The Hardangerfjord is the world's third largest fjord, and the second largest in Norway, after Sognefjord, cutting 179kms in to the landscape, and carving it up in a beautiful, mountainous way as it goes, eventually ending at Hardangervidda, a surprisingly smooth mountain plateau.  At its deepest it's more than 800m down.  One of the glaciers that caused this beautiful coastal wear has yet to complete its retreat, and still covers 220kms, so the fjord is only going to get longer as it melts.  

The Folgefonna glacier has been declared a national park in order to better protect it, and even the little fjord towns along the path of this spectacular phenomenon look clean and in pristine, sparkling condition – maybe it's all the clean air and glacial water.  It could also have something to do with the fact that much of the electricity used by these towns comes from waterfall energy – the fjord is lined with dramatic narrow falls. 

This scenery has been on the tourist radar since as early as 1875, when Thomas Cook started weekly cruises between London and the Hardangerfjord.  

As well as admiring the scenery, visitors usually enjoy eating the local residents – the salmon and rainbow trout farms here are some of the world's most bountiful, as are the orchards.  

Written by  Emma Montague.

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Dear Emma, You have been there and i was born here. I know every places from the bottom to the outlet of the Hardangerfjord. Well written, and i recon you have read the National Geographic issue this year about the fjords of Norway.

By the way, I am the owner of the most beautiful sailing ship Loyal from 1877. I am doing adventure sailing with the ship, and we are now specialising in sailing the Hardanger fjords. If you know someone who want to come sailing with us, let me know...!! Look at: WWW.loyal.no

 

Comment posted 28th October 2009 by Audun Hausberg.

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