
By Royal Decree in December 1980, a 1,145-square-kilometre (442 sq mi) national park was initially established in the heart of Jotunheimen. It includes much of the best of the region, including the Galdhø plateau, the Glittertind massif, Hurrungane, and the Gjende area. The park links to the Utladalen Nature Reserve, an area of 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi).
Archaeological findings
In February 2020, Secrets of the Ice Program researchers discovered a 1,500-year-old Viking arrowhead dating back to the Germanic Iron Age and locked in a glacier in southern Norway caused by the climate change in the Jotunheimen Mountains. The arrowhead made of iron was revealed with its cracked wooden shaft and a feather, is 17 cm long and weighs just 28 grams.
Literary references
Jotunheimen is broadly recognized in literature, especially travel books from the 18th Century. The Jotunheim lakes of Gjende and Bygdin are in the center of many of these descriptions.
Literary references include:
A.O. Vinje's Diktsamling or poetry collection of 1864 celebrated Jotenheimen.
Frederick Delius’ symphonic poem On the Mountains was sketched while the composer was on a walking holiday with Edvard Grieg and Christian Sinding in the Jotunheim Mountains in 1889.
Henrik Ibsen's drama Peer Gynt includes Peer's famous hunt description in the Jotunheim. It is here on the narrow Besseggen Ridge - or perhaps along the Knutshø ridge at the other side of Gjende - that Peer Gynt took his famous wild-reindeer ride along "the Gjendin Ridge".
Three in Norway, by Two of Them by J.A. Lees and W.J. Clutterbuck, includes extensive passages on three Englishmen's fishing and reindeer hunting experiences in these mountains.
Traffic
Despite the large area of Jotunheimen, there are few roads for car traffic. Between Jotunheimen and Breheimen, the plateau is crossed by the Norwegian County Road 55. To the west, the road continues further from Skjolden via Sogndalsfjøra, Balestrand and Høyanger to the European route E39. In the east, the road leads to Lom. A few small dirt roads lead to different parts of the edge of Jotunheimen National Park, although the area of the national park itself is practically roadless. A small exception, however, is a blind road in the Veodalen to Glitterheim, whose head is inside the national park area near the Glittertind.
(Wikipedia)
Gjende or Gjendin is a lake in Vågå Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the Jotunheimen mountain range and also inside Jotunheimen National Park. The proglacial lake shows typical characteristics of glacial formation, being long and narrow, with steep walls. The lake is 18 kilometres (11 mi) in length and only 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) in width at the broadest point. Gjende has a characteristic light-green color resulting from the large quantity of rock flour which is discharged into the Gjende by the Muru river. The river Sjoa provides the outlet from Gjende at Gjendesheim, and flows eastward into the Gudbrandsdalslågen river.
Gjende lies in the middle of Jotunheimen National Park and both to the north and south of the lake lie peaks with elevations reaching greater than 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). There are numerous staffed tourist cabins maintained by the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT); in the west end lies Gjendebu, on the north side lies Memurubu and on the east end lies Gjendesheim. In the summer boats provide transport between these locations.
Name
The name (Old Norse: Gendir) is derived from Norse gandr which means 'staff' or 'stick'. This is referring to the form of the long and narrow lake.
The official name Gjende is taken from the Gudbrandsdal traditional district dialect used in Lom and Vågå. In the Vang dialect the lake is called Gjendin, which is the form you find in Henrik Ibsen's name for what is now called Besseggen, formerly Gjendineggen, or Gendineggen in the older orthography. The name Gjende is derived from the old Norse word "gandir" that can be translated into "straight stick", whereas the lake to the south Bygdin can be translated as "bent stick", the two names thereby referring to the shape of the lakes.
The lake gave its name to a famous early outdoors man and free thinker, Jo Gjende (1794—1884), who had a cabin at Gjende.
Cultural and literary references
Lake Gjende is found in literature and travel books from the 18th century. Together, the Jotunheimen lakes of Gjende and Bygdin play in many such descriptions. For example, Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt took his famous wild-reindeer ride along "the Gjendin Ridge", a reference to either the narrow Besseggen Ridge - or the Knutshø ridge on the other side of lake Gjende.
(Wikipedia)
About Knutshøe
Next to his bigger brother Besseggen on the other side of Gjende lake, you will find the 1,517 metre-high-peak of Knutshøe. Standing on the top, you'll have outstanding views towards the peaks towering all around and the surrounding lakes, including the wonderful Gjende lake. The hike is demanding and you need to scramble at some parts in the hike. It is therefor not recommended if you are afraid of heights, as there are parts of the hike where you need to cross exposed sections. The trail is not marked, but not too difficult to follow, yet if you stray too far from the path you will find several exposed sections and dangerous areas. Make sure you follow the trails and do not hike alone. Also, this hike is also not recommended in bad weather!
We've established that this one is not for the faint-hearted, and if you do decide to go it will be a wonderful experience. The extra challenge only makes it more exciting!
The Knutshøe hike
Drive or take the bus to Vargbakken parking (1,100m) located about 4 km south of Gjendesheim exit, from where you can start your hike to Knutshøe. Start by crossing the bridge across the small river Varga and follow the trail that take you on a scenic tour with several places to stop and enjoy your lunch. From the ridge you can admire the fantastic view of the delta landscape down to Leirugsdalen.
The first part of the hike has the most demanding parts with some steep areas. Throughout the ascent you will find both steep sections and some parts with more easy hiking terrain. The last part before the peak will also require some light scrambling.
Knutshøe is so fascinating that many people believe it was the ground for the Peer Gynt deer ride!
Who is this Hike Suitable for
This hike is demanding and suitable for those in good physical shape.
Season
The main season is summer/late summer. This is when the area is most suitable for trekking. This hike is also not recommended in bad weather!
Accommodation
Stay at Gjendesheim Mountain Lodge is located on the bank of Gjende Lake.
How to Get There
You can access the area from Gjendesheim.
(jotunheimen.com)
Der Jotunheimen-Nationalpark (norwegisch Jotunheimen nasjonalpark) ist ein norwegischer Nationalpark, der zu den Gemeinden Lom, Vågå und Vang in der Provinz Innlandet und Luster und Årdal in der Provinz Vestland gehört. Der Park wurde 1980 gegründet, um die schöne, wilde, unverwechselbare, und weitestgehend unberührte Gebirgslandschaft des Jotunheimen mit ihrer schützenswerten Flora und Fauna zu schützen.
Im Westen grenzt der Nationalpark an das Naturschutzgebiet Utladalen. Im Jotunheimen liegen einige der höchsten Berge Nordeuropas. Zusammen mit den Nationalparks Rondane, Dovre und Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella wird das Gebiet um den Jotunheimen-Nationalpark als Nasjonalparkriket bezeichnet.
(Wikipedia)
Der Gjendesee liegt eingebettet zwischen steilen Berghängen im östlichen Jotunheimengebiet in der norwegischen Kommune Vågå in der Provinz Innlandet.
Am Nordufer befinden sich die Steilwände des Vesslefjells (1743 m), des Besseggengrats und des Memurutunga. Über den Besseggengrat führt ein beliebter Wanderweg, von dem aus man einen schönen Blick auf den Gjendesee und die umliegende Gebirgslandschaft hat. Das Südufer bilden ebenfalls steil abfallende Hänge des Knutsholtind (2341 m), Tjönnholstind (2331 m) und Bukkehåmåren (1910 m). Aufgrund der steilen Uferhänge und seiner länglichen Form wirkt der Gjendesee wie ein Fjord.
Aus den Gletscherzuflüssen Muru und Storåe wird die durch das Mahlen des Schuttmaterials (Moräne) entstandene Gletschermilch in den See transportiert und verleiht dem Gjende seine auffällige smaragdgrüne Färbung.
Am östlichen Ende liegt die DNT-Hütte Gjendesheim, etwa in der Mitte am Nordufer die private Hütte Memurubu und am westlichen Ende die DNT-Hütte Gjendebu. Zwischen den drei Hütten verkehren im Sommer regelmäßig Boote. Eine Rundfahrt auf einem dieser Schiffe dauert ca. zwei Stunden.
(Wikipedia)
Norway / Innlandet - Jotunheimen National Park
Norwegen / Innlandet - Jotunheimen Nationalpark
Leirungsdalen seen from Knutshøe ridge
Leirungsdalen gesehen vom Knutshøe Grat
Knutshøe hike
Knutshøe Wanderung
Jotunheimen National Park (Norwegian: Jotunheimen nasjonalpark, lit. "Home of the Giants") is a national park in Norway, recognized as one of the country's premier hiking and fishing regions. The national park covers 1,151 square kilometres (444 sq mi) and is part of the larger area Jotunheimen. More than 250 peaks rise above an elevation of 1,900 metres (6,200 ft), including Northern Europe's two highest peaks: Galdhøpiggen at 2,469 metres (8,100 ft), and Glittertind at 2,465 metres (8,087 ft).
The national park covers most of the mountainous region of Jotunheimen, including Hurrungane, but Utladalen and its surroundings are within Utladalen Landscape Protection Area. Geographically, it lies in both Innlandet and Vestland counties. Geologically the Jotunheimen is a Precambrian province. Glaciers have carved the hard gabbro rock massifs of the Jotunheimen, leaving numerous valleys and the many peaks.
Wildlife in the park include the lynx, moose, Norwegian red deer, reindeer, roe deer, and wolverine. Most lakes and rivers hold trout.
History
Jotunheimen has been the site of hunting since before recorded time. Remains of Stone Age hunting camps have been found near the lakes Gjende and Russvatnet. These remains extend through the bronze and Iron Age, up to recorded times. The high pastures have been used as seters for at least 1000 years.
A "Royal Road" decree from the 15th century required that the residents of Lom must keep the mountain crossing passable to the middle of the Sognefjell, allowing folk from the north Gudbrandsdal access to their trading town of the period, Bergen. Caravans carried farm products down the mountains and returned with salt, iron, cloth and lutefisk.
The name Jotunheimen, or "Home of the Giants" is a relatively recent usage. Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818–1879), a famous Norwegian poet and journalist who is remembered for his pioneering use of nynorsk, as well as being an exponent of Norwegian romantic nationalism, coined the term in 1862, adopting it from Keilhau's "Jotunfjellene" or the mountains of the giants. A memorial was raised in 1909 to Aa. O. Vinje at the western end of Lake Bygdin at his dear Eidsbugarden at today's outskirts of the national park where he had a private hut. Old friends and followers wanted to commemorate his contribution to appreciation of Norwegian nature and strengthening of the Norwegian national identity. Today Eidsbugarden appears as a rather large mountain tourist centre, with a newly restored hotel from 1909 that reopened in the summer of 2007, a Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) cabin and approximately 160 private huts. It can be reached by car or boat in summer and by snowmobile in winter.
In 1869 the DNT built its first hut on the shores of Lake Tyin. Today the DNT's tourist huts make this area one of the best developed touring areas in Europe. There are also a restricted number of private cabins by the lakes.
By Royal Decree in December 1980, a 1,145-square-kilometre (442 sq mi) national park was initially established in the heart of Jotunheimen. It includes much of the best of the region, including the Galdhø plateau, the Glittertind massif, Hurrungane, and the Gjende area. The park links to the Utladalen Nature Reserve, an area of 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi).
Archaeological findings
In February 2020, Secrets of the Ice Program researchers discovered a 1,500-year-old Viking arrowhead dating back to the Germanic Iron Age and locked in a glacier in southern Norway caused by the climate change in the Jotunheimen Mountains. The arrowhead made of iron was revealed with its cracked wooden shaft and a feather, is 17 cm long and weighs just 28 grams.
Literary references
Jotunheimen is broadly recognized in literature, especially travel books from the 18th Century. The Jotunheim lakes of Gjende and Bygdin are in the center of many of these descriptions.
Literary references include:
A.O. Vinje's Diktsamling or poetry collection of 1864 celebrated Jotenheimen.
Frederick Delius’ symphonic poem On the Mountains was sketched while the composer was on a walking holiday with Edvard Grieg and Christian Sinding in the Jotunheim Mountains in 1889.
Henrik Ibsen's drama Peer Gynt includes Peer's famous hunt description in the Jotunheim. It is here on the narrow Besseggen Ridge - or perhaps along the Knutshø ridge at the other side of Gjende - that Peer Gynt took his famous wild-reindeer ride along "the Gjendin Ridge".
Three in Norway, by Two of Them by J.A. Lees and W.J. Clutterbuck, includes extensive passages on three Englishmen's fishing and reindeer hunting experiences in these mountains.
Traffic
Despite the large area of Jotunheimen, there are few roads for car traffic. Between Jotunheimen and Breheimen, the plateau is crossed by the Norwegian County Road 55. To the west, the road continues further from Skjolden via Sogndalsfjøra, Balestrand and Høyanger to the European route E39. In the east, the road leads to Lom. A few small dirt roads lead to different parts of the edge of Jotunheimen National Park, although the area of the national park itself is practically roadless. A small exception, however, is a blind road in the Veodalen to Glitterheim, whose head is inside the national park area near the Glittertind.
(Wikipedia)
Gjende or Gjendin is a lake in Vågå Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the Jotunheimen mountain range and also inside Jotunheimen National Park. The proglacial lake shows typical characteristics of glacial formation, being long and narrow, with steep walls. The lake is 18 kilometres (11 mi) in length and only 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) in width at the broadest point. Gjende has a characteristic light-green color resulting from the large quantity of rock flour which is discharged into the Gjende by the Muru river. The river Sjoa provides the outlet from Gjende at Gjendesheim, and flows eastward into the Gudbrandsdalslågen river.
Gjende lies in the middle of Jotunheimen National Park and both to the north and south of the lake lie peaks with elevations reaching greater than 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). There are numerous staffed tourist cabins maintained by the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT); in the west end lies Gjendebu, on the north side lies Memurubu and on the east end lies Gjendesheim. In the summer boats provide transport between these locations.
Name
The name (Old Norse: Gendir) is derived from Norse gandr which means 'staff' or 'stick'. This is referring to the form of the long and narrow lake.
The official name Gjende is taken from the Gudbrandsdal traditional district dialect used in Lom and Vågå. In the Vang dialect the lake is called Gjendin, which is the form you find in Henrik Ibsen's name for what is now called Besseggen, formerly Gjendineggen, or Gendineggen in the older orthography. The name Gjende is derived from the old Norse word "gandir" that can be translated into "straight stick", whereas the lake to the south Bygdin can be translated as "bent stick", the two names thereby referring to the shape of the lakes.
The lake gave its name to a famous early outdoors man and free thinker, Jo Gjende (1794—1884), who had a cabin at Gjende.
Cultural and literary references
Lake Gjende is found in literature and travel books from the 18th century. Together, the Jotunheimen lakes of Gjende and Bygdin play in many such descriptions. For example, Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt took his famous wild-reindeer ride along "the Gjendin Ridge", a reference to either the narrow Besseggen Ridge - or the Knutshø ridge on the other side of lake Gjende.
(Wikipedia)
About Knutshøe
Next to his bigger brother Besseggen on the other side of Gjende lake, you will find the 1,517 metre-high-peak of Knutshøe. Standing on the top, you'll have outstanding views towards the peaks towering all around and the surrounding lakes, including the wonderful Gjende lake. The hike is demanding and you need to scramble at some parts in the hike. It is therefor not recommended if you are afraid of heights, as there are parts of the hike where you need to cross exposed sections. The trail is not marked, but not too difficult to follow, yet if you stray too far from the path you will find several exposed sections and dangerous areas. Make sure you follow the trails and do not hike alone. Also, this hike is also not recommended in bad weather!
We've established that this one is not for the faint-hearted, and if you do decide to go it will be a wonderful experience. The extra challenge only makes it more exciting!
The Knutshøe hike
Drive or take the bus to Vargbakken parking (1,100m) located about 4 km south of Gjendesheim exit, from where you can start your hike to Knutshøe. Start by crossing the bridge across the small river Varga and follow the trail that take you on a scenic tour with several places to stop and enjoy your lunch. From the ridge you can admire the fantastic view of the delta landscape down to Leirugsdalen.
The first part of the hike has the most demanding parts with some steep areas. Throughout the ascent you will find both steep sections and some parts with more easy hiking terrain. The last part before the peak will also require some light scrambling.
Knutshøe is so fascinating that many people believe it was the ground for the Peer Gynt deer ride!
Who is this Hike Suitable for
This hike is demanding and suitable for those in good physical shape.
Season
The main season is summer/late summer. This is when the area is most suitable for trekking. This hike is also not recommended in bad weather!
Accommodation
Stay at Gjendesheim Mountain Lodge is located on the bank of Gjende Lake.
How to Get There
You can access the area from Gjendesheim.
(jotunheimen.com)
Der Jotunheimen-Nationalpark (norwegisch Jotunheimen nasjonalpark) ist ein norwegischer Nationalpark, der zu den Gemeinden Lom, Vågå und Vang in der Provinz Innlandet und Luster und Årdal in der Provinz Vestland gehört. Der Park wurde 1980 gegründet, um die schöne, wilde, unverwechselbare, und weitestgehend unberührte Gebirgslandschaft des Jotunheimen mit ihrer schützenswerten Flora und Fauna zu schützen.
Im Westen grenzt der Nationalpark an das Naturschutzgebiet Utladalen. Im Jotunheimen liegen einige der höchsten Berge Nordeuropas. Zusammen mit den Nationalparks Rondane, Dovre und Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella wird das Gebiet um den Jotunheimen-Nationalpark als Nasjonalparkriket bezeichnet.
(Wikipedia)
Der Gjendesee liegt eingebettet zwischen steilen Berghängen im östlichen Jotunheimengebiet in der norwegischen Kommune Vågå in der Provinz Innlandet.
Am Nordufer befinden sich die Steilwände des Vesslefjells (1743 m), des Besseggengrats und des Memurutunga. Über den Besseggengrat führt ein beliebter Wanderweg, von dem aus man einen schönen Blick auf den Gjendesee und die umliegende Gebirgslandschaft hat. Das Südufer bilden ebenfalls steil abfallende Hänge des Knutsholtind (2341 m), Tjönnholstind (2331 m) und Bukkehåmåren (1910 m). Aufgrund der steilen Uferhänge und seiner länglichen Form wirkt der Gjendesee wie ein Fjord.
Aus den Gletscherzuflüssen Muru und Storåe wird die durch das Mahlen des Schuttmaterials (Moräne) entstandene Gletschermilch in den See transportiert und verleiht dem Gjende seine auffällige smaragdgrüne Färbung.
Am östlichen Ende liegt die DNT-Hütte Gjendesheim, etwa in der Mitte am Nordufer die private Hütte Memurubu und am westlichen Ende die DNT-Hütte Gjendebu. Zwischen den drei Hütten verkehren im Sommer regelmäßig Boote. Eine Rundfahrt auf einem dieser Schiffe dauert ca. zwei Stunden.
(Wikipedia)