Vøringsfossen

Vøringfossen. Probably the most visited waterfall in all of Norway. At least that’s what the internet says. With a total height of 182 meters and a free fall of 163 meters, it ranks 83rd of the highest waterfalls in Norway. The explanation of the attractiveness of Vøringfossen can be found in its location (right next to the national road No. 7, connecting Oslo with Bergen), accessibility and the stunning view both from above and bottom of the Måbødalen valley where the water drops.

The waterfall originates from the Bjoreio River, which goes through the Hardangervidda plateau. The river flows into the narrow and 7km long Måbødalen valley, with steep slopes, creating a spectacular waterfall. The Måbødalen Valley is more like a steep-walled gorge, stretching from Ovre Eidfjord all the way to the Sysendalen Valley, and a ride on Route 7 in this section is an attraction in itself.
An interesting fact is the origin of the name Vøringfossen. The verb vyrða (from Old Norse vyrðingr) means respect or honor and fits perfectly with the majestic creation of nature that we can admire today at the edge of the Måbødalen Valley. The ending word fossen means waterfall in Norwegian and is added to the name of any other waterfall.

Due to the great interest of English tourists visiting the Hardanger area in the second half of the 19th century and the impression how the Vøringfossen waterfall  made on visitors, the idea of ​​investing in tourism was born. In 1891, at the end of the Måbødalen valley, a hotel (Fossli Hotel) was built, which over the years has hosted famous personalities such as the composer Edvard Grieg (the piano he used to play and compose is still in the hotel) and the painter Johan Christian Dahl. Both, fascinated by the beauty of nature, created their works in this place.
Initially, only a narrow path led through the Måbødalen valley. In order to transport building materials from Eidfjord and set up a hotel, a road had to be routed to let the horses with heavy loads pass. The first road, built in the 19th century, was called Tømmerløypet. The real road was not completed until 1916. It consisted of many serpents, three bridges and three tunnels. Today it is still accessible, but only for pedestrians and cyclists, as in 1986 the wider parallel road, part of Rv7, was completed. The new route, with an 8% slope, is full of tunnels and was supposed to be safer than the narrow old road with many serpents. However, in 1988, a tragic accident occurred when a bus carrying 34 passengers, including children, crashed into a concrete arch at the end of one of the tunnels. 15 passengers died at place. A few days later the bus driver died in the hospital, seriously injured in the accident. The main cause of the accident was the failure of the brakes, which became overheated when descending a steep route and finally stopped working.
Let’s go back to the Vøringfossen waterfall. When we want to see it, we have three options.

1. You can stop right behind one of the wildest tunnels that the norwegias have dug (Storegjeltunnelen, look at the map), next to a cafe, just off the Rv7 road. There is a viewing point by the road over the cliff and after a short walk between the trees, we will reach the edge of the canyon. The path will lead us east to the waterfall itself. However, you should be careful, because it is a section not secured with barriers.
2. The second option is to get off the main road and follow the signs leads to the Fossli Hotel. We can park on a new, spacious parking lot and head towards a visible hotel and metal platforms around the edge of the cliff. The area is secured with barriers and the platforms outstanding over the abyss additionally cause a thrill.
3. The third option is to park on one of few places by the road on either side of Mabøtunnelen and walk to the bottom of the valley by feet. Admiring the waterfall from below is just as exciting, but it takes some time to get to it. I will describe this route in more detail in the next post.

An additional attraction, opened in August 2020, is the installation of a steel bridge spanning the banks of the Bjoreio River, just before the waterfall. The bridge has 47 meters long and the height difference is 16 meters. Hence, the footbridge has the form of stairs (exact 99 steel steps). Being at Vøringfossen shortly after the construction was made available and seeing how popular it is, I got the impression that these stairs are now the greatest attraction of the area. They look a bit insane and futuristic. But was something like that needed in this place? It is known that an additional attraction bring more visitors and therefore more money from tourism. Before the approval of the project, there were voices of protest about excessive interference with the natural landscape, but as you can see they were ignored. Is it right, judge for yourself. I would like to add that about 200 meters from the new footbridge there is an old stone bridge connecting both banks of the river. I also walked on it and it would be enough for me.