“In the hush of fjords so deep,

Where the ancient waters sleep,

Mountains rise like silent kings,

Crowned with snow and eagle wings.”

From Land of Light and Silence by The Global Symphony

Rugged is an understatement. Norway’s much-indented coastline features 239,057 islands and 81,192 islets. One of the world's northernmost countries, it’s also one of Europe's most mountainous countries, dominated by the Scandinavian Mountains.

Interestingly, this country-length chain of peaks is geologically continuous with the mountains of Scotland, Ireland, and after crossing under the Atlantic Ocean, our own Appalachian Mountains. Before the breakup of the ancient supercontinent Panaea 200 million years ago, it was a single mountain range.

During the ice ages, Norway was covered with a thick sheet of ice. Movement of the ice carved out deep valleys. When the ice retreated and melted, the sea filled many of these valleys, creating Norway's 1,190 fjords.

Despite being at the same northern latitude as Alaska and Siberia, Norway's climate is milder than you expect. The Norwegian Current, an extension of the Gulf Stream, brings warmer waters to the coast, moderating the climate. During my recent November trip centered in Trondheim, Norway, it never felt all that cold.

Rather than trying to further describe this lovely country, I invite you to view a music video at Songs About Countries #62: Norway – “Land of Light and Silence” | A Nordic Song of Fjords.

The Shot

The climate may be mild, but winds off the Atlantic often bring rain, and that was the case for our entire week of photography.

Embracing the saying “bad weather makes for good photographs,” we adjusted our mindset and embraced the fog and clouds.

On the last morning, we were in Litlefjellet, a small saddle between two valleys: Venjedalen and Romsdalen through which the Rauma River flows. The nearest town is Åndalsnes. The area is famous for its mountainous landscapes and is quite popular with tourists.

Our objective was Mount Litlefjellet (marked as 87 on the map below).

We thought we might catch a break and see the sun peek through the clouds, but it never happened. So, we made the most of the beautiful waterfall scene in front of us without a hint of blue sky or the pink clouds of sunrise.

It was a delightful week of all things Norway with a fine group of photographers. And despite longing to see blue sky or a colorful sunrise/sunset, I thoroughly enjoyed my photographic exploration of a land where so many of my fellow Minnesotans had ancestors.

Thanks for looking,

Chuck Derus Zenfolio | Chuck Derus