Vassfaret
Encyclopedia
Vassfaret is a desolate mountain valley in southern Norway
, bordering Flå
, Nes
, Ringerike
and Sør-Aurdal
municipalities and Oppland
and Buskerud
counties. The valley is said to be between the Hallingdal
and Hedalen in the traditional district of Valdres
.
in 1349. In later ages there were permanent settlements until 1921, when the last inhabitants left. In all there are remnants of 12 farms, as well as remnants of mountain farms.
People have worked with logging and timber floating for more than 300 years in this valley. Numerous artifacts are left including dams, walls constructed by stones out in the rivers, and runs to get the logs past troublesome spots.
Vassfaret is characterized by low alpine coniferous forests, heather and bog. Down in the valley there are a number of lakes in the forest. Up in the mountain it is rocky and weather beaten. The whole valley is not more than about 30 km long, with remnants from the timber floating era and old farms.
During World War II
, 1940 - 1945, and especially in the later years, there was intense activity in Vassfaret. This was the operational base a Resistance group code-named "ELG", and because of this there were many parachute
drops there. There are still missing airdrop
s in the area.
By royal decree on June 28, 1985, the Vassfaret and Vidalen landscapes were made a protected area. The intention is to take care of characteristic flora and fauna of eastern Norway
, especially as an area for bear
s. as well as the cultural remains from logging
and floating.
A special area covering cultural protection covers about 8 km² within the Inner Vassfaret landscape protection area. Within this area there is logging by the old methods, and the logs are transported by horse. Every spring the logs are floated downstream into the Nevlingen River.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, bordering Flå
Flå
Flå is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Flå. The municipality of Flå was established when it was separated from the municipality of Nes on 1 January 1905...
, Nes
Nes, Buskerud
Nes is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesbyen....
, Ringerike
Ringerike
oskar er kjempe kulRingerike is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Ringerike...
and Sør-Aurdal
Sør-Aurdal
Sør-Aurdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bagn....
municipalities and Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
and Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
counties. The valley is said to be between the Hallingdal
Hallingdal
Hallingdal is a valley and traditional district in Buskerud county in Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.-History:Ancient routes went to Vestlandet through Valdres and Hallingdal and down Røldal to Odda...
and Hedalen in the traditional district of Valdres
Valdres
Valdres is a traditional district in central, southern Norway, situated between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal.Administratively, Valdres belongs to Oppland. It consists of the municipalities Nord-Aurdal, Sør-Aurdal, Øystre Slidre, Vestre Slidre, Vang and Etnedal. The main town in the region is...
.
History
There has been human activity in Vassfaret as early as the times before the Black DeathBlack Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
in 1349. In later ages there were permanent settlements until 1921, when the last inhabitants left. In all there are remnants of 12 farms, as well as remnants of mountain farms.
People have worked with logging and timber floating for more than 300 years in this valley. Numerous artifacts are left including dams, walls constructed by stones out in the rivers, and runs to get the logs past troublesome spots.
Vassfaret is characterized by low alpine coniferous forests, heather and bog. Down in the valley there are a number of lakes in the forest. Up in the mountain it is rocky and weather beaten. The whole valley is not more than about 30 km long, with remnants from the timber floating era and old farms.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 1940 - 1945, and especially in the later years, there was intense activity in Vassfaret. This was the operational base a Resistance group code-named "ELG", and because of this there were many parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
drops there. There are still missing airdrop
Airdrop
An airdrop is a type of airlift, developed during World War II to resupply otherwise inaccessible troops, who themselves may have been airborne forces. In some cases, it is used to refer to the airborne assault itself. Early airdrops were conducted by dropping or pushing padded bundles from...
s in the area.
By royal decree on June 28, 1985, the Vassfaret and Vidalen landscapes were made a protected area. The intention is to take care of characteristic flora and fauna of eastern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, especially as an area for bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
s. as well as the cultural remains from logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
and floating.
A special area covering cultural protection covers about 8 km² within the Inner Vassfaret landscape protection area. Within this area there is logging by the old methods, and the logs are transported by horse. Every spring the logs are floated downstream into the Nevlingen River.
Protected area
- Vassfaret and Vidalen conservation area (Vassfaret/Vidalen landskapsvernområde) covering 200 km²
- Inner Vassfaret conservation area (Indre Vassfaret landskapsvernområde), covering 42 km²
- 9 small nature reserves, a total of 18 km², with a very strict protection regime
Vassfarplassen
In the northern end of the Nevlingen River, there are the remains of a farm called Vassfarplassen, where the farmer owned a gun called Vassfarloven, which means "The Law of Vassfaret". In previous times, not all was very social of those living in Vassfaret. A special internal relationship existed, and anyone coming from neighbouring valleys could not expect a friendly welcome. Especially so when it comes to fishing. The saying was that in the middle of Nevlingen there was a shallow area; you could row to that point, but if you get any closer, then you were within range of The Law of Vassfaret. And the owner of that rifle was an excellent marksman.Authors writing about Vassfaret
- Mikkjel FønhusMikkjel FønhusMikkjel Fønhus was a Norwegian journalist, novelist and short story writer. Fønhus' stories are often set in the wilderness, featuring animals and animal behavior.-Personal life:...
- Per HohlePer HohlePer Hohle was a Norwegian writer.He was born in Østre Toten. He wrote numerous books on hunting, mountaineering, nature and the outdoors...
- Bjarne RønningBjarne RønningBjarne Rønning is a Norwegian children's writer. He made his literary début in 1977 with the children's book Bjarne Huldasons sjøreise, for which he was awarded the Tarjei Vesaas' debutantpris. He is also known as a football player and has coached Lyn and Skeid.-References:...
- Edvard Elsrud
Sources
- Elsrud, Edvard Berte Skrukkefyllhaugen: Boken om Vassfaret og de som bodde der (Grøndahl. 1979) ISBN 978-82-504-0358-1
- Elsrud, Edvard Bjørnejakt i Vassfaret (Landbruksforlaget. 1991) ISBN 82-529-1900-6
- Rønning, Bjarne Fra Silver Bar til Vassfaret ( Aschehoug. 1978) ISBN 978-82-03-09722-5
- Hohle, Per Vassfaret (Gyldendal. 1982) ISBN 978-82-05-14000-4