Randsfjorden

Randsfjorden is Norway's fourth-largest lake with an area of 139.23 km2 (53.76 sq mi). Its volume is estimated at just over 7 km3 (1.7 cu mi), and its greatest depth is 120 metres (390 ft). The lake is 135 metres (443 ft) above sea level. It is located in the county of Innlandet and borders the municipalities of Gran, Jevnaker, Nordre Land, and Søndre Land in the districts of Land and Hadeland. It is drained by the Randselva river.

Randsfjorden
Looking south from Grimsrud
Randsfjorden
Randsfjorden
LocationInnlandet
Coordinates60°23′25″N 10°23′39″E
Primary outflowsRandselva
Basin countriesNorway
Surface area139.23 km2 (53.76 sq mi)
Max. depth120 m (390 ft)
Water volume7.31 km3 (1.75 cu mi)
Shore length1202.98 km (126.13 mi)
Surface elevation135 m (443 ft)
ReferencesNVE
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.
View northwards from Jevnaker

Although the term fjord usually describes a saltwater inlet, Randsfjorden is actually a freshwater lake with a narrow shape, approximately aligned on a north-south axis.[1]

in Heimskringla, Snorri Sturluson recorded that Halfdan the Black (Halvdan Svarte), father of Harald Hårfagre, the first King of Norway, journeyed over the lake while returning home from a visit to Hadeland. Traveling with a horse and sleigh while the lake was supposedly frozen, he fell through the ice and drowned.[2]

In modern times, many golf courses have been set up on the edge of the lake. There is a car ferry connection between Horn on the east bank and Tangen on the west, which is Norway's last remaining and regularly operating car ferry connection on an inland lake. Sightseeing boat MS Kong Haud sails on Randsfjorden from Jevnaker to Odnes.[3]

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was just Rǫnd, derived from the word rǫnd f 'stripe, edge' (referring to the long and narrow form of the lake). The last element -fjorden (the finite form of fjord) is a later addition - first recorded in 1691.

References
  1. "Randsfjorden". Innovation Norway. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  2. Claus Krag. "Halvdan Svarte". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
  3. "MS Kong Haud". hadeland.no. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
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