The word ‘fjord’ comes from the ancient Norse fjoror, which means ‘where one fares through.’
The narrow inlets of sea were carved out by 3-kilometre thick glacier tongues during ancient ice ages. The glacial sand deposits make them much shallower than the ocean and hence much quieter, with the surrounding mountains acting as a natural windbreak.
The result is a complex network of flat, silent stretches of pacified Atlantic ocean that attracts seals, dolphins, whales and, of course, kayakers. On top of the 1,190 fjords are 50,000 islands, stretching from balmy Oslo in the south up to Svalbard in the Arctic circle.
Have a look at our top picks of places to go kayaking in Norway.
