Hornindalsvatnet

Hornindalsvatnet reaches 514 metres at its deepest point, which makes it the deepest lake in Europe, and since its surface sits only about fifty metres above sea level the bottom lies more than four hundred and fifty metres below it, carved by ice that pushed far beyond the present coast. The water is exceptionally clear and cold, blue-black in colour, about twenty-two kilometres long and rarely more than two wide, with roads on both shores and small farming settlements along them. It is deep enough that it has never been recorded as freezing over completely. The Hornindal marathon runs around it each July, and the village of Hornindal at the eastern end holds a well-known collection of rose-painted folk art.

What you actually see

• The dark clear water - exceptional visibility over enormous depth.
• The shore roads - drives along both sides with viewpoints.
• The lake basin - steep sides showing how deep the ice cut.
• Hornindal village - folk art and rose painting at the eastern end.

When to go

June to September for driving, walking and the occasional very cold swim; the marathon in July fills local accommodation. Autumn brings colour to the birch slopes. Winter roads are cleared but conditions vary.

Honest expectations

The depth is a statistic rather than a sight, and visually the lake reads as a long attractive fjord-like body of water rather than something extraordinary. Facilities along the shore are limited to a few campsites and cafes. Swimming is possible but the water stays very cold all year.

Nearby

Nordfjordeid lies west with its Viking ship museum; Stryn and the Nordfjord head are southeast.