After a restful night’s sleep in our tent, we set off towards Gorsabrua, the deepest canyon in Northern Europe. We had spent the night at a resting spot relatively close by, and from there, it was only an 18-kilometer journey to the Gorsabrua parking lot.
Gorsabrua – Summary
What: Waterfall, Northern-Europeยดs deepest canyon, 153 meters deep
Location: 50 km from Skibotn, 13 km from Birtavarre
Trail lenght: 1,8 km oneway
Difficulty: Easy
There’s only one road leading to Gorsabrua, and it winds through a valley between the mountains. The road starts as a paved road from the village of Birtavarre, but soon turns into a decent gravel road, although its condition deteriorates after a while. Distance from Birtavarre to Gorsabrua trailhead is about 13 km.
At times, we had to drive so slowly that walking might have been faster, but we didn’t want to risk damaging our car on this road. There’s a sign warning that driving on the road is at your own risk. Driving carefully and cautiously, however, the road can be navigated quite well, but it’s wise to allocate plenty of time for this journey.
There are many sheep along the road and even on the road itself, so driving slowly is essential for safety. The sheep like to wander onto the road, and there are quite a few of them, and they’re so adorable!
Towards the end of the journey, we encountered an old bridge that raised some questions for us about whether it was safe to cross. There were a few cars parked in front of the bridge, which added to our uncertainty, but we decided to drive across it, and fortunately, it held up. The road continues for a while longer until you reach the parking lot and starting point for the Gorsabrua trail. You can find the starting point of the Gorsabrua trail here.
Gorsabrua Trail
From here, it’s only a 1.8-kilometer hike each way to Gorsabrua. The trail is well-marked and easy to navigate, mostly consisting of a clear path through the forest.
As we approached the canyon, the roar of the waterfall intensified, and glimpses of the canyon started to appear through the trees, along with the impressive bridge crossing it.
If you’re prone to fear of heights, crossing the bridge might be a bit daunting. The canyon is about 150 meters deep and truly a breathtaking sight. Looking down, it seems to stretch endlessly. However, the bridge rails are sturdy, providing good support even if your knees are trembling a bit.
A magnificent waterfall cascades into the canyon, and its roar is awe-inspiring. Gorsabrua Canyon is incredibly beautiful, and we could marvel at the waterfall and the canyon for a long time. If desired, you can continue the trail on the other side of the bridge to view the canyon and waterfall from a different angle.
There was no crowd, and even though there were cars in the parking lot, we were the only visitors on the bridge, so we could enjoy the beauty of the place in peace.
As usual, we had snacks with us, and in such surroundings, they tasted even better! It was the perfect spot for a snack break!
Bungee jumps are also organized from the bridge if walking across the bridge itself isn’t thrilling enough for you. These jumps are apparently offered on certain days or by reservation, so it’s worth looking into beforehand if you’re interested.
The return journey is along the same trail back to the car.
From Gorsabrua, we continued our journey towards the Lyngen Alps, and we booked our next accommodation in the village of Lyngen at Lyngen Apartments AS.
The journey from Gorsabrua to Lyngen was beautiful, and we drove at a leisurely pace, stopping to take in the scenery along the way.
