Vassbygdi, østerbø geiterygghytta, finse - day 3

Alternative title: The Lords of the Rings The Return of the King(s)

Last day of our trek. The most beautiful. As usual we cross many people going in the opposite direction, now we know why.

After walking along the lake, slaloming between sheeps, walking barefoot in freaking cold water, crossing field of snow we reach the highest point of our path. We have lunch on the side of a frozen lake with iceberg slowly melting in front of us. A small detour from the official path to arrive on a 360 view point. It's super windy but the view is again wahouuu.

It's time to go down towards the train station. It's becoming green again with some little flowers here and there but still no trees as we are around 1400/1500m high.

On the grass, protected form the wind side of another lake we have our last hiker meal full of proteins and later the very last over-over-over-overpriced beer.

Vassbygdi, østerbø geiterygghytta, finse - day 2

Alternative title: The Lord of The Rings The Two Towers

Reloaded after a good night of sleep we go again on the road. The clouds left as well and the plans evoked yesterday of "going back earlier to Oslo to seat on the sofa, watch films and drink insane quantity of alcoholic beverages" are already been forgotten.

Beginning of this day hike is easy. We read on the map two sections of 3h and 3h30.  We are leaving the low mountain  for the middle mountain, meaning less trees, more open landscape and some waterfalls.

The no rain factor allows us to enjoy this amazing landscape and I'm not going to far with the words. Trapped yesterday in the clouds and the rocks we are now able to see around us. We also need to put some sunscreen!

We keep an eye regularly on the map, wondering after 7hours why we are not arriving to the next refuge yet? The only people met are going on the opposite direction, meaning going down when we are only going up.

A cool thing with the Norwegian mountains is that they aren't very high, but the variety of scenery is incredible. In just 500m of difference in heigh we went from middle mountain to door of high mountain.

After 10h30 of hike - pause included - we arrive to our second stage completely exhausted. Once again no tent despite the dry weather. But it's also much colder, we opt for the dormitory.

While talking with the owner of this refuge we learned that our little hike wasn't - as we thought - long of 18km but 25km. More important he also told us that most the people doing this hike usually prefer to do it in the opposite order, meaning going down all the time... Knowing that the overpriced ringnes did taste even more delicious.

I'm finding the sleep in half a second. Just the time to enjoy the location of the refuge on a side of another relatively large lake. There are semi wild sheep all around, fishnets are drying on the side of the  house, they like to tease the trout here. The scenery is at the level of the effort you have to provide to reach this place.

Vassbygdi, østerbø geiterygghytta, finse - day 1

Alternate post tile: The Lords of the Rings The Fellowship of The Ring.

Light rain for breakfast, the tent is tied up faster and we hit to the bus station. 20min later we start the hike. Altitude is 0m or maybe 10m above the sea level. The weather is mild.

A classical start from the lovely valley "à la Delivrance" with a big smile on both our faces. We slowly but surely go deeper into the mountain, the valley is also getting narrower. Then it rises sharply and unceremoniously. It drizzles. 

We find a big rock where we are protected from the wind and the tiny drops of water. It's polse and lompe time.  The break is short, we continue. We enter an area who clearly shows huge rocks that felt from the top of the mountain, but years ago as trees and foams are recovering nicely the stones.

Too bad that the weather decides to be insane - which mean rain, rain and rain - because we can't enjoy the landscape. But the good side of it is we are hiking super fast and arrive to our first stop in time. We also abandoned for today the plan to use the tent. It's still raining and we are completely wet. We even wondering of to go back to Oslo tonight as we don't see us continuing two more days with this weather.

Luckily the mountain refuge has a room for two, a drying room for the clothes and food for hungry hikers. Before the diner the warm shower and whisky was probably at this time the best combo ever to refresh our bodies. Finding the sleep was an easy task.

la montagne ca vous gagne - épisode 33

Cette année on remet ca. Après une première session l'an dernier, toujours avec le même sherpa, on remet ca. Une étude méticuleuse des cartes, un coup d'oeil aux horaires de train et bus on se décide pour un trekky (je viens d'inventer ce mot, petite randonnée à faire à la va-vite et qui procure un certain plaisir pour le marcheur encore confiant de son choix) dans la montagne norvégienne, dans la montagne donc.

D'Oslo prendre train direction Bergen. S'arrêter au milieu à Mirdal, descendre la vallée à Flåm et revenir à pieds à la station précédente, station elle même perdue dans la montagne. Voilà pour le décor auquel vous ajoutez des fjords, des montagnes, des lapins géants aux oreilles pliées tellement elles sont grosses (il y avait une ferme à Flåm prés du camping avec ces gros lapins).

22:00 la tente est montée, les matelas et duvets prêts. Il fait grand jour (on rappelle aux retardataires, la Norvège en juillet = lumière lumière lumière...). Demain on prend le bus tôt pour changer de vallée et commencer la randonnée.

Dernier jour avant l'effort

Dormir mais aussi se réveiller et envoyer quelques emails. Ce n'est pas encore complètement les vacances mais on y arrive doucement.

Descendre en ville par le petit train. Retrouver the German. Prendre et commander un café en norvégien et se sentir fort et beau. Visiter à nouveau le musée Astrup Finley dans ses nouveaux quartiers au bord de l'eau. Sushi et retour dans les hauteurs osloïtes.

Et enfin le moment tant attendu: vider son sac pour le refaire en mode randonnée. On part demain et il serait temps de se préparer.