Norway... and back.

We spent the night in a forest north of Oslo. It is time to get home, we drive towards the airport. We check in and off we leave...

Norway: Besseggen ridge in Jotunheimen National Park

Beautiful morning in Jotunheimen National Park, the giants are stunning. I prepare my breakfast, wash myself in the river without shivering. Oh how happy are the sunny days!

Today, we will be hiking the Besseggen ridge. To avoid the crowds, we will start the hike from Gjendesheim instead of taking the ferry to Memurubu.

The first climb is arduous, 5 kilometers upwards. The sight is rocky and breathtaking. We are almost alone on the path until half way, where we meet a huge crowd of rude tourist, loud and constantly cutting the road or walking very close behind me. No peace, no way to enjoy what I came here for; the Nature. I will not speak more about the way those individuals behaved, it was disgusting. When a beautiful natural sight becomes a tourist attraction... nothing good can come out of it. The parking will cost you an arm, even more if you stay overnight and you might have to use the shuttle bus to get to the beginning of the hike. (We did not bother wait for it, we just walked.)

Overall, it was a great idea to start hiking against the crowds, the views were wonderful.

Norway: Besseggen ridge in Jotunheimen National Park

Thursday 6th of August

Day 6:

Beautiful morning in Jotunheimen National Park, the giants are stunning. I prepare my breakfast, wash myself in the river without shivering. Oh how happy are the sunny days!

Today, we will be hiking the Besseggen ridge. To avoid the crowds, we will start the hike from Gjendesheim instead of taking the ferry to Memurubu. 

The first climb is arduous, 5 kilometers upwards. The sight is rocky and breathtaking. We are almost alone on the path until half way, where we meet a huge crowd of rude tourist, loud and constantly cutting the road or walking very close behind me. No peace, no way to enjoy what I came here for; the Nature. I will not speak more about the way those individuals behaved, it was disgusting. When a beautiful natural sight becomes a tourist attraction... nothing good can come out of it. The parking will cost you an arm, even more if you stay overnight and you might have to use the shuttle bus to get to the beginning of the hike. (We did not bother wait for it, we just walked.)

Overall, it was a great idea to start hiking against the crowds, the views were wonderful.  

Norway: Austerdalsbreen hike in Jostedalsbreen National Park

We wake up in the fresh and humid Austerdal valley. The sun is slowly showing its shine, and will soon reflect patches of sunlight on the Moutainside and glaciers. We eat our breakfast near the river bank, listening to the music of the waterstream.

Today, we will reach the glacier at the end of the Austerdal valley. A six hour long hike, which should be fairly easy. We enter the damp valley, small birch trees and rivers share the space. The path sometimes looks like a stream, and the stream a path. The scenery is straight from a fairy tale.

After a short climb, we arrive at the glacier. It is majestic.

Norway: Driving to Jostedalsbreen through Sognefjellet

Today, we are heading westwards to Jostedalsbreen National Park. We are hoping the reach the Park in time to start the journey to the Austerdalsbreen glacier.


We are leaving from Skjak where we spent the night, we have to get to Veitastrond, and from there to Tungestølen Turisthytte where the hike starts. The clouds are low and the warm raindrops pour.


That same dreadful weather has been following us ever since we sat foot on the Norwegian land. I am not in my best mood, lots of driving, a twenty kilometers road can easily become an hour long drive in this hilly place. I feel restless, I want nature.

A short visit at the Lom stavkirke, under the rain and off we go.

 

We arrive at Tungestølen in late afternoon, the views are magical, straight out of a painting.

Little walk around.