Wednesday, August 15, 2012

1000 Places To See Before You Die: Geirangerfjord - Geiranger, Norway


Interesting Places I've Photographed
Geirangerfjord
Geiranger, Norway

Topic: 1000 Places To See Before You Die





GPS: N62° 06.208; E007° 12.350

Quick Description: 

If you enjoy mountains, coastlines, and waterfalls then Geirangerfjord, Norway,  arguably, offers the most spectacular scenery on the planet.

Long Description:

Geiranger is a sleepy little town at the end of Geirangerfjord. There is only one reason why it's a Mecca for tourist - the fantastic scenery. The deep blue waters of the fjord are surrounded on three sides by towering cliffs with waterfalls everywhere you look. Its a breath-taking sight.

There are two famous lookouts offering broad vistas. Flydalsjuvet Lookout is easily accessible from route 63, about 4 km from the center of Geiranger south by southeast of Geiranger. From here you look down on the town of Geiranger across length of the fjord towards the North Atlantic. The lookout points are on two plateaus, one higher and one lower with a footpath linking the two. The lookout points have been modernised as part of the "Nasjonale turistveier" project. The new facilities were officially opened at a ceremony on 21 June 2006.

Dalsnibba is the other lookout. It is situated north of town on the famous Eagle's Road (Ornevegen) which itself is an engineering marvel. Eleven hairpin turns take you up a steep cliff to the plateau and the viewing area. From the Dalsnibba plateau there is a awe inspiring view across a most beautiful landscape with Geiranger in the middle surrounding by mountains with Geirangerfjord right in the middle.

When you cruise along this 9.3 mile long fjord is seems you can almost reach out and touch the sheer cliffs on both sides. You pass many waterfalls along the way. So many that it would be difficult to get pictures of them all. The two most famous are The Seven Sisters on the east side of the fjord just north of Geiranger and Bridal Veil Falls a little farther north on the western cliff.

The fjord is one of Norway's most visited tourist sites and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.

Name of Source Book: 1000 Places To See Before You Die
Page Location in Source Book: 331
Type of Waymark: Scenic
Location of Coordinates: The dock at Geiranger

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