Day 13: Lillehamer to Nermo

Today is the longest day! Not in terms of distance walked but in hours of daylight.  17.5hts of daylight at home.  Meanwhile, I’m still struggling with 24hrs of daylight.  I realised yesterday afternoon or, I should say, evening that the daylight affects more than just my sleep pattern.   I normally have a rough idea of what time it is, looking at my watch is a confirmation, allowing me to work out exactly how many minutes I have left to get to Waitrose before it closes.  Here I am frequently looking at my watching and being surprised to find it is 7 or 8pm! 

This morning I tidied up my AirBnB, put the bed linen and towels in the washing machine, loaded the dishwasher and set it off.  It was a very cute little apartment, a lucky find, costing me about the same for two nights as some of the central Lillehamer hotels were charging for a single night.  And, thanks to the washing machine, everything I have with me is now clean (apart from my mind!)

I set off on the path out of Lillehamer, walking through residential areas, taking note of the different architectural styles and doing an informal tally of the most popular makes of robot lawn mowers.  I think Husqvana is winning - but I keep losing count!

I knew I was on the right track when I crossed Skurva Bru.  A stone bridge built by Engebret Heave in 1825 for 148 silver coins. So far so good. Pleasant, easy, slightly uphill walking with the near constant accompaniment of the sound of running water as rivers drained down to the lake in the valley below.  

And then, following my online map as the markers were few and far between, I was about to go through an underpass when I just happened to notice a sign.  Not a life changing, road to Damascus, but a sign nonetheless.  It was set back from the path a bit and, quite often, I walk past these signs as they are often only in Norwegian.  But this time I stopped. 

The sign told me that the path had been rerouted due to major roadworks to build the new E6.  We were to ignore our maps and follow the route in the map on the sign and the way makers.  I took a photo and followed the first way marker.  The second way marker was AGES further down the road, slap bang in the middle of the opening to an underpass.  I looked at  my photographed map.  There was no scale and no buildings were marked on it, but I knew at some point I had to cross this road, so it seemed like a good idea.  I carried on, saw a couple of way markers and thought ‘Happy days!’  And then came to a fenced off bit!  Oops - they were the old way markers.  I trudged back up the hill. Comparing two versions of a similar map on a ‘phone screen in bright sunlight was not easy.  I was also not helped but the infrequent route markers and route markers that had been moved.  One was zip tied to a lamppost and had been moved to tell me to go 90° in the wrong direction. Fun times!

This sign was upside down, in the road when I found it!

I decided not to worry too much and plotted a course that would take me back to the path at a point I hoped the road work would be over.  Luckily my map reading skills haven't totally deserted me! 

I thought today was going to be a long day but it seems I wrote the distance incorrectly.  Either that or tomorrow is going to be a very long day!  Soon after walking under cable cars I was at my stop for the night.  I think I clocked just over 21km, and that includes a side track down into the centre of Oyer to post some postcards (and buy a brown cheese ice cream).  

Day 12: Rest Day in Lillehamer and Lillestrøm

A short while after I posted yesterday’s blog a wonderful member of the With Me Now community pointed out that, if I was willing to travel a little further and to head back towards Oslo rather than towards Trondheim I could make it to a parkrun.  He suggested I get the 7.22am train to Lillestrøm which gets in at 9.15am.  The station being a 9 minute walk from the start of Flomvollen parkrun, it would just work.  I’m used to UK trains, so got the 6.15am train just to be on the safe side.  Who needs a lie in?  The train, of course, ran on time.

It was a little sobering to think that, in just two hours, I was retracing a journey that had taken me 10 days!  It was fun to watch the scenery whizz by. The train hugged the edge of the lake meaning I could see bits of the path I had walked and landmarks, like the Wood Hotel, from a different perspective.

I was very  early for parkrun!  But the run director and several other volunteers were already there. I’d emailed the team the night before, asking if me walking was a problem.  Yes, I know parkrun encourages walkers, but this is a relatively new event and I didn’t want all the volunteers to be pissed off at having to wait for some daft English woman who didn’t have trainers with her.  I can honestly say that I have never been made to feel so welcome at a parkrun.

The course is two, clockwise laps along the flood wall.  Lillestrøm is prone to flooding and the creation of the flood wall has resulted in a lovely park, filled with historic artefacts and modern sculptures.  It is a flat parkrun on tarmac and gravel parks, there’s an out and back section which is great for supporting other parkrunners.  

This was only the 11th event, but the community already feels firmly established.  There were around 100 runners and a fair proportion of them went for coffee afterwards.  I was just going to get the train back to Lillehamer, but it seemed rude just to run and go when so many people were asking me to come for coffee.  Plus 15% parkrun discount and cinnamon buns!  I am, as always, humbled by everyone else’s ability to speak English!  

Oh… Flomvollen parkrun have a tambourine.  I think every parkrun should have one!

Day 11: Brøttum to Lillehamer

I don’t think Tom, the owner of Olasvehaugen, believed me when I said I wanted to pay last night as I’d have left before he was up and about this morning!  I was seen off the property by a poultry honour guard at around 5.30am.

I set off in a light drizzle.   It was so inconsequential that I didn’t bother with my long sleeved jacket let alone my hated rain jacket.  For once this was the correct decision as the rain soon stopped.  It remained overcast for much of the morning but that is fine by me as, being a north european white woman I have a tendency to burn and/or overheat!  And falling asleep in a hammock yesterday afternoon was not the cleverest thing I have ever done!

Today was a net downhill day, but with enough up hill to keep me on my toes, the paths were mostly good, with the exception of a short stretch with over grown, head height wet grass (and sneaky hidden nettles).  If there were views to be seen on that section I missed them! The path is still alongside Lake Mjøsa, so lake views were the order of the day.

The final stretch into Lillehamer was alongside a main road.  Not the most wonderful of walking paths, but the drivers were polite, slowing down and giving me plenty of space.  I was on the look out for a coffee shop so I could take off my pack and sit for a while.  I was unsure if I’d be able to get into my AirBnB early and wanted to kill time.  I found a church instead.  

Lillehammer Church

I’ve noticed that churches in Norway seem to be on the outskirts of towns or villages, but at least this meant I was nearly there!  I stopped for a while and chatted to two cyclists from Dortmund before heaving my bag back on and walking into the town!

On the two occasions I’ve been to Amsterdam I’ve missed out on poffertjes because I’ve had to travel at a different time to the rest of the group.  When I saw them on offer in Lillehammer I had to try them.  These were a savoury version: bacon, mushroom, peppers, onion, rosemary and they were delicious!  I may have to head back for a sweet version…

I walked past my accommodation on the marked path, and then cut back.  I wanted to make sure I have the shortest possible route back on to the path when I leave.  My host was happy for me to check in early, I’d messaged to ask if I could drop my bag so that I didn’t have to carry it all day and was told the place was ready so I could go ahead and check in.  It is a cute little studio apartment which even had a washing machine!  It will be so nice to have properly washed clothes rather than the results of trying to hand wash in less than ideal conditions!

I wasted a fair bit of time trying to work out if I could get to a parkrun tomorrow morning.  The nearest one is cancelled this weekend, but I thought Loftsgardsbrua might be achievable by train.  It is not.  Well, if I was happy to get a train that arrived at 2.50am and wait for the 9.30am start it could work. 

So tomorrow will be a proper rest day.  I’ll have a mooch around Lillehammer, I’ve already discovered that everywhere is uphill and that there are many yarn shops!   I have struggled with not having anything to keep my hands busy while reading so gave one to temptation and bought a small amount of yarn from the sale table outside one of the shops.  I think I’ll stay in tonight, I picked up supplies from the supermarket and a lazy evening is just what I want. 

Day 10: Ringen to Brottum

Last night, at supper, one of the residents at the centre sat down at my table and, on finding out I was British, asked if I wanted to talk about football or politics!  I know nothing about football and was rather hoping to get away from the divisive political environment at home.  Luckily I had a Team meeting I needed to attend so was able to escape relatively quickly!

Today has been a very leisurely day.  A late start and a  short distance meant I could take it nice and easy.  I stopped frequently to admire the views.  The climb up the side of the valley meant that every corner provided a new view.  I thought back to the days of cameras that used film.  I’d probably have packed a couple of 36 exposure films for the entire trip, and when I’d eventually got them developed I’d have forgotten where some of them were taken.  

I got to my finish point for the day, Olasvehaugen jury outside Brøttum, soon after 11am.  The owner was there to show me  around.  Last year he only had one English person stay, this year he has had four already.  I think it must the because of the article in The Times.

I had my pick of the 4 available beds in the two room cabin.  It is very rustic.  There is an outdoor toilet at a distance far enough from my bed to make me seriously consider limiting all liquid intake from now on, and an outdoor shower that I am nowhere near European/Scandi enough to use!  The views however from the shower would be awesome!

Outdoor shower

View from outdoor shower

Once I’d taken off my pack I walked the 3.5k down to Brottum.  It is amazing how much difference not having 10kg on your back makes.  I wanted to buy some stamps and post some postcards and, as I’m hoping to wake up and leave fairly early tomorrow, I didn’t want to risk the shop not being open.  I also took the opportunity to pop to the church to get a stamp for my passport before returning back up the hill ready to spend the afternoon reading a book!

Day 9: Brumenddal to Ringen

A hearty home made supper last  night was followed by a great night’s sleep.  I knew I was going to have a lie in as our hostess was making breakfast for 7am.  It was pleasant to chat with Liv, who owns the farm and learn more about the history of the farm and the area.  I was more than happy swap an early start for this. 

The walking today was on a combination of farm tracks, country lanes and forest trails.  Nice easy walking with few trip hazards. It was rather warmer than in recent days which made the last few kilometres, all up hill, a little bit more hard work than I would like.  

The first two possible coffee stops were shut.  They didn’t open until 12noon.  Such a shame, I’d probably have stopped at both.  All morning, in fact for all of the walk, I was treated to wonderful lake views.  Shimmering in the sunshine, it looks so inviting but I hear it is VERY cold. 

After having a look around another church, this one, Ringsaker, is right on the lake shore giving the graves one of the best views possible.

A little later, approaching a town called Moelv, I decided to stop for lunch.  It was very nearly 12noon and I knew the town had several restaurants and cafes.  Most of them opened at either 1pm or 3pm!  I found one place, a bakery and coffee shop, that was open.  It was the first place I walked past at the bottom of the high street but I walked all the up the high street to see what else was available before conceding defeat and returning to the bottom of the high street and the first place I had seen!

After lunch it was about 6k to my destination for the evening. The first 2 km were fairly flat, going passed a mini Stonehenge before turning to zigzag up the hill to the Ringen Rehabilitation Centre.  A former TB clinic, which now seems to do post op rehab and also allows those on the pilgrim trail to stay.  It will be another late start tomorrow, I’ve paid for breakfast so I will hang around to eat it.  

Day 8: Hamar to Brumenddal

I think I am a little bit in love with Norway! Leaving Hamar as children made their way to school, the younger ones accompanied by a parent, the older ones on their own.  Many of them on bikes.  The cyclists here are the most courteous I have met, always giving way to pedestrians on shared pavements and always getting off their bikes to walk across pedestrians crossings.  Cars always seem to give pedestrians plenty of space. People just seem very polite.  

Today started a little later than normal as I had to wait for my hotel breakfast!  And this time, as well as making myself a packed lunch I remembered to fill my flask with coffee. I walked out of Hamar along the edge of Mjøsa Lake and up through a nature reserve.  It rained a little, so I got my rain jacket out and put it on, which of course scared the rain away.  The rest of the day was sunshine and blue skies! Not too warm, perfect walking weather.  

I’d promised myself a coffee stop at Furnes Church.  When I got there I met another pilgrim who was just about to leave.  We chatted for a while.  He is from Trondheim and is walking the route in stages, spending about a week each year on the path.  We discovered that we had the same destination this evening.  I sat for a while after he had left, enjoying my coffee and totally forgetting about the snacks I had planned to eat!  

Today the route took me through forests, farmland, quiet residential streets and Brumddal town centre.  I quite enjoy a bit of residential walking.  I find the varied architecture styles fascinating, love a glimpse through an uncurtained window and watching all the robot lawnmowers…well, they are a revelation!  Almost every garden seems to have one toiling away while their owners are nowhere to be seen.  

My home for the night is Koss Gard (Gard means farm).  I’m in the main house, the hostess showed the two of us around, showed us where the food she had made for our dinner was and then left for work, telling us she would be back to make breakfast for us at 7am tomorrow.  She just left us, total strangers, in the home that has been in her family for generations, on our own.  

I think this is one of the things that makes this journey so special.  The places we stay are not just a place to sleep. They are unique, and we are trusted guests.  When I started planning this trip I had no idea  how different the pilgrim accommodation here would be compared to the Spanish albergues.  And I thought that it all sounded very over priced.  I was wrong!  I think tonight will cost me the equivalent of about £55 for dinner, bed (linen and towels included) and breakfast in the most stunning setting. 

Day 7: Ingeborg Refling Hagens House to Hamar

This is the delayed daily pod! I’ve been trying to sort out all sorts of admin.  On an iPhone. With fat fingers.  I’ve successfully completed my application for the Scottish equivalent of a DBS check, and am trying to re jig the rest of my accommodation for this trip so that it feels more like a holiday than a punishment tab!  I called in at the Pilgrim Centre and asked whether I’d be able to find accommodation if I cancel all the bookings I have and then book again a few days in advance.  The woman in there was lovely, and said I ‘should be’ OK… I was really after a ‘You will be absolutely fine’ or an ‘Are you insane?’ response.  I’m not assisted with planning by what I have come to find is the habitual slow response to emails and phone enquiries.  I’ve phoned and emailed a place I’d like to stay at the day after tomorrow.  She said on the phone she would respond to my email…but nothing has arrived.  I don’t want to start cancelling other places until I hear back.  It is all a bit stressful!

Anyway… back to today. 28km from Tangen to Hamar.   Not overly hilly, on good woodland paths and quite a lot of road.  An easy-ish day.  I had a breakfast snack at the Hill of Joy.  This was a point from which early pilgrims could spot more than one church - which apparently made them fall to their knees in joyous celebration.  I was pleased to see a bench! 

I do miss breakfast (and second breakfast) coffee stops! A carton of juice is just not the same.  

The countryside was lovely, lush, green, rolling hills with frequent views down to the lake.  At Stange Church I ‘caught up with’ one of the girls who had been at the same place as me last night.  I was hugely confused! She had still been asleep when I’d left, and I had no memory of being overtaken.  The explanation was quite simple…she’d taken a bus from Tangen to Stange!

At around 21km, when my need for caffeine was getting quietly insistent, I found myself on a golf course.  I walked past at least three signs that said, in English, ‘all are  welcome to use the cafe at the club house, we serve food and drinks!’ Wonderful I thought as I skipped along, thoughts of a steaming hot, black coffee propelling me on.  I soon spied a deck area with tables and chairs and, yes, a cafe.  

I had a moment of worry about the umbrellas being down, but is was only just after 10am.  I walked in, confident in the imminent arrival of a cup of coffee in my hands, to see a couple of people milling about.  They informed me that the cafe was not open, it was only open Wednesday to Saturday each week!  I was not a happy bear.  

I trudged on.  The last seven caffeine deprived kilometres dragged a bit.  I tried to get excited by the lake, and the Olympic Hall - that really looks a bit like the end or the Star Trek film where they crashed the Enterprise, but I just wanted to stop and get a coffee… and maybe an little something to eat.

I’ve got a hotel room tonight, breakfast is included but isn’t served until 6.30am, so I’ll have to have a lie in!  Once I’d checked in and had a shower, I set off to the Pilgrim Centre, stopping on the way for, at long last, a coffee!  And a waffle.  She asked if I wanted jam or ‘brown cheese’ with the waffle.  I shall have to google brown cheese… as it was I went for neither.

After the Pilgrim Centre I went to look at the ruins of the cathedral.  They are enclosed in a spectacular glass structure:

Then after a quick walk around Hamar to see what I fancy for supper and a quick look in a gorgeous yarn shop, it was back to the hotel for admin… I’m still waiting for an email reply!