Hardangervidda-Nationalpark

The Hardangervidda National Park (Norwegian Hardangervidda nasjonalpark ) is 3422 km ², the largest national park in Norway. He is one of the provinces of Hordaland, Telemark and Buskerud, and bounding the Hardangervidda plateau, which is the largest mountain plateau in Europe. The name comes from the province of Hardangervidda Hardanger and the Norwegian word Vidde what plateau means.

The park was founded in 1981 and is now a popular area for hiking, climbing, fishing and cross-country skiing. The Norwegian Trekking Association maintains throughout the park numerous ways and self-catering chalets. The mountain railway and the national route 7 lead through the park.

The Hardangervidda has a considerable number of arctic animals and plants. The living in the park mountain reindeer herds are among the largest in the world.

As in other national parks in Norway, were found throughout the park numerous prehistoric relics of reindeer hunting. In addition, there were important trade routes, which then connected the west with the east of Norway. An example of this is the Nordmannsslepa which Eidfjord and Veggli in Numedal valley with Hol and Uvdal Association.

Geography, landscape and geology

The Hardangervidda plateau is around 6,500 km ², the largest peneplain Europe. The average height is 1,100 moh, the highest point in the park is the Hardangerjøkulen glacier with 1,863 moh Despite the size of 3422 km ² of the 1,690 meter high Hårteigen can be seen from almost any point in the park.

The landscape in the park is dominated by barren, treeless moorland, which are crossed by numerous ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. The landscape in the park is changing significantly from west to east. While in the West, especially glaciers, mountains, and lush meadows dominate the landscape, this is in the east of the park mainly of hills and smaller mountains with more bare meadows, marshes and lakes. With peaks of 1,000 mm of rain per year, falls also more precipitation in the western part of the park.

Through the ice ages in the last millennia in the form of the mountain was significantly affected, so there is hardly such as sharp peaks and sharp notches. The result is the mountains, especially in the Precambrian, Cambrian and the Silurian.

Flora and Fauna

Throughout the park there are no trees, just bushes or shrubs, because the entire area is above the tree line. Also due to the altitude, there is Arctic Climate in Hardangervidda. The climate, dwell some arctic animals and plants that are otherwise not to be found in southern Europe in the park. A total of 24 live mammals, 114 bird species and over 500 plant species in the park.

The largest mountain reindeer herd consisted in 1996 of around 15,000 animals, and in 2008 nevertheless still of about 8,000. During the year the reindeer roam the entire Hardangervidda. The reindeer migrate in spring from winter pastures in the eastern part of the plateau at the higher, food -rich summer pastures of Western Hardangervidda, where the offspring is born.

Although there are larger meadows and swamps in the east of the park, the vegetation in the rainy west of the park made ​​considerably more diverse. However, this biodiversity is mainly composed of numerous grasses, mosses (especially peat mosses ) and lichens.

Before 9000 - 5000 years, in the Atlantic period ( Stone Age ), the climate was milder than today, so that almost all of the Hardangervidda was wooded what could prove with found in bogs until today preserved forest pine trunks. Due to the global warming, it could also be the same again someday.

Cultural Heritage

The area of the National Park has been around for millennia inhabited by humans, which could take at the remains of Stone Age settlements also. In addition, there were numerous paths that then connected the west with the east of Norway. An example of this is the Nordmannsslepa which Eidfjord and Veggli in Numedal valley with Hol and Uvdal Association.

Tourism and Management

The National Park include two information centers. Firstly, the Hardangervidda Nature in Eidfjord and Hardangervidda National Park Centre in Tinn, which was reopened in the summer of 2013.

In Hardangervidda there are some overnight cabins, which are operated by the Norwegian Trekking Association.

• Trekking, ( ski and bike) hiking are popular vacation activities in the National Park. There is a widely developed network of hiking trails and farmed and unstaffed cabins of DNT footpaths. In winter, however, they are closed. The Right of Free camping permits and stay in nature.

• The Troll train is an imaginary Desk with children small train. She drives from June to August between Vøringsfoss and the Måbø Gård Museum.

• Handcar ride on the disused track the Numedalbahn.

Gallery

Map lichen on a rock in the Hardangervidda

View of the high level