Monday 24 August 2015

The Waterfalls - Trollhättan (5)

The waterfalls at Trollhättan have a total height of 32 metres, making up a large part of the 44 metres total fall of the river Göta älv from Lake Vänern to the west coast. Before the hydroelectric powerplants were built, the discharge of the falls was 900 m³/s, and the lower part of the fall was known as the "Hell” falls.
 
The name Trollhättan, by the way, may be translated troll’s hat, or could also refer to a troll’s mountain. With a bit of imagination it’s easy enough to see strange figures both in the steep cliffs and in the waterfalls.
 
These days the river is only allowed through its original course on special occasions, to regulate the waterlevels of Lake Vänern, or as tourist attraction. The discharge is then 300 m³/s. There is a special waterfall festival celebrated every year on the third weekend in July; but the falls are also let on for a few minutes every afternoon in July and August (the main tourist season).
 
So on our day in Trollhättan, at 3 pm we were waiting with all the other tourists on the bridge with the best view of the show. Even with heavy rain falling from the sky as well, it is a sight worth seeing...

Waiting...
 
Still waiting...


See that bit of white in the middle? Here it comes...

No mistake now!
LOTS of water
This is what we've been waiting for!
Time to rush over to the other side and see what's happening there.

The Bold and the Fast run down the stairs to the lower levels to get closer.

Others like me stay on the bridge and just zoom in...

By now, people are running to and fro across the bridge to see Everything at once.
You have to watch out for traffic as well, though, as cars are allowed on the narrow bridge too...
  
Still full flow

Can you see the trolls?
"The Trolls of Trollhättan" - by Ingegerd Lindbom
(a postcard I've had for not-sure-how-long)


Now they're shutting off the water... Troll shower time over!


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12 comments:

  1. These are really gorgeous images and the waterfalls are very impressive. Thanks for linking in with "Through My Lens", the 4th edition is online now.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  2. WOW What a magnificent to watch happen. your images are gorgeous.

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  3. I love waterfalls and flowing water, very special. Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  4. well worth the wait, it is beautiful.. your vacation was so filled with beauty

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  5. I love waterfalls. That one was very unusual. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Hi! Nice waterfalls's show. After looking at your postcard photo,I could see many trolls there. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. What fun! Wonderful photos of this spectacular event!

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  8. This is absolutely incredible. Worth the wait. AND really like the post card too.

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  9. Lovely photos showing the power of water over this falls.

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  10. I love rivers and waterfalls. They make us feel so small, overwhelming by the force of nature. Glad I saw the Trolls ;-) ! Nice pictures.
    Visiting from Mersad Donko Photography "Through My Lens".
    Greetings from Belgium, Hilde

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  11. Thanks everyone for your appreciative comments :)

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  12. If I couldn't live by the sea then to live near a waterfall would be an acceptable alternative (just) . There are places in New Zealand where the same ritual is followed but I don't recall the one I saw being quite so spectacular.

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