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County in Eastern Norway
Photo: Vladislav Bezrukov from Walldorf, Germany, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Telemark is a county in East Norway. It is a rugged area with many big lakes ("inland fjords") and picturesque valleys. The county stretches from the industrial towns along the sea through the forested hills and secluded valleys to the barren, unpopulated Hardangervidda. Most of Norway's ancient wooden buildings are in Telemark. The big contrasts between Norway's industrial heartland and the rugged interior makes Telemark a Norway in miniature. The lakes and valleys of western Telemark resembles the fjords of western Norway.
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Ballongfararsteinen
In late November 1870 a French gas balloon with two officers landed at the Lifjell mountain near Seljord lake. The two men were carrying mail and important military messages from inside Paris under German siege. The men original had no idea where they had landed as the wind had shifted the balloon swiftly across the North Sea during darknes. Winter had begun in the mountains and the lightly dressed officers were rescued by local lumberjacks. This was the first air travel in Norway and the two French officers were a major sensation in Norway. They eventually delivered their mail but too late to coordinate a French attack. A memorial stone can be seen on the hills above Seljord lake. The balloon blew further north but was rescued and can be seen in the Museum of Science and Technology in Oslo.
Ski lifts and slopes near Rjukan and Gausta summit. Relatively long season.
Ski lifts and slopes in Western Telemark. The largest alpine ski resort in Telemark, 17 lifts and 44 slopes.
If you plan on traveling by bus or ferry more than once, consider getting the very advantageously priced period tickets - a single-zone journey on the local buses costs 45 kr, single ferry ride may cost 80 kr, while a…
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Sandefjord(Torp) · International · TRF
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