Trollgarden is a glacial
moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
in the municipality of
Hjelmeland
is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Ryfylke. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hjelmelandsvågen. Other villages in the municipality include Fister, Årdal, an ...
in
Rogaland
Rogaland () is a Counties of Norway, county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Vestfold og Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. In 2020, it had a population of 47 ...
county,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. The moraine is a tall ridge of stones, rocks, and boulders that runs for about from the east side of the lake
Kvivatnet across the
moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas in temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands and montane grasslands and shrublands biomes, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils. Moorland, nowadays, generally ...
to the northern side of the mountain Brendeknuten in the Hjelmelandsheiane mountains. The name "Trollgarden" is translated to English as ''The Troll's stone fence'' since it looks like a rock wall that a
troll
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
may have built around its farm. The ridge sits about southeast of the village of
Jøsenfjorden
Jøsenfjorden is a fjord in the municipality of Hjelmeland in Rogaland county, Norway. The fjord is a branch off of the main Boknafjorden. The fjord has a length of and a width between . The Norwegian National Road 13 runs along the northern ...
and about northeast of the village of
Hjelmelandsvågen
Hjelmelandsvågen is the administrative centre of Hjelmeland municipality, Norway. The village is located on the south side of the mouth of the Jøsenfjorden. The village has a population (2019) of 592 and a population density of .
The Norwegia ...
.
Access
In the old days, people thought it was magic powers such as
trolls
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human bei ...
that had built the massive stone fence far into the Hjelmeland moors. The geological explanation is that, when the glacial ice retreated, the stones were deposited in the mountains. To see Trollgarden, one must hike for about two hours to reach the moraine. The tall ridge is clearly visible in the bare mountains, at an elevation of just over above sea level.
Geology
The geology of the Trollgarden area was thoroughly investigated and described by Professor
Bjørn G. Andersen
Bjørn Grothaug Andersen (23 March 1924 in Norway, 1924, in Stavanger, Norway – 12 January 2012 in Norway, 2012, in Asker, Norway) was a Norwegians, Norwegian professor of Quaternary geology and glaciology who made foundational contributio ...
in his
Master's thesis
A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
(1954) (On the glacial retreat in the area between the Lysefjorden and Jøsenfjorden in Ryfylke).
See also
*
List of mountains of Norway
There are 291 peaks in Norway with elevations of over above sea level and that have a topographic prominence of more than 10 meters. The following list includes those 186 that have a topographic prominence of 50 meters or more. The topographic i ...
*
Terminal moraine
A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a type of moraine that forms at the terminal (edge) of a glacier, marking its maximum advance. At this point, debris that has accumulated by plucking and abrasion, has been pushed by the front edge ...
*
List of glacial moraines
This a partial list of glacial moraines. They are arranged by continents and divided by related hydrologic basins. This list is incomplete. Please improve the listing.
North America
Moraines of the Great Lakes Region
Lake Ontario Basin
* Oak ...
References
External links
Geoprofiler: En bauta i norsk geologiby
Jan Mangerud at Geoforskning.no
Trollgarden - Steingard med dimensjonerTrolsk møte med Trollgarden
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Landforms of Rogaland
Moraines of Europe
Glacial deposits of Norway
Hjelmeland