
Torhatten
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Out on the western horizon rises Torghatten, shaped like a giant hat carved by nature itself. A wide hole runs straight through the mountain. It looks almost like a portal into a fairytale, or an eye watching over the coast — like the Eye of Sauron in The Lord of the Rings. The mountain stands 258 meters tall, and the hole is over 160 meters long, 20 meters wide, and 35 meters high. You can clearly see it from the ship, and it has fascinated both visitors and scientists for generations. According to legend, the hole was formed when the mountain troll Hestmannen, in a fit of heartbroken rage, shot an arrow at the beautiful Lekamøya. The King of the Sømna Mountains saw what was about to happen and threw his massive hat between them to protect her. The arrow pierced the hat, creating the hole. At that exact moment, the sun rose, and as with all troll-magic, the hat turned to stone. Geologists offer a different story. They believe the hole was carved during the last Ice Age, when melting water and ice slowly eroded a weaker section of the mountain. Whichever version you prefer, Torghatten remains one of the most striking and recognizable landmarks along the entire Norwegian coast. A place where nature and myth meet.