West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord
Situated in south-western Norway, north-east of
Bergen, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, set 120 km from one another, are
part of the west Norwegian fjord landscape, which stretches from
Stavanger in the south to Andalsnes, 500 km to the north-east. The two
fjords, among the world’s longest and deepest, are considered as
archetypical fjord landscapes and among the most scenically outstanding
anywhere. Their exceptional natural beauty is derived from their narrow
and steep-sided crystalline rock walls that rise up to 1,400 m from the
Norwegian Sea and extend 500 m below sea level. The sheer walls of the
fjords have numerous waterfalls while free-flowing rivers cross their
deciduous and coniferous forests to glacial lakes, glaciers and rugged
mountains. The landscape features a range of supporting natural
phenomena, both terrestrial and marine, such as submarine moraines and
marine mammals.