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From Dense Forest to Open Heathlands
The outer frame - the coast, the fjord and the mountains - are an inheritance from the country's geological history. But what, more than anything else, gives the scene colour and excitement is the plant life.
Earth and stone
"Humus" is a word with great meaning. It is the soil we live from, in addition to the resources we get from the ocean. This layer of earth - sometimes appearing as loose fertile organic matter; other places as scanty and acidic soil - is found in varying thicknesses over the bedrock. It is the result of 10,000 years of breakdown and erosion following the last ice age, and then several thousand years of cultivation in more recent times. The soil we can buy at the garden centre is a different product than the "natural" humus layer, formed of processes occurring far under the earth's surface. If you dig your spade into the soil where it has not been ploughed before, you will see that there is a big difference in colour, soil structure, moisture and stone content. We might say that the soil is fertile and easily worked some places, whereas other places folk might have given up trying to grow anything on their small patches of land, which then become overgrown with birch and thicket. Modern agriculture does not have room for small stumps between the piles of stone. Nowadays, machines do the job, and they require a lot of space and flat ground.
Ænesdalen
Even far down in the denst forest in Ænesdalen valley the precipitous and mighty Gygrastolen watches over you. Ænesdalen is not the easiest route in to Folgefonna, since it does not have good roads. But, the nature is magnificent. And if you first are on a trip through this unique valley, you will see how the vegetation here, as in many other valleys in western Norway, changes with altitude and light conditions.
Reppadalen
The unusual bog landscape, with enormous peat deposits surrounded by steep mountainsides, makes Reppadalen in Arna an exciting, but little visited tour destination for most of Bergen's inhabitants. Those who live in Arna, however, know to make the most of its beautiful natural splendour.