Heiene – remote wilderness in the southern Norway |
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More than 30 years I have been traveling across four continents, searching for the last untouched natural areas in highest mountains (Himalaya, Caucasus, Rocky Mts., Tchien-Shan etc.) and/or in the high geographical altitudes far up from the Polar Circle.
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I have spent long time and quite a lot of money to finance long journeys to my remote directions; however, few years ago I “discovered” magnificent and almost uninhabited plateaus of the Norwegian Heines, only two days by car from my home in the Czech Republic. Since then I keep visiting them again and again… Norwegian word “heiene” means “highland”. So they are many Heines in the southern Norway’s regions (Rogaland etc.) – e. g. Austheiene, Suldalsheiene, Frafjordheiene, Hjemelandsheiene, Ryfylkeheiene, Sirdalsheiene… First part of the word is the name of connected valleys, inhabited by farms and villages; however, between them you can find thousands of square miles of abandoned upland full of beautiful of rocky ridges, lakes, clean creeks and rivers, waterfalls, rapids and snowfields. Greater part of that landscape lies above the line of trees, offering peace and calm far from the “cultural areas”. Only a couple of sheep and self-serviced wooden huts – in a distance of one or half day hike – are the only reminder of the human activities. Often you will be hiking in quite uninhabited areas, tenting on mountain fields, blossoming by the thousands of subarctic flowers. Another day, may be, you will meet not more than two or four hikers during all the day. And “white nights” in June/July bring you unforgettable atmosphere, resembling the “real Arctic”. You can leave behind all your troubles connected with “the life in the civilization”…
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And what do you need? About a week of spare time to cross one of these areas, outdoor equipment, maps (!) and a normal physical conditions… Trekking in Heienes is not too demanding – and you can take the first part of ascent (from the valley to the border of wilderness) by car. E. g. through the hairpins from Setesdalen to Berg settlement (not far from the village Valle, the traditional centre of Norwegian silversmiths). There begins one of by the red “T” marked trails across the Setesdalheiene. First you will walk a few kilometres through the dwarf birch forest, the next days you will spend in the forest-free area of upland. Easily climbing the Svarvarnuten (1377 m), the highest top of Setesdalheiene, you will see the breath-taking panorama of mountains and lakes.
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Limited time to travel? Limited budget to travel to wilderness? Try to visit the Norwegian Heienes!
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Heienes (upplands) around the Setesdalen there are the paradise for hikers.
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The village of Valle there is the centre of the silversmiths.
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Published on Wednesday March 29th, 2006 by prybar
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