Hardangervidda

The Hardangervidda is a mountain plateau ("vidde" in Norwegian) in the Hardanger region of western Norway. It is the largest such plateau in Europe, with a cold year-round alpine climate and is the site of one of Norway's largest glaciers. Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park; it is a popular tourist and leisure destination for many outdoor activities. The region is divided administratively between the counties of Buskerud, Hordaland, and Telemark.

Geography and geology

The plateau is the largest peneplain (eroded plain) in Europe, covering an area of about at an average elevation of 1,100 m (3,500 ft). The highest point on the plateau is the Sandfloeggi, which reaches a height of .

The landscape of the Hardangervidda is characterised by barren, treeless moorland interrupted by numerous pools, lakes, rivers and streams. There are significant differences between the west side, which is dominated by rocky terrain and expanses of bare rock, and the east side, which is much flatter and more heavily vegetated. The climate also varies between the two sides: it is considerably wetter on the west side than on the east, with over 1,000 mm per year (39 inches) recorded in some parts."The Halne Area, Hardangervidda. Use of a High Mountain Area during 5000 Years - An Interdisciplinary Case Study", Dagfinn Moe, Svein Indrelid & Arthur Fasteland, in "The Cultural Landscape: Past, Present...
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