Latefossen

Latefossen is a dramatic double waterfall where two streams crash together and pour under the arches of an old stone bridge right beside the road near Odda. The bridge crosses through the spray, so drivers pass almost within the thundering falls, making it one of the most photographed roadside cascades in the country.

Background

The waterfall belongs to Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland County and drops 165 metres in total. Its water leaves the lake Lotevatnet as two separate streams, which merge partway down and then pass beneath Norwegian National Road 13, a road built in 1867-69, at a stone bridge of six arches. The falls sit at an elevation of 335 metres, with a longest single drop of 52 metres, an average width of 23 metres and a run of 274 metres. The average flow is 17 m3/s. The photographer Knud Knudsen captured the two joining streams around 1900.

Source: Wikipedia, "Låtefossen"

The landscape

• The twin falls - the two streams meeting and pouring under the bridge.
• The old stone bridge - the arched bridge crossing through the spray.
• The spray - the drenching mist that soaks the road and viewers.
• The roadside view - the falls seen from the layby and the bridge.

When to go

Late spring and early summer for the falls at their most thunderous from snowmelt; the flow eases later in summer. Any clear day suits the quick stop.

Practical notes

It is a roadside photo stop rather than a place to spend time, seen in minutes. The spray genuinely soaks the road, bridge and anyone standing close, so expect to get wet. Parking is limited and the road is busy in summer, so take care.

Nearby

Odda and the Trolltunga trailhead are close; the Hardangerfjord is nearby.

Key facts