Nationalparks Børgefjell

Norway´s National Parks are regulated by the laws of nature. Nature decides both how and when to do things. National Parks are established in order to protect large natural areas - from the coast to the mountains. This is done for our sake, for generations to come and for the benefit of nature itself.

BØRGEFJELL NATIONAL PARK

Counties: Nordland, Nord Trøndelag

Established: 1963

Extended: 1971, 2003

Size: 1447 km2

A sanctuary for the Arctic fox

Most of Børgefjell National Park is a wilderness, affecting our senses with a wide range of powerful impressions. In the west there are high summits and deep valleys with cirque glaciers and mountain lakes. In the south there are wild river rapids and beautiful waterfalls, while the eastern parts are characterised by more rounded hill tops and open heath land.

For those interested in hunting and trout fishing, Børgefjell has much to offer. Børgefjell is also one of the few places you can encounter the Arctic fox, the most endangered mammal in Norway.

Not a place to be in a hurry

If you want to become properly acquainted with Børgefjell National Park, you should allow several days in order to do justice to the mountain. In addition to the time you intend to spend inside the national park, you should calculate an extra day to get in and a day to get out again.

Unpredictable weather

The weather can change quickly, so make sure that you have enough clothes and proper equipment. There is a high level of precipitation in the west and south, while the north east is more protected by the mountains. Winters can be hard, with cold temperatures and large amounts of snow. The snow often arrives in October, and in the high-lying areas it can remain until well into the summer months.

Not designed for tourism, but good walking terrain

In Børgefjell you will generally be alone with nature and your own experiences. There are very few cabins, bridges or marked paths.

It´s numerous rivers and lakes make Børgefjell an eldorado for trout fishing. Hunting is permitted in the national park, although elk hunting is prohibited in the core area. You may move around freely in the national park, apart from one area east of the Namsvatn Lake. This area is closed from 20 June until 25 July while the geese are changing their feathers.

From marshland to mountain peaks

Børgefjell National Park covers a height range above sea level from 270 to 1.699 metres. There are lakes, rivers, marshland, scree, heath land, mountains and mountain peaks.

Mountain peaks in the west

The highest mountain peaks are in the west. The bedrock here is primarily dark granite, Børgefjell granite, which gives the landscape its desolate appearance. This is where you will find the highest mountain in the park, Kvigtinden, towering 1.699 metres above sea level. Other places, such as in the Rainesfjellet area, you will find rough stone screes without vegetation. Sub-glacial moraines cover much of the landscape.

Not just a stone desert

Gentle lines, lower heights and broad valleys with fertile mountain sides are typical of the hospitable and smooth terrain in other parts of the national park. The bedrock here provides a basis for luxuriant vegetation and a rich plant and animal life. Marshland is the most important characteristic in this part of the landscape.

A multitude of lakes The many lakes of varying sizes give B¿rgefjell its special character. The largest lakes are Simskardvatnet and Orvatnet. The rivers north of Orvassdraget run east towards Sweden. In the northernmost parts of the national park the rivers run towardsTiplingan and Susendalen, while in the west they run towards Fiplingdalen and Namsen.

The watercourses are varied Ð from the large but peaceful Orvassdraget and the majestic Storfossen waterfall in the Jengelvassdraget to the small mountain streams found all over the National Park. The famous rivers, Namsen and Vefsna, both have their sources in Børgefjell.

Unproductive conditions for plants

Approximately 300 plant species are registered in Børgefjell. The tree line is between 500 and 600 metres above sea level. Most of the woodland is birch. The only significant areas of spruce forest are found by the Namsvatnet Lake, in Namskroken and Simskardet. Pine trees can be found scattered across dry mounds of rock and in the marshlands in the lower areas, while heath vegetation dominates above the tree line.

Here you can walk for hours in sedge and blueberry heath land. There is a thriving life in the many willow thickets. Børgefjell has plenty of marshland with bog asphodel, purple moorgrass and trichophorum cestitosum, which make the marshland solid enough to walk on.

Birds´ mountain

The landscape in Børgefjell is ideal for birds. The numerous watercourses, extensive willow thickets and sedge marshes provide excellent living conditions and an ample source of food. Birds associated with marshy terrain are particularly at home here. There is a very rich bird life around Tiplingan and the lower part of the Simskardelva river.

The most common bird of prey in the national park is the rough-legged buzzard, but you will also find the snow owl, the mighty golden eagle and a range of other birds of prey brooding here. The combination of good nesting opportunities and easy access to food means that they are particularly content in Børgefjell.

Few but vigorous

The "speciality" of Børgefjell is the Arctic fox, although in terms of numbers the wolverine is the most common of the large predators. Both lynxes and bears make appearances as dispersal-resident animals. The most common small predators are the red fox, the snow weasel, the marten and the stoat. It is also possible to catch the occasional glimpse of an otter.

In the woodland areas, and sometimes even in the mountains, you can spot an elk. The elk is protected from hunting in parts of the national park. The hare is common, and squirrels can be found in the coniferous forest areas, while there are beavers in the Orvassdraget watercourse. There are also several different species of nibblers, including lemmings and mice.

The entire Børgefjell area is used for domesticated reindeer. The western, eastern and southern parts of the National Park are mainly used as grazing areas in the summer, while the northern areas are used for grazing all year round. Furthest east there are reindeer coming in from Sweden.

The Arctic fox clings to life

If you go for a walk in Børgefjell you might actually encounter an Arctic fox - if you are lucky. You should enjoy the moment, and then move on slowly.

The fox needs all the peace it can get. The numbers of Arctic fox have not increased since they were protected in 1930. Today there are only a few animals left, and Børgefjell is the only place with a viable population of Arctic fox. The few groups of Arctic fox still in existence in Norway are small and widespread.

Almost extinct as a result of hunting

Hunting almost caused the extinction of the Arctic fox. Around the year 1900 hunters caught approximately 2000 Arctic foxes annually. The price of a fur was extremely high and it was not unusual to receive the equivalent of a year´s salary for one fur.

Human traces

The Sami people controlled the land in Børgefjell right up until the beginning of the twentieth century. They have kept reindeer in the area for at least 500 years. Sami cultural monuments in the form of settlements and hunting stations can be found both inside the National Park and in the border areas around it.

The first farms in the area appeared at the end of the 1700s and beginning of the 1800s, and Norwegian settlement increased from then onwards. The first farms were established when there was a shortage of land elsewhere.

In 1932 the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) suggested that Børgefjell should be preserved as a wilderness, without cabins or marked paths. This is one of the reasons why Børgefjell has not become a particular tourist attraction.