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Going north

May - August 2016
  • Merry Norway
  • Merry Life
A 79-day adventure by Merry & Merry Read more
  • Merry Norway
  • Merry Life

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  • 11.3kkilometers traveled
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  • Going north
    1

    Day 13: head in the clouds

    June 19, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    Today was especially fun! And the weather was all over the place.

    In the morning, I climbed to the top of Rondslottet (2178 m), the highest peak in Rondane national park. I had camped right at the bottom of the ascent, so I could leave my tent and backpack and hike up just with my small day pack. I felt light as a feather ;) And the sky was blue. I was super excited. The climb was steep and included lots of scrambling and later a few snow fields. Around 10:30 I was on the top. By now the peak itself was covered in clouds, but the view on the way up had been amazing already so I just enjoyed having made it :) Going down was total fun. On the side of the trail was a large snow field, which now became my slope! I slid down almost all the way, it was fantastic.

    Getting back to my tent, it had started hailing, so I had to pack it up from the inside first and the rain cover at the very end. Now followed 2 hours through hail and snow. I was not cold for a second and quite enjoyed the change. And since the weather kept changing around all day, of course there was more sun, snow, rain, sun and then rain again. And now that I've camped it's nice and friendly weather.

    The scenery was lovely all day and I loved being in a small forest towards the late afternoon (being so high up above the tree line makes me miss the green after a few days).

    Now I'm bundled up in my sleeping bag and ready for dreamland!    Read more

  • Going north

    Day 14: can't. stop. walking.

    June 20, 2016 in Norway ⋅ 🌬 7 °C

    Today, for the first time on this trip, my legs feel like rubber! After almost 35km, I'm completely tired so I'll keep it short. It was a beautiful day, I crossed a canyon in the morning which was really fun with lots of scrambling, slid down another show field, crossed two mountain ranges and by the end of the day I was so done that I am treating myself to a real bed and a dinner of locally caught elk in a mountain hut.

    Picture 3 shows you my pack, my faithful friend (who still needs a name by the way, let me know if you have any suggestions). Typical for a sunny day, the solar panel is strapped on top to charge a battery pack which I use for my smartphone and satellite phone. Also typical some "laundry" I did earlier in the day, hanging off it to dry. And my jacket stuffed between the pack and lid for fast access, should if get cold quickly. Ooh and the orange bag on the left holds my tent poles.

    Fact of the day: This of the most northern point I will visit, it can only go south (and west) from here ;-D    Read more

  • Going north

    Day 15: tricky and easy travels

    June 21, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Today I made 2 lovely new friends! They're both 45+ year old mums that live in the absolute boonies of mid-Norway.

    After an early breakfast, I had a 1.5 hour hike to Hjenkinn train station. The town of Hjenkinn turned out to be 3 huts and a train stop with a small herd of sheep chilling in the shade of the railway building. The 2 hour train ride went through gorgeous country side to the town of Vinstra. Since my bus to Skåbu was supposed to go in the afternoon, I took my time, did some grocery shopping and then spent most of my time in a little outdoor café. Only problem: the bus never came. Another bus driver replied to my question about my bus with the dry one-word response: "tomorrow". Turns out it only goes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (must be a Norwegian thing ;-) ).

    So I decided to hitch hike (it would have been a 6 hour walk on the road). Within 3 minutes, I had 2 rides offered. Say what you will about their bus drivers, but Norway has the kindest drivers. One very warm hearted lady took me on the 30 minute ride to the post office in Skåbu, which is by the way proudly the highest town in Europe with a doctor, supermarket and post office :) There I picked up my food and resupplies for the next 13 days and rearranged my backpack to make it all fit (barely ;-) ). From here, I caught a ride with Helga, who lives on a small farm in the mountains. She drove me another 15 minutes into the wilderness to my trailhead. And then for the first hour of my hike into the woods, I skyped with my mum, thanks to exceptional cell phone reception in the middle of nowhere.

    Now I'm reading in my tent on a bed of soft lichen in the 9pm sunlight and am extra thankful for life!!    Read more

  • Going north

    Day 16: the living forest

    June 22, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    You don't need to worry about bugs and mosquitoes so much in Norway.... until you do.

    I always really enjoy my detours through the forest; the colors, the sounds, the warmth, it's a perfect mix to the higher alpine mountain trails. But this time, the forest had a little extra surprise: bugs! Mostly just little flies, but occasionally accompanied with a swarm of mosquitoes, they followed me around for most of the afternoon. So I've been wearing my head net, looking like a fool, but at least a fool without flies in my ears and mosquitoes on my neck!
    https://goo.gl/photos/ShKt8wd5YG5si9BFA

    The landscape has been beautiful, as I'm hiking on a hillside, always with a westward view of Jotunheimen national park, where I will arrive in a few days.

    Now I'm eating yummy chicken stew and reading the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in my tent (with 30+ mosquitoes glued to the outside of its net, waiting for "their moment" :) ).
    I'm camped right by a little river with small waterfalls and rapids, enjoying the view and sounds.

    Ooh and I've decided to name my backpack Charlie, the female version of Steinbeck's travel companion Charley ;-)    Read more

  • Going north
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    Day 17: sharing the trail

    June 23, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Sharing is caring - and a lot of fun! Today, I shared my trail with more bugs for a few more hours before they disappeared as I climbed higher in altitude, with lots of melting water choosing the trails as their temporary river beds, with sheep who very clearly disapproved of me disturbing their afternoon, and finally with Olaf the reindeer who walked along with me for a good while, keeping a good distance. Here's proof (if you can find him): https://goo.gl/photos/EY2SdvabNePEkZcQ9

    I'm camping in a beautiful spot surrounded by mountains, heading back down into the forest tomorrow. Ooh and happy midsummer, which Norwegians celebrate today as the longest day of the year!

    Funny moment of the day: since I just restocked on food for the next 13 days, in pretty "back-heavy". I wanted to take a picture of a lovely flower near the trail. As I kneel down, a fly flies in my face, I try to shoo it away, lose balance, and land on my back like a little beetle. I had to laugh out loud, but only a few fellow beetles heard and barely took notice ;-)

    Picture 4 shows my shoes while I make my way through another swamp. I'm forever thankful for waterproof hiking boots!!!    Read more

  • Going north

    Day 18: let it rain, rain, rain

    June 24, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    I had my first truly Norwegian day: rainy without an end in sight ;-)

    Today, the trail lead me down into a valley with many lakes, relentlessly filled with melting water coming from the mountains this time of year. There, I met an archeologist who with his team is doing excavations on the little islands, finding traces of early settlements or hunting and fishing grounds from thousands of years ago.

    I then crossed another mountain range, while it was raining in long streaks and yet hasn't stopped. My equipment stayed dry well, but my boots were slowly soaked by early afternoon. As dry feet are the most essential for a fun and enjoyable hike, I am staying in a self-serve hiking hut tonight, with a fire going and all things drying very comfortably.

    Can't wait to slide into my warm socks and boots tomorrow :)    Read more

  • Going north

    Day 19: after the rain comes the sun

    June 25, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    After a very short night (one of the people in the hut was snoring as if cutting an entire forest with a chain saw), I woke up to perfect weather. I left just after 7 and had a good hike over a mountain range into a beautiful valley, where the Royal Norwegian horses are kept and trained. I had a fantastic lunch and took a shower at one of the ranches and then disappeared into the wilderness again, walking through lush forests in great weather.

    Tonight I'm camping right by a lake. It's sunny still which means I got to do laundry and am feeling warm, clean and dry (which is "wanderer" for HAPPY :) )    Read more

  • Going north

    Day 20: half way point

    June 26, 2016 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    I cannot believe I've been hiking for 20 days now!!! Feels like I just set out yesterday.

    Today I arrived in Gjendesheim mid day, at the bottom of one of Norway's most famous hikes, called Besseggen, which I will do tomorrow.

    The hike today lead me from the valley I had camped in over a mountain range with beautiful views and into the town of Gjendesheim, which consists of 4 huts and a ferry dock. And even though the water was freezing, I jumped in the lake to celebrate my first half of the hike, and warmed up at the fire in the tourist hut afterwards.

    I'm thankful for 20 beautiful days and can't wait to see what the next 20 have on store for me :)    Read more

  • Going north
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    Day 21: the Besseggen quartet

    June 27, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Today I did the much praised "Besseggen" hike, probably Norway's most famous trail. I was happy to spend the first half of the day with three new friends, two from Norway and one from Denmark. The four of us set out just before 8am, after a very good breakfast in Gjendesheim.

    We experienced 6 hours of fairly steep tracks and VERY indecisive weather (we had a back and forth from sunshine to rain at least 4-5 times), amazing views, fun scrambling and great company.

    After the hike together, I set off north towards a glacier (Glitterbraen) which I should reach in a day or two. As my legs need a break now, I've set up camp early at 5pm right by a lake and not more than 200 meters from a roaring waterfall (in picture 5). It might rain all night, so I'm glad I got my tent up in the sunshine and will make dinner soon. What a lovely day!!    Read more

  • Going north
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    1

    Day 22: reindeeeeeer

    June 28, 2016 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    Today was reindeer day and it started the minute I woke up. For when I peeked out the tent to see what the weather was like around 7am, there were over 50 or 60 reindeer less than 20 meters away

    The herd and I were going the same direction for the first hours of my hike, so I had some (very shy and always 100 meters or more away) company :) The second half of my hike I saw a few more, but in much smaller groups.

    I got to the trailhead for Glitterbraen glacier around 2 pm, and with not enough time (and potentially energy ;) ) left to make the 7 to 8 hour crossing, I set up camp at a nearby lake and will start the ascent tomorrow morning. This gives me a few hours extra rest and let's me gather some energy to climb Norway's second highest summit tomorrow. I'm camping at 1500m, and the glacier tomorrow will be at 2465m (just 4m less than Norway's highest peak, which I will climb the following day). So I'm hanging out at the beautiful glacier lake in full sunshine, reading, eating and just enjoying the rest of the day.    Read more

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