Monday 2nd September
Today dawned cloudy with occasional drizzle. Things weren't looking so good and the fine weather that Dad had forecast was nowhere to be seen. However, I pressed on. My immediate target was a hut called Rembesdalseter. Despite the short distance of 3km, there were a few obstacles. One was a valley carved out by a big receding glacier in it. Cut down to the bedrock, the path descended smooth damp slabs interrupted by some small 5m high cliffs. Overall the descent wasn't steep, but remembering yesterday's slip, I was very careful as the rock was slippy. Something that would have taken 10 minutes in dry weather now took about an hour.

The glacier, Rembesdalskaki seen en route to Rembesdalseter

At the glacial stream - apparently it occasionally suffers from flash flooding

On the Finse path, the choppy Lureggarne plateau with the Luranuten cliffs behind

Luranguten seen from the Finse path near Svartrandane

The glacier here was very wild and formidable. There were many crevasses - progress across it looked nigh impossible - only a masochist would want to try that glacier. The stream eminating out of it was milky grey and there were thick silt deposits in some of the more stangant areas of the stream. After crossing the glacial stream I continued along the path to the hut as it undulated along a steep hillside.

An impressive waerfall draining Ramnabergont glacier

Black gravelly rock characterising this landscape

This was the last day the hut was open for summer and the warden was walking out in the same direction of Finse that I was. He was english and had just finished a two week stint there. We chatted a while as we ascended the path but he soon wanted a decent rest so I continued on my own. After the initial climb from the hut the path levelled out to a very chaotic and twisted landscape. The grass was very thin even though I was under 1300m. I passed two peaks on the way that I was planning to climb but not today - the wind was cold and although the cloud was a little brighter, it made the place feel quite hostile.

Hardangerjokulen descending all the
way to a meltwater lake

Progress was easy despite the lack of vegetation. The path steadily climbed up in steps and also passed over a very impressive stream that seemed to drain much of the northern end of the ice cap. The terrain was very bleak. The north was shrouded under a think veil of cloud and although the ice cap further east was ripping holes in the cloud, it felt like a very empty place.

I soon reached the watershed between the west and the east and was now on my way down dropping towards a camping site near Finsevatnet. The descent was tough - one big stream to cross and a snow field to walk/skitter across. I arrived safely at camp looking out west to see imminent rain on its way. The end was near even though I still had four days left to pad it out over!

Tuesday 3rd September
Initially it dawned grey and misty but the overnight drizzle had departed and I was eager to get some supplies at Finse train station. I walked along "Ralarvegen" which was marked as a road on the map but turned out to be nothing better than a bridleway. It was busy was cyclists - lots of school kids out on a trip.

Hardangerjokulen seen on a nice day on the other side of Finse

Flakavatnet and Flakavassnutane seen from the Ragsteindalen path

Small glaciers tumbling into Kyrkedorvatni

After Finse the weather cleared up enormously and was presented with a haze free cloudless blue sky. Amazing! But very hot! I was now on the path to Raggsteindalen which lies to the north of the last mountain range I'm to visit - Hallingskarvet. The ground was a little more fertile higher up here but above about 1500m the vegetation just quit! I soon reached the high point on the path and was now presented with a shallow northern corrie with a few snowfields to negotiate. Some had crevasses - very narrow but interesting to see them up close for the first time.

The progress seemed very slow that afternoon with much rock slowing down progress and a hot sun beating down. The northern side of Halligskarvet was actually very impressive with quite high cliffs and rivers thundering down from glaciers above. I camped next to the glacial river where it was loudest. Hmm, I wanted to cross it to get a path on the other side. I'd leave that thought till tomorrow.

Wednesday 4th September
Today dawned very clear and beautiful. I had the intention of climbing the highest summit in the area - Falorskardnuten - part of the Hallingskarvet Massif. There was a path marked on the map going up to it. Unfortunately it was on the other side of the river I camped next to, so I was faced with a big diversion down the river to the road. Not really willing to retrace my steps, I chose another route that could get be to my peak. I took the path upto a hut called Lardehytta. All went fine to begin with but the wind was now getting progressively stronger and stronger. I got up to a higher valley lined with a big long cliff down the west to see a good view of the Hallingskarvet.

Stranda Vatnet

Looking back up Raggsteindalen

Cloud was approaching from the south, quite quickly as well. While the northerly view was nice, it was becoming quite threatening towards the south. I got as far a Lake - Folarskardtjornan before deciding to turn back. My hunch was that it would be raining pretty soon. I got back to the road and the cloud had become much more extensive and it was looking darker all the time. I headed off up a path to my final destination - Geilo. The vegatation just above the tree line was thick with bushes and it seemed like there wouldn't be many camping opportunities for a while.

Raggsteinnuten seen from the road

A small peak off the Folarskardnuten plateau

Luckily I found one patch of thick grass among this ocean of bushes. I got the tent up about five minutes before the rain started - and when it started it was drumming down! My hunch had served me correct.

Thursday 5th September
The day dawned showery. I was lazy and had a lie in knowing that Geilo wasn't far away. In a bright spell, I decided to move my bum and start walking. God knows why! For the next five hours I ensured hour long showers interspersed with dry spells lasting just 15minutes. I wasn't too amused when a river I had to cross had lost its bridge :-(. Now I had soaking wet feet with puddles inside each boot - Gaaah! It would be nice to walk here in the sun, there were some impressive cliffs and corries rising up 500 - 600m above me.

I soon reached the first hint of civilisation near to Venstreim before the final leg of my walk. There wasn't much walking left in the wilderness before I reached the outskirtd of Geilo where I reached the suburbia of summer houses and ski-lifts. Onto the final descent into Geilo and I was finally immersed into the hussle and bussle of civilisation. I found a campsite - (90Kr to stay there - ouch!), had a welcome shower, and then planned out the boredom I would have to endure over tomorrow and Saturday.

Tomorrow came, my train came in the evening. One of the nice ones again, this time it arrived at Oslo 45minutes late - for a country that taxes your income at 50% that's just useless! I spent a maximum of 10minutes in Oslo before taking the final onward train to the Airport where I set up my sleeping bag for an overnight wait for my plane. So glad to be back to my car. Ahhhh! The creature comforts at last!