Day 30: Skaun to Øysand

Let’s talk a little more about last night before I get to today.  The accommodation was basic in the extreme.  A village hall, with a stack of mattresses and z-beds and a paper ‘sheet’ to lay on top of the mattresses.  No pillows.  There was a shower in the ladies’ toilet area (and I assume similar in the gents’).  A glass cubicle in direct line of sight to the main (unlockable) door.  Absolutely no where to hang dry clothes or a towel.  The kitchen was well equipped, and there were shoe dryers (essential after walking through the bog), but these were in the only part of the building with seating  - you can imagine the smell resulting from 12 pairs of boots drying!  They also made a noise.  Occasionally one or more of them would make a repeated banging noise (like someone hammering a nail in).  Great fun!  All this for 500NOK.  So not cheap.  The volunteer who greeted us, and gave us a tour of the church was lovely.  She took pity on us because of the cold and wet weather and made a huge quantity of waffles for us. However, given that the ‘workforce’ at this accommodation are volunteers, it did seem quite expensive compared to other places I’ve stayed.  

While we were sitting around, chatting and eating biscuits, in the afternoon evening we welcomed a steady stream of fellow pilgrims.  Catching up with ‘old friends’ and getting to know new people.  At about 6pm a new face came through the door.  He came straight up to me and asked if I was ‘the staff!’  I replied that I was not,  but showed him around anyway.  He was a bit put out that his bed wasn’t ready for him, and that there were not many options for placement of that bed left.  I thought it odd that he had not introduced himself, or said anything other than questions about the accommodation, but returned to the biscuits and the chat.  

A little later, after he had taken a shower and walked back through the sitting area in just his underpants, he came to find me to demand the WiFi password.  I pointed him to the sign on the wall with the instructions.  He read them and told me that they didn’t work. How had I got on to the WiFi?  Reader, I told him a little fib.  I said I hadn’t bothered.  His attitude really wound me up, so I just suggested he work through the instructions.  He got a bit cross.  He asked one of the others how she’d got on the WiFi and didn’t like the ‘I followed the instructions’ reply!  If he’d just been a little more polite I am sure one of us would have helped him.  He complained about the WiFi to the lovely volunteer too…

Anyway, my reward for not being kind was an awful night!  12 of us in the room, thankfully no snorers, but some of the beds creaked loudly whenever the occupant moved, and the boot dryers in the next room clanked intermittently.  I turned one off, but I think someone must have turned it back on.  Anyway, I gave up on sleep at 4.30am!

It was an uphill start today.  The sky was grey and, for the entire distance it was either raining or threatening to rain! It felt like autumn.  And not one of those Indian summer autumn days.  It was properly chilly!  The autumn feel was exacerbated in the forests.  Lots of fungi and fallen trees.

Some (rather a lot) of the route was an insanely steep descent.  At one point I slipped, fell on my arse, all tbe while grabbing hold of a walking pole, which dug deep into the soft and squishy mud. When I let go of the pole so that I could get up it bounced back and hit me in the face!  I was half way down another section when it occurred to me that this might tbe section the guide book suggested avoiding if it has been raining!

Today was a short day.  I arrived at my destination well before 11am, and before my room was ready.  The hostess let me in and gave me coffee which was very welcome.  Apparently there are four more pilgrims staying here tonight.  Their suitcases are in reception.  I may have booked dinner here but I have no desire to meet new people tonight.  I messaged Brenda and Jasper, who are staying nearby, and we will grab a taxi to take us somewhere!  

Day 29: Løkken Verk to Skaun

My room last night was on the top floor.  It was cosy and warm but, when the rain started to bucket down in  the middle of the night it was loud!  That was ok, I needed an early start.  I made a quick breakfast, packed a couple of cheese rolls for lunch and set off. 

A short stretch out of the town on the tarmac was about all the proper road we saw today (apart from the last kilometre).  After crossing  railway tracks, we were soon up in the forest.   It wasn’t raining, but it wasn’t warm, and the trees would occasionally decide that they should drop all the water from their leaves onto our heads.  The rain jacket was definitely the right choice.

A stop for second breakfast outside the shooting club building at about 10k in was just what the doctor ordered. While there Margien from the Netherlands walked past.  We chatted for a while at the start of what would be a prolonged game of leapfrog.  

A little further on we came to what the guide describes as ‘a rest stop with the ambience of a living room.’ What choice did we have but to stop?   It was a chance to regroup before the upcoming bog stage!  4km of bog to be crossed, and I still can’t work out how the Norwegians manage to maintain bogs on a steep hill.  Some of the way was made slightly easier by plank walk ways.  I say ‘slightly’ because wet, wooded boards are very slippery.  It was a fun walk.  Lots of time spent looking at my feet’

Home for tonight is a church hall in Skaum.  Apparently there will be 11 of us tonight. We had to erect our own  beds.  The volunteer will be back to give us our obligatory tour of the church at 7pm this evening.

Day 28: Segard Hoel to Løkken Verk

I forget, yesterday, to mention the Norwegian couple we met along the way, and who were camping at Segard Hoel.  His rucksack was HUGE, and hers was not small. Turns out that his rucksack was 27kg and hers was 15kg.  I can’t imagine walking on this terrain with a 27kg pack!  He had a huge beard.  We christened him ‘the Viking!’

Last night’s accommodation was, hmm, ok!  Put it this way, I had to look through a lot of pillows to find one that didn’t have dubious stains on it!  The company was good, and the food filling so I’ll take that as a win. 

It was an early start today.  There was only a short distance to cover, but the destination town included a yarn shop and a museum!  I’m not sure we quite anticipated arriving at 10.15am, but at least the coffee shop in the museum was open.

The walk had been relatively easy, but it was rather chilly!  I didn’t take my gloves off for the entire morning.  At 8km there was a stop at Meldal Church.  The key was in the door so we went in - but the alarm started beeping so after a very quick look we were on our way!  I was glad of a short day today as my Achilles was ‘a wee bit ouchy’ - I’ve tapped it up and told it that we don’t have far to go now so it can just behave! (I’m typing this with my ankle on a bag of frozen spinach which is a quarter the price of a packet of  frozen peas).

The Industrial Museum was fascinating - a history of mining in the area and a train museum! There is a special historic train that apparently lots of pilgrims take for the first few kilometres of tomorrow’s walk.  I seriously considered it, but it doesn’t leave until 11am and there will still be about 20k to complete after the train. 

Home tonight is a ‘historic hotel.’  The confirmation email said that reception would be open between 9 and 2, outside that we could check in using a door code.  We got there at 10.30ish - no one in sight, let ourselves in so we could leave our bags.  Eventually found a cleaner who gave us our keys!  

One of the main reasons I chose to stop in Lokken Verk was for the wool shop, Fortuna.  I dragged my walking buddies along.  They patiently waited while  added a few rows to the community knitting project outside the shop. The owner was friendly and we chatted all things stitchy for a while.  Instagram Link

Lunch was a delicious, calorie heavy, kebab.  We worked off some of those calories walking to the church to get a stamp for our passports.  We didn’t realise it was over 2k away and uphill.  And when we got there we discovered there was no stamp!

I rewarded myself with 15mins in the massage chair along the corridor from my room!

Day 27: Meslo Gard to Segard Hoel

New faces quickly become old friend on a long distance, multi stage walk.  Last night was case in point.  Friends made only a few days or weeks ago are always a welcome sight.  

I’d paid for breakfast, so another late start was guaranteed. I didn’t make a lunch as the pilgrim guide book told me there was a cafe en route that was actually going to be open on a Sunday.  But first there was some walking to do. 

First stop was Rennebu Church. This is one of only five Y shaped churches.  We were treated to a tour of the beautiful wooden interior, made sure our pilgrim passports were stamped, availed ourselves of the toilets and were soon back on our way.

Quite a bit of today was spent on a gravel road, the rest on forest ‘paths.’  Some of these paths were practically invisible due to the number of felled and fallen trees that needed to be negotiated.  More than one tricky river crossing was made.  Sadly there is no video evidence of the truly scary one, we were just relieved to be over!

Two thirds of the way in we arrived at the pilgrim cafe.  It was lunch time!  Ham and cheese omelettes, with toast, followed by home made apple cake and coffee. Delicious.  

Just as we were about to leave people we knew arrived. So that delayed our departure a little.  A whole hour for lunch!  At least we’d dodged some of the rain.  It had been weird weather, bright sunshine, brief, heavy downpours and a stiff wind that ensured a fairly chilly day.  

Accommodation tonight is in an old farmhouse.  There are seven people here tonight, three I have not met before which is exciting. For only the second time this trip I am sharing a room - but still no bunk bed!

Day 26: Langklopp to Meslo

Last night three pilgrims and our hosts, Knut and Helene, had dinner together.  Tacos, followed by ice cream and an early night.  This mountain farm was so quiet at night that a good night’s sleep was almost guaranteed.  Two of us were staying for breakfast, promised for 7.30am so a lie in was the order of the day. 

Helene and Knut make breakfast

With only 21k to cover today I was in no hurry to get started, so had a relaxed breakfast, made myself a packed lunch, paid my bill and set off.  

The weather was overcast for the most part, but there was also some sunshine and a little rain.  I walked several kilometres along roads without seeing a single car, there were also ‘off road’ sections that offered variety, including walking along the banks of the Orkla river.

There was a lot of downhill today, with enough short and steep sections to remind one that this is no walk in the park.  The last kilometre and a half was alongside a ‘really busy’ road.  I saw about twelve cars! 

Meslo Gard is my home for tonight.  It is a working farm.  Haven’t seen anyone here, but the sign told me to let myself if, find a bed, help myself to coffee and cake, shower etc. so that is what I have done.  The trust is amazing!

Day 25: Oppdal to Langklopp

Today started with breakfast.  A proper breakfast with proper coffee!  Opposite my lodgings for last night there was an excellent bakery that opened at 8am.  The forecast said it was going to rain until 8am so breakfast seemed sensible. 

We didn’t totally escape the rain, but after an hour and a half the clouds cleared and a sunny but cool day followed. 

My route today started with an uphill stretch on residential streets to get out of Oppdal, a town of around 7,500 residents served by three huge supermarkets, a shopping mall, four sports shops and two yarn stores.  After that there were some pretty pathways where sheep and the occasional runner were to be found along the way.  

The late start gave me a whole different perspective on the day.  Especially as it was a relatively short distance.  Stopping at picnic benches seemed like a good idea.  At lunch the picnic bench was sheltered from the wind and in the sunshine.  I lay back and watched the clouds.

A lot of today was spent on a gravel road.  It had the potential to be quite monotonous, but after a few days of challenging walking it felt like a reward to have a gently undulating path.  A chance encounter with Monica who I hadn’t seen for a couple of weeks, was lovely.  I must contact her because she has a recommendation for an all you can eat sushi place in Trondheim.  

Tonight I am at Langklopp Mountain Farm with two other pilgrims, Brenda from Ireland and Jasper from The Netherlands.  Dinner is included, and is being cooked as I type.  It smells delicious and I am hungry!

Day 24: Ryphusan to Oppdal.

Before I start talking about today, I want to say a little more about yesterday and last night.  I was too cold and tired to write much yesterday.

I arrived in the ‘village’ of Ryphusan mid afternoon and mid downpour.  The village consists of three cabins, seemingly uninhabited, and the converted cowshed that serves as the only accommodation on a 50km stretch of the walk.  You cannot book, it is just a case of turning up and hoping there is space.  Payment is a matter of trust.   There was no mains electricity, no plumbing (water has to be collected from the river) and no mobile signal.

 When I turned up the door was wide open and four people were sitting in there playing Yahtzee.  They were sheltering from the rain, ready to move on when it eased.  Every time I closed the door one of them would open it so that they could keep an eye on the weather.  They were in nice, dry clothes, I was cold and wet. 

The rain eased up and, as the four Germans got ready to leave, a bedraggled Jasper came up the path.  He’d done a 34km stage.  We settled in, collecting water, making hot drinks, chatting about people we had met on the trail.  Jasper had stopped for breakfast at  Kongsvold, where he had bumped into another Dutch couple who were planning to get to Ryphusan.  It was getting late, we’d almost given up hope that they’d arrive.  They eventually arrived, absolutely soaked.  

It was the first time I’ve shared a room on this journey, thankfully none of them were snorers!  But the door made a heck of a racket when anybody popped out to the outhouse.  

This morning, after making a thermos of coffee, Jasper and I set out together.  It was not raining!  We walked the first 13km together.  A good, solid path, mainly downhill, with lots of sheep for company.  We were walking, for the most part,  along the bottom of a valley, with occasional climbs that gave fantastic views down to the river.  

We were making excellent progress.  This was a refreshing change to the past few days where it was a struggle to maintain a 3km/hr pace!  Soon we arrived at St Michael’s Chapel. A modern chapel built specifically for pilgrims.  

It was a lovely, tiny chapel.  And, tempting as it was, I did not ring the bell’

I went on alone from here, back down from the mountains.  Back towards civilisation!  And lupins! These had been conspicuous by their absence at the higher altitudes.  

Coming into Oppdal was a little jarring.  From the wilderness off the mountains where it was more than possible not to see another person all day to a large town, with multiple shops was a shock to the system.  

I took the opportunity to replace one of my pairs of socks.