the Hagenæs Bridge

the Hagnes River marks a section of the border between the communities of Larvik and Sandefjord in Norway.

in 1910 a stone bridge was constructed crossing the small river. at the time it was an important element of Trollsås Road connecting the two communities but both the bridge and the road were dimensioned for the type and amount of transportation of it's time.

bro is Norwegian for bridge. some modern references use Hagenes, or even Hagnes as in the river, rather than the preferred local dialect : Hagenæs

Eventually a new road and bridge were constructed but fortunately the old bridge was kept in place with the original iron railings.

though impractical for modern vehicles the idyllic grass covered bridge is open for pedestrians and as you can see in the background it's right at the border to Sandefjord

i took this series in August at the end of a dry summer, so the water level in the river was quite low but during spring the flow is much greater

this view taken from the new bridge shows some of the underside of the the stone bridge

it was August so those are certainly not icicles. they are more like stalactites in a limestone cave. the bridge was built with lime mortar rather than portland cement. water seeps through the lime mortar and dissolves a little of it and drips down to the underside of the bridge. when exposed to the air it reacts with carbon dioxide and forms calcium carbonate, much like in a cave thus forming the 'stalactites'

the 'stalactites' make the bridge seem very old but in reality they form quickly. i guess these are maybe 5 years old

i tried to make my way down to the river's edge and view the bridge from below but the terrain was steep and there was no path so i got this far but no farther

local enthusiasts keep the bridge in good shape but the old road is left for nature to reclaim, and both are doing a good job with the mown grass on the bridge and the wildflowers thriving on the old road. the involvement and dedication of enthusiastic volunteers is essential in maintaining the local history and culture. without them so much would be lost and spots like this bridge add a lot to the quality of living in areas where the history and culture are very much a part of the everyday experience