The King's River

"I have been fortunate to have two queens in my life, Queen Sonja and the Lærdal River – the Queen of salmon rivers."

Two men are standing by the riverbank, one holding a fishing rod and about to fish, while the other watches.

History

His Majesty King Harald took up salmon and sea trout fishing in the Lærdalselvi. The first time in 1951, later as a regular guest for over 70 years. The King caught his first salmon in 1953. The 4.5 kg salmon was caught in Bjørkumhølen. The King's largest salmon of 18.5 kg was also caught in Lærdal - specifically Home pool. As a sign of the King's connection to Lærdal and the river, a fishing spot has been named "Kronprins Haralds Mur".

Black and white photo of four people standing on a mountain peak, with a mountain ridge in the background. The people are wearing clothing suitable for mountain hiking, and one of the people is holding a fishing rod.
Two men holding a fishing rod with four fish, in a garden with a house in the background.
Four people are standing by a river with mountains in the background, one of them is pointing with a pole along the river, several of them are wearing jackets and hats.