Jotunheimen National Park in Norway
© Marisa Estivill/Shutterstoc
Europe's wild side. Jotunheimen National Park in Norway
Jotunheimen National Park in Norway is a prime example of protected natural landscapes. Established in 1980, it covers over 1,000 square kilometres of mountains, glaciers and deep valleys. It is home to the country's highest peaks, including Galdhøpiggen, the highest in Northern Europe at more than 2,400 metres. The name 'Jotunheimen' translates to 'Home of the Giants,' a nod to its dramatic terrain and Norse mythology. The park shelters red foxes, Arctic foxes, lemmings and red deer, while its flora includes hardy alpine species adapted to extreme conditions. Flowing through the park, the Gjende lake is famous for its striking green colour, caused by glacial sediments. Stretching about 17 kilometres in length and less than a kilometre at its widest point, the lake sits at around 1,100 metres above sea level. It's the launch point for the famous Besseggen hike—which attracts thousands each year—made famous by Henrik Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt.'
Related Images
Sun Voyager sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason in Reykjavik, Iceland
Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state, USA
Winter at the Isis Temple in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Aerial of the Amazon River Basin near Manaus, Brazil
Mount Fuji and twin rocks (Ushitukiiwa) in Matsuzaki, Japan
The shoreline of Cahuita National Park, in Costa Rica
Glastonbury Tor and St Michael's Tower in England for the start of the Glastonbury Festival
Hope Valley, Peak District, England
Bing Today Images
