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St Olav's Way
  • Doug Fitzgerald

St Olav's Way

I am travelling to Norway to walk the western route of the Gudbrandsdalsleden from Oslo to Trondheim. On the way I will be visiting family and friends in Perth WA, and on the way home will do the same in England Read more
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  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Sygard Grytting
    1Around, or up and over?2That's the path - narrow, winding, and steep on both sides337 km to go2Sor-Fron kirke

    A short day to Sygard Grytting

    July 9, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today was a short day and at least until mid-morning, it looked like we might go around the headland along the low side. That was not to be. After sticking to some older roads for quite some time, the track started to climb up the headland. It wasn't all that far, but it was pretty steep. More the track wound up and down through littlewooded areas and other places full of tree roots rocks and other obstacles to trip up the unwary walker.

    As soon as that was over, there was a stretch of the E6 to be negotiated. Staying on the roadside of the barrier so particularly precarious even when one walked into the traffic. The alternative was to slip over the other side of the barrier, which had a quite steep drop-off and very narrow walking path along most of it. I chose a combination of both, sleeping onto the roadside when the narrow path got too narrow for my liking.

    I stopped to pay a visit to the pilgrim centre at Dale-Gudbrand, but at the point that I got there, it was still closed, I went to the hotel next door and got myself a coffee and a delightful view looking down the valley, before returning to the Pilgrim Centre and having a chat there. It seems my visit had been forecast by some of my friends walking ahead of me.

    After that, I made my way to Sygard Grytting and settled into a lovely newer building that has power at each of the two beds. Later this evening I will dine in the main house and I'll have breakfast there tomorrow. That will be the full experience this place has to offer.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Sødorp Kirke
    1The little cabin at Sygard GryttingView out the back door3Door latchInside the cabinA well equipped kitchenNot the right day for a photo-op hereVinstra in the evening

    Getting off the track at Vinstra

    July 10, 2024 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    I managed to get lost for a little while getting out of Sygard Gryttingj. It added a couple of kms to my day and about a half hour while I sorted out where I actually was and whether I needed to come back to where I had left the trail. I did.

    After that, it was a hard slog for most of the morning. It started raining just before I left, and I made the mistake of thinking that I didn't need my rain pants on right at that point. Another mistake. By the time I realised that it would have been a good idea to put them on before I started walking, it was too late. The bottom of my pants we're already soaked and it would not have been a good option to stick my wet pants into the top of my socks and just accelerate the process of getting the insides of my boots wet.

    By lunchtime, I'd arrived at the unattended hut at Øvre Skar, which looked like a good option to get some shelter from the rain if it was open. I struck it lucky as there were two young women in the hut from the previous night, and they welcomed me to sit with them and their cute dog while I had my lunch.

    The pilgrim trail doesn't actually go into the town of Vinstra but stays well up the side of the valley. So I knew already that by staying here, I was going to have to recover a fair amount of height when I start again tomorrow morning. It looks like there will be a way up to the trail that doesn't take too long in the morning, although it looks like it could be quite steep. That will be interesting in the muddy conditions the track is in at the moment.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler

    What the ???

    July 11, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Interesting thing to come upon.

    And I had a nice chat with the woman whose family has the summer houses here.

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler

    Halfway there

    July 11, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Leaving Vinstra was even more difficult than I thought it could be. In the end, it took about 2.6 kilometres of walking to get back to the Gudbrandsdalsleden path. But it was some climb. Just over 320 metres of it.

    After that, the rest of the morning was very much as I remembered the path through the valley. Even the upland areas are very, very wet and boggy. But it's not continuous, and there are delightful sections of forest path that wind in and out and up and down along the edges of farms and above the roads. At the end, it was several kilometres of just a straight ashphalt road.

    Today marks the halfway point of the way from Oslo to Trondheim. There are several places that lay claim to being the halfway point, but they are all places that I passed today. It seems to me that much of this is traditional rather than based on any factual measurement of the distance.

    Tonight, I am in Kvam, staying in the same campground that I was in 12 years ago. It is behind the Kvam church, which is also a Commonwealth war graves cemetery for British Army soldiers killed here during the Second World War.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Entering Otta
    1What a forest path looks like, sometimesWhat a forest path looks like - most of the time1View from the lookout Utsikt BreviView from the lookout Utsikt Brevi with me in the roadA few kilometres from OttaI'm sure there is somewhere to cross in there somewhere

    Rounding the bend

    Jul 12–14, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    While the Gudbrandsdalslågen generally flows in a south-easterly direction, it meanders considerably around that. Around Kvam, it is generally flowing east, and by the time one gets to Otta, it's flowing south. There some glacier abandoned a fairly large lump of rock next to the river that one has to get past to reach Otta.

    There were three fairly significant climbs today to do that. The first two were particularly difficult with muddy conditions, water flowing over long sections of the path, and rocky uneven surfaces. Any prospect I had of keeping my feet dry in the conditions was quickly dispelled by lunchtime. I had stopped for a bite to eat and use of a loo at Dalum Herberge. On restarting from there, within a few hundred meters at most, the track started to ascend more steeply, and a small creek was flowing down and across the track. There was no place that was dry to put one's feet for a quite considerable distance, or so it felt.

    I took a short break at an outdoor centre come campground named Vauphaugen. Two other pilgrims were there when I arrived, Sean and Emily, and two others arrived while we were chatting. They had all been at the campground in Kvam the previous evening. It had not been a pleasant evening for the campers and even perhaps some of the people staying in huts. They had been disturbed during the night by people throwing rocks and sticks at their tents, and eventually, several campers took shelter in the kitchen area rather than try and continue with this disturbance going on.

    Sean, Emily, and I all pushed on to get to Otta. While I left before the others, it wasn't long before they caught up with me, and Emily was kind enough to take my photo at the viewpoint at the top of that hill named Utsikt Bredi. The views there are magnificent. After that, I didn't catch sight of them again on the way into Otta.

    I am staying in Killi Pensonjat, which the Pilgrim Office suggests is close to the centre of Otta, but now that I am here, I find there's only one more house and that's the edge of town!

    Otta seems to be a nice little small town, although it might be relatively large in Norwegian terms. It certainly has the population to support that wonderful restaurant chain comma McDonald's. More importantly, I've found a couple of places that had things that I needed to replace, having broken a couple of bibs and bobs along the way. That, and a selection of supermarkets and a whole range of nice-looking little cafes and other eating places.

    I've now settled in with a hot cup of tea and an enormous piece of carrot cake for my afternoon tea. I'm not sure whether I'll eat from my food bag tonight or go down into the town for a bite to eat.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler

    Tidying up

    July 13, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Just to let you know that I've been tidying up some of the entries I made today. Google voice typing isn't everything that it is cracked up to be, and I haven't been quick enough to correct all of the little errors that have emerged. I think I've got them now.

    And I have also learnt how to tidy up the map so I don't appear to be walking on water!!    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Jørundgard in the rain
    Otta is big enough for the golden arches!!Prillarguri - local heroToday's big lump of rock to walk aroundHigh enough so that the tree line is evident284 km MarkerLight in Sel kirke gateJørundgard - interior of the long loftStave korke at JørundgardInner courtyard - Jørundgard

    Jørundgard

    July 14, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Leaving Otta this morning was relatively simple. There were a few people in the town, but not many, as it was a Sunday morning. Getting back on the on the waymarked route was relatively simple. After crossing the river, the route follows the E6 for some time before arriving at Sel kirke. That was the chance to get my pack off after an hour and a half or so of walking.

    Just as I got my pack back on, a couple of men came to open up the church and set the bells ringing. One of them came over to chat and offered me coffee. I couldn't refuse!

    Once I got on the way again, it was a short distance before I crossed the river once more. After that, there was a long walk along the flat river plain nestled in the bottom of the valley. At one point, several people were moving through what looked like a grain crop searching for something. It made me wonder what else there was growing in that field other than the grain that I could see.

    It got to be quite a long way without any place on the side of the road to stop and sit for a break. So I found as reasonable looking a spot to sit as I could and had a snack. A light rain started, and given that the forecast was for rain today, I decided not to tough it out and to get my rain jacket on and rain cover on my pack. Then I was on my way around the next corner, and there on the side of the road was a picnic table. There are just some things that one can not win!

    Two pilgrims who had been staying at the same place as I was in last passed me. They are going on to Volheim, a little further than I'm prepared to walk today.

    Where I am staying is a re-creation of a medieval farm complex. It has also been used as a film set, and apparently, many of the buildings have been furnished in keeping with the times from the film set props.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Sharing the valley wall with the railway
    Kristen LavransdatterNord-Sel kirkeAnother Commonwealth War Graves siteCrawling space onlyStill no great lunch spotNew bridge at Stugufloten - the old one looked much more interestingThe Gudbrandsdalslågen at StuguflottenA hitch-hiker

    Missing the train

    July 15, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    I think the hardest thing about today was that I was going to share the valley wall with the train. As you leave Nor Sel, the Gudbrandsdalslågen returns to flowing in a south-easterly direction after having flowed roughly south through a narrow part of the valley that one is going to walk through.

    So is the train! And, unsurprisingly, it has the priority when it comes to where it goes and who is allowed to share the nice, level, train track. Pilgrims aren't. It is one of the most convoluted and gnarly walking I think I am ever likely to do.

    There might be one relatively flat and level section of maybe a hundred metres or so where one walks close to the track, but any joy in that doesn't last for long. At the end of that, the pilgrim path starts to climb steadily on road that is going to climb up and around the rest of the ridge.

    I knew I was overdue for a break, but I wasn't inclined to have my lunch sitting at the side of the road. I figured that there might just be a rest stop close to the top, Fueled by an extra helping of fruit jellies, I persisted for another 30 minutes, and was rewarded with an almost brand-new picnic table. I was relieved.

    There was a little more climb after that, followed by a long stretch of gris vei - the smooth hard grey dirt road - descending back down to the valley floor.

    Near the bottom, they have developed an alternative route that crosses the valley a little further east than the normal route. It also has the advantage of following a relatively flat and level section of road on the other side of the valley. There are times when boring is good!    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    One of several classic houses along the valley
    Forest path along part of a 'King's Road'Forest path along part of a 'King's Road' - what the surface really looks like!!View across the valleyAnother view across the valleyDovre KirkeOutside Dovre KirkeA village road - leaving Dovre and heading to the DovrefjellA saint needs a miracle or two - a St Olav springArrival at Budsjord

    Budsjord

    July 16, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Arriving at Budsjord was going to be relatively easy. It was going to be a bit of asphalt road, a little bit of forest, some more road leading down to the town of Dovre and then a climb up the valley wall to Budsjord itself. I gave myself a late start.

    Nothing went particularly wrong with this, but there seemed to be a continual series of little delays and a range of tough going that all contributed to me arriving much later than I thought I would.

    On the way, I visited a couple of places that I hadn't planned to stop at for any length of time, like a cafe that served espresso and the Dovre supermarket. This included dopping in at the kirke in Dovre to collect a stamp and being treated to a guided tour by one of the parishioners.

    Budsjord looks unchanged from the outside, but there have been a lot of changes in the buildings to make them more habitable for pilgrims. The stables building that I had stayed in last time has been relined, and power is now available in the building as well. The shower block has been vastly improved, although there was a distinct lack of hot water in the shower by the time I got there.

    I chose to have the three course meal and was seated with a lovely Norwegian man, Lars. We had a great conversation over dinner and again at breakfast.

    It was a very pleasant day and well worth making the effort to return to somewhere that I had visited before.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    1

    Flowers

    July 17, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I was thinking today that there are very few of the images that I've been taking that are of flowers. I decided to remedy that as much as I could but taking some images of the lovely little upland flowers that I saw along the trail today. I hope you enjoy this small selection.Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Re-creation of the mandated 18th C bridges on the Kongsvolen
    BudsjordNot quite the last tree but at the treelineNow well above the treelineThere's still snow in the high places... and snow in some of the lower places tooThe peak the track skirts aroundThe two markers, one for the King's Way, the other for St Olav's WayTrack over the marshlandAnother King's Way marker

    Starting to cross the Dovrefjell

    July 17, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I knew today was going to have a tough start, but I didn't count on getting a little bit lost within the first kilometre or so. That didn't help my mood one bit. That said, the day improved, and while it was a long, fairly arduous walk, I felt pretty happy at the end of it when I got here to Fokstugu.

    The climb out of the Valley takes about three and a half kilometres, and there was about 350 meters of elevation gain at the same time. There's probably another 250 meters of elevation gain across the rest of the day.

    While it's threatened rain, it never actually got around to seriously doing so. I put on my rein gear anyhow because there was a pretty chill wind coming across the top of the mountains. It was only about an hour or so from reaching my destination that I felt comfortable just wearing a fleece to keep warm.

    Much of the latter part of the book was across a marshland where it was hard to determine where to put one's feet without getting them soaking wet. The waterproofing in my boots is working remarkably well, and my feet were pretty dry when I got here. I was so pleased about that.

    This place has a chapel, and during the pilgrim season, arranges for church service in the evening and mornings to be delivered by some visiting priest. Tonight, the celebrant is going to be the Bishop of Nidoros. I will go over there shortly to attend.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler

    Reaching Hageseter

    July 18, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I suppose it was optimistic to walk in just a shirt when the previous day I had walked past several spots where snow was still lying on the ground in the sheltered places. But I did. And it wasn't long before I had decided that it was a good idea to have something warmer over my shirt.

    From Fokstugi, the trail follows a small river straight up to the west before turning and heading north. There is still some climbing to do but not at such a steep gradient. The trail meanders in and out, and up and down over rocks, streams, little marshy areas, and all sorts of boggy ground. In some places, planks and logs have been placed across the deeper swamp to assist.

    Around lunchtime, the trail started to descend into Furuhaglie, where there's a campground with a cafe. It was too much to resist, and I went the 200 odd meters off track to lunch there. One big burger later, I was ready to hit the trail again and head to Hageseter.

    Shortly after Furuhaglie, there is a zone of permafrost just to the north of the track, with some storyboards explaining both the significance of the site and the dangers that we bring if it is damaged.

    The trail now starts to go alongside some lakes and marshy areas along the bottom of the valley. None of this is easy walking for me right now as I don't see to be able to pick it easy line through the rocks and the mud and everything else. It slows me down considerably to have to look and evaluate how I am going to walk each of these little obstacles.

    I have a room tonight in the main building, not in a cabin. I am grateful for that.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler

    Hjerkinn to Kongsvoll

    July 19, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I had stopped a little short of Hjerkinn last night, so the first part of the day was getting the last few kilometres done. I'd also wanted to visit the pilgrim centre there which meant arriving before 10:30. The track covers everything from glacial deposits to reconstructions on Viking houses and parts of more modern roads. It also had what it almost become inevitable at this stage, which was a set of boggy marshes to cross as well. This really slowed me down.

    It became a matter of close but not quite close enough and I didn't get to the turn off to the pilgrim Centre until 10:30 so clearly wasn't going to get all the way in in time. I decided I would head straight to the hotel south of the church and pilgrim centre where I had a coffee and ate one of my sandwiches.

    The second part of today's walk covered the transit across a saddle on a road constructed in the early 18th century, according to the French principle. This appears to require that roads be built in long straight lines irrespective of the vageries of the terrain. This section of the King's Road basically crosses the centre of this saddle and continues across the other side on what is really only a slightly different alignment. While it was a tough climb, it was a good track, and I made relatively good going on it.

    This apparently brought me into musk ox territory, and the trail took a sharp turn up a hill and then looped back to get into Kongsvoll. There I had a snack in their cafeteria after which I walked to the station. There was a little wait for the train, and I just had a quiet sit down and enjoyed the peace and quiet.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Kongsvoll station
    Getting to Kongsvoll stationGetting to Kongsvoll station

    Overnight in Oppdal

    July 19, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    I've been offered a space in a cabin by another Pilgrim when I got to up down. That was a great benefit to me as it was proving difficult to find a reasonably price place to stay without walking on a little further. Which I didn't want to do in the evening after the train arrived.
    My plan to do a little shopping at a supermarket when I arrived and go straight to the cabin was foiled. As I went to collect my pack to get off the train, I realised that I had left my walking poles on the platform at Kongsvoll station. A quick search show there were a couple of outdoor stores that offered good prospects for replacing them. The 1st of these was closed, so it was on to the second, which wasn't all that far. At this stage, I realized that beggars can't be choosers and that I was going to have to pick from whatever they had irrespective of any personal taste I had in the matter.
    The four bed cabin was an interesting layout. Essentially, there were two bunk beds, each about long enough for two small adults to share without touching, but really not a proposition for the two of us to share. Initially, I chose to use the top bunk, but it was almost impossible to get into as an adult. So I rearranged the couch so that it made a reasonable bed and slept on that instead.

    When we were getting away in the morning, the owner realised that he had only been paid for one person to use the cabin endocrine rushing out to collect the additional fee for the extra person. We thought this had been cleared up the night before, but apparently, it hadn't. Even with the extra, it's still made a relatively cheap night for both of us.

    Getting back onto the marked trail was relatively simple. The one wrinkle was a closed off section of track, but an alternative was readily available, and we were able to get up to the point where we were on the marks Saint Ola sway quite quickly.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    The view across the valley
    Snorre's rest stopMy destination for the day

    The riding school

    July 20, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    My overwhelming memory of the day is the amount of roadway involved. There was relatively little forest path or farm track to relieve the tedium of either the asphalt or the gris vei.

    Somewhere along the way, there was a little rest stop that provided welcome relief to the seemingly never-ending country road. This was provided by Snorre, a semi-retired academic who was reading up on the local ant species when I arrived. When asked about how widespread ants are in Norway, he pointed out one species that has a range almost all the way to Nord Kap. It appears the critical factor is whether they can keep the nest warm enough in winter to sustain themselves on the food they've collected once the snow cover prevents them from gathering food from outside the nest.

    There was quite a lot of building work on the uphill side of the road away from the farms. I was a little perplexed by this as this seemed to be the least attractive place to put any new homes. I did ask about this later and was told that only non-productive land could be used for this development. So, no productive farmland was allowed to be subdivided in this way. There were two quite distinct reactions to the traffic being generated by the population increases that were taking place. These were on the opposite ends of the spectrum, as one might expect, with one person feeling that it was ruining the quiet ambience of the neighbourhood, and the other welcoming the population increase as a source of revenue for the local council and other local businesses.

    Langklopp was run as a traditional farm up until about 11 years ago when the parents handed over running of the farm to one of the daughters. It is now run as a riding school, and there were plenty of girls and young women actively engaged in that, or perhaps just enjoying being with the horses.

    The local river is apparently a quite well-known salmon breeding river and for the number of salmon caught in it, including the one that provided our dinner. It provided a very nice meal.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    2

    Meslo Gård

    July 21, 2024 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    The day started on the gris vei and asphalt roads. Eventually, the track turned up into a forest path that was going to cross a ridge line and avoid the roads. At the end of that
    were two paths. One of them followed the river and then crossed further down. The other crossed shortly after this junction and went up the valley wall before coming down towards the main road. I chose to walk the river road.

    I was given a room to myself in the main house with the others who were going to dine that evening. I was able to do some hand washing and to get some other things sorted out before it was time to join the others for dinner.

    Ingrid Meslo, who owns this farm, was not at dinner, but I did see her the next morning at breakfast. She was enthusiastically telling about the bad crowd behaviour at the football match she had gone to the previous day.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    The 101km marker at Rennebu kirke, Voll
    Leaving on a rainy morningA dead ice pit1Hut at Ry HerbergeHut at Ry HerbergeThe orange cafe at Ry Herberge

    101 km - Rennebu kirke

    July 22, 2024 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    I left Meslo gård in the rain, and it didn't really let up for the rest of the day.

    I was heading to the church at Voll, one of a handful of 'Y' shaped churches in Norway. There are several explanations given for the shape and its significance.

    I wimped out on climbing over a ridge and chose to walk along the road into Voll, which meant stopping for second breakfast at the supermarket and another coffee at the museum before getting to the church. I added a banana and some other stuff to my food bag for the next day or so, as I didn't expect to be at the next supermarket until late the next day.

    After that, it was a relatively short walk in the rain to Ry. This herberge has been created to fill what was previously a quite large gap between Voll and Segard Hoel, where I stayed in 2012. It would have been a difficult day for me to repeat that leg now!

    The accommodation is classic Norwegian, but there is a lovely cafe right beside the road at the entrance that has been built to provide things the pilgrim needs most - warm shelter from the rain, hot or cold drinks, light meals and snacks, and a toilet. The owner walked from Sarria to Santiago when contemplating running her farm as a herberge, and these were her priorities for a good pilgrim cafe.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Skogheim herberge
    Border marker? I think I have entered OrklandThe OrklaNot always beautiful scenes along the trailMarker at Meldal MuseumMeldal museum

    A nice herberge in Skogheim

    July 23, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The place I had planned to stay at tonight was full by the time I was able to contact them, so I was feeling a little nervous until the person who owns/runs Skogheim herberge got back to me to say he had a space for me. I know I am going to be there with Hans-Geog and Hermann, who also couldn't find a bed at Meldal.

    It didn't rain all day, but it wasn't the sort of day where I wanted to risk getting too wet. It was going to be a long day to cover the extra six kilometres, and I start to chill if I am not careful when the temperature starts to drop in the afternoon. So I was in rain jacket and rain pants for much of the day.

    Along the way to Meldal, the pilgrim is once again taken up the side of the vay, this time to a largely intact but uninhabited farm. The farm is a thousand years old, although the current buildings were constructed in the 18th century after a fire destroyed the earlier buildings here. It is significant for following traditional farming methods, i.e., without heavy machinery, and retains a much more diverse range of plant species as a result.

    This was the last farm of Rennebu on the trail, and I was walking in Orkland along the Orkdalen.

    I had a short stop at the supermarket in Meldal to top up my food bag for tonight and then left through the open-air museum dedicated to preserving local buildings. This was followed by a further climb to cross into the watershed of the Raubekken, a tributary of the Orkla.

     This is forestry territory and visually quite unappealing where forestry operations are underway. Even areas that have started to recover aren't all that pleasant to walk through.

    As it got closer to Skogheim, the trail crossed into farmland, and I made the wrong choice about which side of a field to follow. Returning to where I needed to go, I had to re-cross a small stream. I could not repeat the success of my first crossing and stepped a little short of the far bank on the way back. I didn't think that I could get much wetter, but I was wrong.

    The herberge at Skogheim has two bunk beds and a small kitchen/dining/lounge. It is quite cosy with the three of us. It might have been a bit tight with one more, but noone else turned up, so that was a relief.

    ... and it had a boot dryer. Wonderful!!    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    Lokken Werk
    Rest spot leaving Lokken WerkSvorkmo smelter remainsGetting close - three good walking days leftThe plaque says it all: Svorkmo Smelting Hut - smelted ore for the Løkken copper worksGumdal gårdGumdal gård

    Gumdal Gård

    July 24, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Today was a short day, but somehow seemed quite tough walking, even though it didn't present any new or unusual challenges. Perhaps my memory of this section had sufficiently faded to make the tough sections a bit of a surprise.

    The shortness was a combination of having walked a bit further yesterday, and not being able to get a bed at Svorkmo tonight. I will pay for that tomorrow walking to Skaun.

    The day started with a relatively quick downhill walk into Løkken Werk, site of Norway's first mine, and proud of its mining heritage. I had hoped the cafe there might be open, but it was still too early for that, so I bought some things at the supermarket and had a little picnic breakfast in a shelter in the car park.

    There followed a long asphalt section along the main road leaving Løkken Werk before the trail could be sent through an short stretch of forest, some houses, more farmland and back across the main road for another uphill leg of griz vei and forest track before descending into Svorkmo. The joy of a downhill run never seems to last all that long!!

    The road out of Svorkmo is a steep section of gris vei, and I struggled for some reason. Fortunately, Gumdal wasn't that far up the road.

    The herberge here is great. It was built about 18 years ago, and the building I was in has four individual rooms. Not the first place to do this, but it was one if the nicest. I got my laundry done, had a late lunch and then sat outside in the sun for a while before making myself dinner.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler

    Øysand Camping

    July 26, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    While I'm walking another km or so today, I'm taking the bus from near here to my off-route cabin.

    Hans-Geog and Herman were here when I arrived, waiting for the reception to open, then Carmen (Switzerland) arrived, followed by Eric (Denmark). They are all staying at the campground. I wasn't so lucky, but I did find a reasonably priced cabin at Sandmoen
    But it's about a 10km walk, and it might take another four hours if there are any hills at the pace I am setting these days.

    The walk from the farmhouse near Skaun started with a level section, followed by a steep uphill climb on gris vei. A forest section provided some relief until a long section og gris vei leading into Ihaugen. This last section was an alternative recommended in my guidebook to avoid some gnarly forest trails. It was shorter and a fair bit quicker. It followed a stream rushing down the hill and passed under some high ridges that ended in cliff faces well above the road. It was pretty rugged until quite near Ihaugen.

    During my rest stop/snack break, sitting on a mossy bank at Snøfugl gård, Marietta and Matthias (Germany) passed me. We all struggled with the steep downhill sections that followed as we walked to Buvika for a break.

    The final section for my walking day was descending to the shoreline of the fjord and the climbing again to cross the rocky headland separating Buvika from Øysten.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    That's my cabin at the back
    Front yard #1Front yard #2Entry to the house 'shared area'More detail of the front doorThe kitchen, after it had been tidied upMore of the kitchenSome more of the kitchenEntry hallGeneral view of the kitchen

    Staying in a junkyard

    July 26, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I was starting to worry about finding somewhere suitable to stay, but I shouldn't have worried. With the help of booking dot com, I found somewhere nightmare-ish instead.

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    At the zero milestone
    Nidarosdomen from the other side of the NidelvaSkoldbitteren

    It's done

    July 27, 2024 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    It's done! I have now completed my third long pilgrimage on one of the St Olavs Ways.

    I had hoped to get my Olavsbrev without any fuss, but three long pilgrimages is apparently somewhat unusual, so there was a lot of interest from the volunteers registering pilgrims. So there were lots more questions that I had anticipated.

    Several people I had met along the way were in the Pilegrimsenter, and by the time I had chatted to them, it was well over an hour there enjoying the company of other pilgrims.    Read more

  • Doug FitzgeraldSt Olav's WayTraveler
    A train going where I want to go

    Swindon - this was not in the plan!

    August 6, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    I am enjoying (not) the vagaries of the British train service. It has been interesting trying to buy a ticket, find my way between the national rail and underground and back again, and now the having an enforced one hour delay here at Swindon.Read more

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