The Gorge

Fosdalen, like Glomsdalen, has a steep and deep gorge at the mouth of the valley. The gorge was formed during the melting of the great inland ice sheet more than 10,000 years ago. At that time, Fosdøla River was very large and turbulent, carrying enormous amounts of loose material that the glacier had eroded from the mountains further up the valley. In the steep section at the mouth of the valley, the rock was polished down by the powerful and swift river. This process took place over thousands of years, even while the glacier was still present in the valley.

Here we see a rapids in Fosdøla River. During the melting of the inland ice sheet, Fosdøla was much larger than it is today, carrying enormous amounts of loose material that polished the rocks. Over thousands of years, this gorge was carved out by the river.