Ski and Paddle Norway 2009

Distance 22km | Time 6hrs | Ascent 400m | Descent 70m

I slept well in the small cabin. When I woke there had been a change in the weather. The crisp minus 14 of last night was now a mere minus 1 and the trees swirled in the wind as the clouds raced across the sky.

Having tidied the cabin I left as it was getting light at 0900. It was a joy to shoulder my lighter pack. Those 4 kilos made all the difference. It was now a tad over 20 kilos and I felt I could cope easily with it

The road was deserted as I headed up the valley. Great granite crags rose on each side. Their exfoliating buttresses covered in pine. Everywhere small rivulets which flowed over the slabs had frozen into ribbons of white ice. An Alpinists dream.

As I reached the very small hamlet of Roysland a few snow flurries came. This did little to allay my fears as to just how bare the hillsides were of snow. There was plently of ice, just hardly any snow.

When I reached the hamlet of Breland an hour further along the empty road these snow flurries had joined into a heavy shower and there was a good 5 cm on the road. I passed numerous cabins beside frozen lakes on this stretch, all looking very pretty in their forest clearings.

After a quick 6 hours, during which I was barely troubled by my pack I reached Ljosland itself. The end of the snow covered tarmac for me. Ljosland is a small farming hamlet at 530 metres altitude. It also has a Fjellstue.

A Fjellstue is a venerable part of the Norwegian culture. They are old mountain lodges where generations of people have initially riden to, and now drive, to start their mountain walking holidays. There are many hundred Fjellstue in Norway. Most are at least 100 years old and are crammed full with old artefacts and rose painted furniture. The cracked log walls ooze charm and exude a warmth.

Ljosland was not so old but still had the charm. It also had a very friendly young owner and hot showers. In the first bit of hygiene this year I basked under the hot flow until my bone marrow was cooked. Then a clothes wash and a wonderful meal.

The young owner of Ljosland also told me that there was plenty of snow in the mountain ranges immediately to the north. Getting to the first of the mountain cabins, called Gaukheihytta would not be a problem. It should take about 7 hours max. I am eager to try out my new skis tomorrow and to see how they work with the short skins.

It had been another problem free day. Today was essentially the last bit of the first section. Tomorrow I begin the second section which is from Ljosland to Haukeliseter. This second section should take about 2 weeks. During this section mobile coverage will be erratic so updates could be few and far between. The map will still update though.

Distance 16km | Time 4.5hrs | Ascent 220m | Descent 110m

There was no great hurry today. I had to walk the 16 km to Aseral to catch the post office. If there was one I guess it shut at 1700. So I had a late start enjoying the rustic cabin before I set off at 0930.

It was bitterly cold as I walked along the road with the barely up sun not penetrating the avenue of trees yet. The river was cascading over the odd waterfall and these were plastered with huge globules of ice.

I reached the sleepy hamlet of Kylland quite quickly. It was nestled in the spruce forest where fields had been cleared. While it was basking in the sun the bare birch trees were still thick with days of white haar frost.

Just beyond was a turning up to a ski centre. Judging by the number of cars returning from the New Year break with skis on the roof it bode well that there was snow in them hills.

Then I arrived at the lake, white and frozen to a depth of 10 cm. It stretched away to the north and at the far end basking in the sun was the village of Aseral. With the craggy pine covered slopes on each side it looked very picturesque.

It was a good hours walk beside the lake to the village. En route Erik, who was also doing the trip stopped. I met him on Day 1 also. He was in a car returning to Vigeland to start walking having dumped his sledge in Ljosland The trolley he was pulling his sledge on broke. He was a young happy good natured chap.

Aseral more than made up for the disappointment of Steindal. It had a shop with post office and a nice kro, or upmarket café. The very nice lady who ran the café had a small cabin on the forest fringe on the outskirts of the village. And she would let me stay for a song.

I walked to the cabin. It was idyllic but very cold. I soon got a fire going and lit some candles. Within an hour it was cosy.

I sorted my stuff out and ditched a good half kilo of rucksack irrelevance and my indoor shoes. Then I separated the kilo of maps into two piles one to keep and one to post to Finse, about 3 weeks ahead. Then I bundled all the laptop and accessories and headed off to the post office. I must have burnt or posted a good 4 kilos. Hopefully these 4 kilos would be the proverbial straw.

After posting I returned to the kro to gorge myself on fried meat before returning to the cabin. It was cold as I walked home, about minus 13. The cabin was warm and welcoming.

It had been another good day. The weather was crisp and cold, the views improving and to top the lot a night in a lovely log cabin. I retired early looking forward to my lighter rucksack for the last of the icy asphalt to Ljosland.

Distance 19km | Time 5.5hrs | Ascent 240m | Descent 170m

I had a late start as I just wanted to walk the 17 km to Steindal. It looked like a large village on the map and I was hoping it would have a post office. I had decided to post the laptop back to Oslo.

If I decide to use a sled after Roros, in effort the halfway point, I might include it again. Otherwise it will join me on the kayak trip from May. In the meantime I will just have to make pictureless posts via my phone when mobile coverage allows. The map however, will continue to be updated every day via satellite.

There was a dusting of snow covering the tent in the morning. As I walked up the road past Ovre Oydnavatn lake flurries of snow came and went. It was getting more wintery. However, before long the sun was out again and the skies cleared and the temperature dropped.

I made easy time to the dormant village of Byremo past a very pretty hamlet beside the white frozen lake. I did not stop here but continued up the quiet snow covered road pushing to get to Steindal to camp nearby.

Steindal however was a major disappointment. It was a small hamlet with no facilities. There would be no coffee or chocolate, let alone a post office. Before I knew it I was through.

It was getting on a bit now and as I headed further north I started to look for campsites as I did not want to be caught in falling temperatures. 2km north of Steindal I spotted a potential site in mature spruce beside the river. After leaving the road and heading through the forest with my skis catching on all the lower branches I reached the spot.

Lo and behold at the spot was a small rustic workers cabin. A few of the windows were broken but it was open and on a side wall was a stove. I patched the windows with plastic and soon had a roaring fire going. I collected water from the river and settled down to a warm cosy evening. It was the first time I had been inside this trip and probably the first time I was above freezing point.

It was a very good ending to a good day. Hopefully the next village, Aseral, would have a post office so I could return some things to Oslo. Aseral was now a mere 16 km further north.

Distance: 17km | Time: 5.5hours | Ascent: 120m | Descent: 90m.

I was up at 0700 and heard the frost dripping of the trees. The temperature must have climbed 10 degrees in the night to just above freezing. I thought a change to the crisp cold weather was on the way. I eventually left a 0900, just as it was getting daylight proper.

It was a quick easy walk through Viblemo and on to Konsmo. Here there was a shop open. I treated myself to a second breakfast here. It was just what I needed after the puritanical dried granola mix previously. 

After Konsmo the road undulated a bit until it came to the long frozen lake of Nedre Oydnavatn. It had a complete covering of ice and a couple of foxes had ventured across it, but it looked far to dodgy for me to contemplate skiing across.

I followed the road up the east side of the lake past a couple of well kept hamlets for a good 7 km until I came to the north end. Here the river from the upper lake Ovre Oydnavayn a km further to the north flowed it.

There was a campsite where the grass beside the river was not too hummocky and the ice was thin enough for me to kick a hole for water. In fact it was quite an idyllic spot. I had the tent up quickly and retired into it as it was getting dark at 1600.

It was another grand day. The weight of the rucksack somewhat spoiled it and I have to cut 5 kg. I will not be able to move quickly through and across snow with a 27 kg rucksack and have to get it down to 20 kg.

The top candidate for the weight reduction are the 3kg of laptop and accessories and the very comfortable 4.5 kg Bergans rucksack down to a 3 kg Norrona one, both 120 litres.  If so, it will mean updates are sent on a mobile phone via email without pictures. However, my phone is refusing to send emails just yet, so this chapter remains unfinished…… whatever happens the satelite location device will stay and will transmit my position each evening, even if there is no mobile network coverage, as is often the case in Norwegian mountains.

I am now about half way through stage one from Lindesnes to Ljosland further north which is where the snow apparently starts and I can head up onto the first of the mountain plateaus. Once on the plateau there will be mountain cabins to stay in with the occasional camp.

Distance: 19km | Time: 6 hours | Ascent: 120m | Descent: 50m.

I slept well. Too well. I  did not wake until 0800 and eventually got under way at 0930. I was tired still from yesterday and could not do another 30 odd km today.

It was cold, but crystal clear.  There was no snow in the dry night but the fields and trees had recieved another layer of frost. Indeed the ground did look like it was covered in snow.

I made my way up the quiet tarmac road beside the calm Audnedal river. Ice was forming in various places and bunches of slush were slowly drifting down to form larger rafts. There was also a curious pool where there were many platelets of ice, like frozen lily leaves. Despite the sun it was a few below zero.

I made quite good time and walked for 3 hours past beautiful farms to Vigmostad. Alot of the farmers were using the New Year break to collect timber from the surrounding forests. Soon this area would be covered in snow.

The rucksack was relentless and sometimes my dominating thought. It often blocked out the apreciation of the surroundings. This was especially true after the break at Vigmostad. Still I pushed on through more pretty hamlets, like Tryland.

Just before I reached Viblemo I spotted a campsite in the midst of some spruce. Here the ground was reasonably spoungy with needles I could get the snow pegs for my tent in. It was also near a brook which was surprisingly unfrozen.

I settled in for the night quite early as the temperature rapidly dropped to minus 9. I had problems with the mini laptop as it did not like the cold. Eventually after a spell in the bag it warmed up.

It was another fine day. The rucksack was heavy but I could so far live with it. My boots remained comfortable, rather surprisingly. A couple of misplaced seams in my trousers causing the only problem. All in all it was a fine day.