Kvednafossen & Svandalsfossen

Well, it was supposed to be a waterfall today. There will be even two.
First things first. I was just going off the route leading to Hustveitsåta. I was tired and I was heading towards the car, when my attention was caught by the plate with the next trail. I came closer and read it. Kvednafossen, 0.8km. Waterfall. And it’s not far. On a flat, wide road. Okay, I thought, I’ll take a look.
Indeed, the waterfall was not far away. First I heard the sound of water, then I saw an old barn by the road and an old wooden bridge over the river. And then the waterfall itself. No matter how it looked, it can be seen at the pictures. Important things was around. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there was an old farm nearby, founded in the 19th century. Here, next to the waterfall, was the continuation of this farm. Old wooden buildings with devices powered by the power of flowing water.

And so, in the first building I passed, which I took as a barn, the animals were originally kept. However, some time later they used it as a workshop. Then, there was a shed containing a wood saw, fed with water from a waterfall. And although the building was erected much over a century ago, you can still see a large saw blade inside and a wooden gutter (partly damaged by the time) leading to the building, supplying water.
On the other side of the river there are two small huts and their doors are locked. They don’t have windows so it’s impossible to look inside. However, from the information board you can read that one had a mill and the other a grain dryer. Outside, a grinding stone was placed in one of the wooden gutters.
As you can see, people did quite well without electricity.

After watching all these revelations, I turned back and headed towards the car. Along the way, I took a look at the Hustveit farm, specifically a large barn, where you can go inside and read about the history of the place and the people living here. The origins of the farm date back to 1860. Today there is a new one, right next to the old one, so the view of grazing sheep or cows should not surprise anyone.

Finally I got into the car. However, I decided to stay in one more place. I have passed Sauda town several times before, but so far I have never stop by the Svandalsfossen waterfall, which presents its charms right next to the road, right at the entrance to the town. I stopped the car at the parking lot by the waterfall and armed with the camera, get off to action.
From the level of the road, the waterfall does not make a special impression. But using the steel stairs and entering higher we have the opportunity to get to a great view point, where we will not only see the true beauty of the water flowing down from the mountains, but also will have a fantastic view of the Saudafjord. An additional attraction are stone benches and a table. The perfect place for a picnic. However, this is not the end of the trip. Another stairs, this time made by stones, lead higher, up to the vertical wall, where you can almost touch the water falling down.

As in many places in Norway, here too, at Svandalsfossen, we do not see barriers or even warning signs to come too close to the waterfall. Carefulness and common sense must be enough to don’t take one step too much. Just seeing the power of the water falling down should make us realize what could happen if those enormous force took us with it.
And we end with this optimistic accent today. I invite you again. Soon, another story of the bloodcurdling (literally) mountain expedition.