Breheimen
Encyclopedia
Breheimen is a mountain range in Sogn og Fjordane
and Oppland
counties in Norway
. The area lies west of Jotunheimen
(the Sognefjellsvegen
road marks the western border), north of the Sognefjord
, and south of the Nordfjord
and Riksvei
15. The mountain range includes the Jostedalsbreen National Park
and the Breheimen National Park
.
The name Breheimen means "home of the glacier
s", since it has many glaciers, including Norway's largest glacier, Jostedalsbreen
. Other glaciers in the range include Harbardsbreen
and Spørteggbreen
. Some of the major mountains in the area include Skåla
, Lodalskåpa
, Høgste Breakulen
, Tverrådalskyrkja
, Hestbreapiggan, and Brenibba
. The region also includes several large lakes such as Austdalsvatnet
and Styggevatnet
.
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
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....
counties in 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...
. The area lies west of Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
(the Sognefjellsvegen
Sognefjellsvegen
The Sognefjellsvegen or Sognefjellsveien is the highest mountain pass road in Northern Europe. It is located in Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane counties in Norway. It is a national tourist road and starts in the village of Lom in the municipality of Lom, it then travels over the Sognefjell mountain...
road marks the western border), north of the Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
, and south of the Nordfjord
Nordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
and Riksvei
Norwegian national road
Norwegian national road , are roads thus categorized by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration which also maintains them...
15. The mountain range includes the Jostedalsbreen National Park
Jostedalsbreen National Park
Jostedalsbreen National Park is a national park in Norway that encompasses the largest glacier on the European mainland, Jostedalsbreen. The park was established by royal decree on 25 October 1991, and then in 1998, it was enlarged to the northwest...
and the Breheimen National Park
Breheimen National Park
Breheimen National Park is a national park that was established in 2009. The park is located in the municipalities of Skjåk and Lom in Oppland county and in Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
.
The name Breheimen means "home of the glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s", since it has many glaciers, including Norway's largest glacier, Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
. Other glaciers in the range include Harbardsbreen
Harbardsbreen
Harbardsbreen is the 10th largest glacier in mainland Norway. It is located on the south side of the Tverrådalskyrkja mountain in the Breheimen mountain range in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway....
and Spørteggbreen
Spørteggbreen
Spørteggbreen is a glacier in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is the 12th largest glacier in Norway. It lies between the Jostedalsbreen and Harbardsbreen glaciers. The glacier lies inside Breheimen National Park...
. Some of the major mountains in the area include Skåla
Skåla (Sogn og Fjordane)
Skåla is a mountain in the municipality of Stryn in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The mountain is located about east of the village of Loen and about south of the lake Oppstrynsvatn. There are two summits to the mountain, one at and one at above sea level. The latter one is sometimes...
, Lodalskåpa
Lodalskåpa
Lodalskåpa is the highest nunatak on the glacier Jostedalsbreen. It is located on the border between the municipalities of Stryn and Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway, within Jostedalsbreen National Park....
, Høgste Breakulen
Høgste Breakulen
Høgste Breakulen is the highest point on the glacier Jostedalsbreen. It is located inside the Jostedalsbreen National Park on the border of the municipalities of Stryn and Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
, Tverrådalskyrkja
Tverrådalskyrkja
Tverrådalskyrkja is a mountain on the border between the municipalities of Luster and Skjåk , Norway. It is part of the Breheimen mountain range within Breheimen National Park, just north of the large Harbardsbreen glacier...
, Hestbreapiggan, and Brenibba
Brenibba
Brenibba is a nunatak protruding from the north end of the Jostedalsbreen glacier in the Breheimen mountain range. It is located in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. Brenibba is south of Lodalskåpa and northeast of Høgste Breakulen. It is part of the Jostedalsbreen...
. The region also includes several large lakes such as Austdalsvatnet
Austdalsvatnet
Austdalsvatnet is a lake in the northwestern part of the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located in the Breheimen mountain range at the end of the Austdalsbreen glacier, just north of the lake Styggevatnet. It is about east of Lodalskåpa and Brenibba, in the...
and Styggevatnet
Styggevatnet
Styggevatnet is a glacier lake from the glacier Jostedalsbreen in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The lake lies just southeast of the lake Austdalsvatnet. The lake is regulated by a dam and it empties into the river Jostedøla...
.