elusive moose » Glomma

Eidet Timber Tunnel

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:08:36 +0000

With so many big forests and the Glomma, Norway’s longest river, running through the county, it is little wonder that timber floating was a big industry in Østfold until well into the 1970s. But getting the timber down to Fredrikstad was not always easy. Two waterfalls in particular, Sølvstufossen and Sarpfossen, both near Sarspborg, were problematic, so the decision was taken to build a timber tunnel to avoid them. Construction started in 1906 and the tunnel was officially inaugurated on 18 September 1908. During busy years, such as 1953 for example, as many as 7 million timber stocks would travel through the 3km-long tunnel in the course of a year – over 300,000 a week. Up to 90 men would work at Eidet in season. With an incline of 21 metres, the tunnel, which runs between Isnesfjord and Eidet in Visterflo, was an innovative project, for which engineer Wilhelm Blakstad was later presented an honorary award by the Norwegian Engineer Association. The tunnel was bought by Fredrikstad Municipality in 1985, and is today a cultural monument.

Straddling the Glomma in Askim

admin — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:38:05 +0000

Solbergfoss Power Station

admin — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:33:04 +0000

Enjoying a great location by a scenic stretch of the River Glomma north of Askim in Indre Østfold, at the end of an equally pretty road, this is a real find, and a must see in this area. Solbergfoss hydroelectric power station consists of two stations: the impressive Solbergfoss I, which was completed in 1924 (the oldest, and actually the only one visible from outside the complex); and the newer Solbergfoss II, built inside the mountainside, which opened in 1985.

The first power station was designed by Bredo Greve, one of the leading Norwegian architects of the time. The construction of Solbergfoss I was a complicated job, made worse by the lack of construction material and shortage of staff, several strikes among building workers, and steep price increases. It was a huge building site – as many as 700 men worked here simultaneously (two of whom died when a hanging bridge collapsed during construction).

It is Solbergfoss II, the newer plant, however, which is in use year round, as it is the most efficient of the two, while Solbergfoss I is only used at times of floods as a reserve station. The Kaplan turbine in Solbergfoss II is Norway’s largest, with a diametre of 8.3m. It weighs a whopping 170 tons. When fully opened, it lets through 600 cubic metres of water every second.

There is a little park around the complex, which makes a good picnic spot, and on the other side of the river, which you can cross via a bridge over the waterfall, you will find an outdoors exhibition with black and white photos depicting the construction of Solbergfoss I and II.

Østfold in Pictures: The Fredrikstad Bridge

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:24:30 +0000

The Fredrikstad Bridge

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:20:05 +0000

Dominating the landscape on the eastern side of the city, the Fredrikstad Bridge, with its distinctive arch, has become a landmark for Fredrikstad. The silver bow-shaped bridge, which was opened in August 1957, is also a vital link between the Old Town and the new one. Spanning the Glomma about 2km from where the river meets the Oslo fjord, the bridge is an impressive 824m long and 40m tall.

In March 2004 a 2.5m ’suicide fence’ was affixed to the bridge. Up to 3 people every year used to take their lives by jumping from the bridge, and it is believed that many more have tried. The fence, which stretches 400m down on each side of the bridge, was an attempt to put a stop to these sad statistics.

The bridge is part of the technical heritage of Norway, and as such was listed by the Riksantikvaren (Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Norway) in 2008, together with the roundabout on the east side – the first roundabout in Norway to acquire this status.

You can see old black-and-white photos of the bridge being built here www.demokraten.no/bildeserier/article2923408.ece

Østfold in Pictures: Ice-fishing on the Glomma

admin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:51:15 +0000

Østfold in Pictures: The Glomma at Furuholmen

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:58:30 +0000

The Glomma: Norway’s longest river

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:51:24 +0000

At 588 km (365 miles) long, the river Glomma (also spelt Glåma) is Norway’s longest river, and one of its most important waterways. It takes its source in the Aursunden lake in the Røros area and runs pretty much straight south into the Oslofjord just outside Fredrikstad, Østfold. Because the Glomma crosses some of the densest forest areas in the country, it has in the past been Norway’s main river for timber floating. Today, however, it plays a more important role as a source of hydroelectric power – the Glomma alone accounts for 10% of the whole hydroelectric power produced in Norway.

In Østfold, the Glomma divides up into two separate arms, the eastern arm (the main one) going through Sarpsborg and then Fredrikstad, and the western arm running through Mingevannet in Sarpsborg, Isnesfjorden and onto Visterflo. The stretch going from Isnesfjorden to Visterflo is called Ågårdselva, and is famed locally for its salmon.

Industry in Sarpsborg has in the past been hugely reliant on the hydraulic power of the Sarpsfossen, Scandinavia’s most powerful waterfall, with a water debit of 577 m³ per second. Until 1980 timber was floated down to Fredrikstad on the Glomma – a timber tunnel was even built in nearby Eidet to facilitate the transport of the logs and avoid them having to go down the waterfall.

Østfold in Pictures: Along the Glomma

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:29:41 +0000