Mardalsfossen

Marsdalsfossen waterfall is one of the region’s biggest tourist attractions. With a total fall height of 655 metres it is Northern Europe’s highest waterfall. In 1970 it was decided that the waterfall should be developed and that the water should be diverted over to Rauma and power station developments. The protests against the development led to the world’s first nature conservation action using civil disobedience. The protest was an important ideological nonviolent protest to protect untouched nature and was the start of the environmental movement in Norway. Amongst the several hundred protesters were the philosophers Sigmund Kvaløy Setreng, Arne Næss and the politician Odd Einar Dørum. The protests were also supported by the local communities of Eikesdal and Eresfjord, who are now fighting to get the waterfall back. Without the Mardøla protests the waterfall would not have been able to flow every summer from the 20th June to the 20th August. Follow the signs along the road at the end of Eikesdalsvatnet and you will arrive in Marsdalen where you will have access to parking, a kiosk, toilet and a path up to the waterfall. The path up to the waterfall is around 2 kilometres long. If you want to get close to the effervescent waterfall we would recommend you take your rain jacket with you. Enjoy the trip!