Saturday 24th August
Today was the beginning of my second trip to Norway - this time to Hardangervidda. By now I was pretty familiar with both Manchester Airport and Oslo Gardermoen Airport but this time took a direct British Airways flight - tiny plane but a good breakfast. Once arrived at Gardermoen I was straight on the train to Oslo for the purchasing of supplies before taking of the the swish new trains onwards to Geilo. 15 minutes late, it was evening time and I had a 4km walk to a camp site on the map.

I arrived at the place that was supposed to be a campsite only to find nothing there. Arrrgghh! I needed some sleep, luckily in amongst some trees, I found my perfect pitch. It was getting dark now and I knew I had a big long walk to do the following day.

The westward view from Ustetind

Sunday 25th August
6am, my earliest wake up time. Daylight had only just arrived and I was acutely aware of the days drawing shorter now. It was time to head off for the plateau now. The first part was an ascent through the birch forest where the leaves were all turning yellow. I soon was on the edge of the vast Hardanger mountain plateau. The going was tough with think bushes brushing against me (I think it's called Gorse). My first target was a minor summit called Usteind. It rises just 100m above its immediate surroundings and even has a few cabin huts close to it but the view southwards and westwards set the scene for the next few days. It really was an empty place I was about to walk into.

This part of the Hardangervidda was relatively busy. There were quite a few walkers about as I set out to walk to a hotel called Tuva. I though this was what the rest of the plateau was going to be like - only to find the car park at Tuva was stacked full! It quickly dawned on me that most folk won't venture far from the car.

From Tuva I set off on a path heading southeastwards towards another hut called Aan. I was getting quite sore by now as well as dehydrated. My pack was heavy and the weather was quite warm. It was easy with my map to think distances were easy - of course, I forgot that the grid squares were 2km*2km on my 1:100,000 map! I decided to take a short cut off the official path and onto a local path serving some huts. The going was OK at first but soon I was descending into a birch forest and found myself doing slow tedious battle with the birch. It also deposited yellow powder all over me - I guess it's pollen but I was exhausted when I emerged onto another path.

I found an excellent campsite at the confluence between two mighty rivers - really nice walking suspension bridges here as well. Another person was here - someone flyfishing. Nearby but out of sight there was another car park at so I still was on the edge of the wilderness. I got my tent up just in time before a thunderstorm struck.

Monday 26th August
I was running about half a day behind schedule. Whoever invented these route times for the paths should have a few rocks thrown in their rucksack! I changed my plan, cutting off a corner of my walk and set out on the path towards Rauhellern. It was a gentle climb out through the forest to the open lands. Ahead lay a 200m high cliff (Lagliberget) alongside the valley. It felt like a gateway standing proud giving access to the wilderness beyond.

Lagliberget seen in the distance from the forest

Looking back past Lagliberget to where I came from

The westward view into deep Hardangervidda
wilderness. Geitsjoen is the lake

Because the hills didn't rise high above the plateau, the distances seemed vast. I follow the river Lagen out to a Lake - Geitsjoen. Far beyond the other side of Geitsjoen was a set of hills on the horizon. Looking on my map, I realised those were to be reached tonight - my god that seemed a long way.

The paths were empty, just one couple was passed and that's all the folk I saw that day. I reached a bridge before Rauhellern - another nice suspension bridge where some nice grassy meadows lay on the other side. It was a very pleasant evening. So far I hadn't had any problem with midges despite lack of wind. Definitely a favourable place over scotland at this time.

Tuesday 27th August
Today my target was Lagaros. Early mists swirled on the plateau. In the dawn, some horses were seen galloping away - their shapes sillouetted in the mist against the sun. The area around Rauhellern had a lot of sheep - all with bells on them - it certainly wasn't quiet.

The last of the early morning mist

The Lake near to Rauhellern

The "Indianna Jones" bridge at Geitvassdalen

The path headed southwards to Geitvassdalen. Rising onto the side of a hill, I tried to see if any phone reception could be had - nothing at all. I reached Geitvassdalen and crossed the river by what was one of the best bridges on the trip - a real "Indianna Jones" kind of bridge. It rose high above the water level and I could understand why - a lot of snow melts during may and I've seen some bridges damaged before.

I headed up Geitvassdalen towards Lagaros - initially along the valley but then rising up and over some hillsides. The distances were again vast, a new twist of the path revealed another mini wilderness to explore. The wind was picking up while remaining hot. I crossed a track, on it one or two mobile homes were situated. I was two days walk from the nearest road from here and just looking out west to new wilderness - flatter than previously just emphasized the emptiness of the place.

Upstream view at Geitvassdalen to remote hills

Looking out at empty flat plateau near Lagaros

I reached Lagaros but this wasn't my destination. I identified a place about 2km west of here where I could camp, it was thin ground - thin grass/moss was the usual stuff around here. A guy walked up to my tent and ask if I would like some fish. I didn't know how to cook fish so I had to decline his offer. He was the warden for Lagaros and was very curious about where I lived. I replied Lancashire - he didn't know Lancashire, so I said Preston and he said "Arrh! Preston North End!" It seems that Norwegians know english places by their football clubs rather than geography!

Wednesday 28th August
Overnight there was an approaching front. But it never gave any rain. This morning there was some broken low cloud as well as some high cloud but the weather got progressively clearer through the day with brilliant blue sunshine towards the middle of the afternoon - virtually no haze at all!

The western part of Bjornesfjorden enroute to Sandhaug

A distant view of western hardangervidda hills

Sandhaug

My destination was Sandhaug. This part of Hardangervidda has a big Lake - Bjornesfjorden and the area around it is flatter and more gentle than the ground east or west of the Lake. My Rucksack was noticeably lighter and the last of the various Ailments suffered on the first day had by now disappeared.

Bessa with Lake Nordmannslagen in the foreground and Hardangerjokulen icecap in the background

Well made cairns - are Norwegians better cairn builders than us?

It was a long trek to Sandhaug taking about five hours. From there a further trek round another Lake, Nordmannslagen, took me to another hut, Bessa. Here the views were brilliant - the Hardangerjokulen icecap could be seen 40km away with excellent clarity. It would be rare to see days like this in Scotland. In England days like this only happen once a year possibly.

Southwest of Bessa, I took a path on its way to Litlos. Now the countryside became progressively hillier and I was to camp by a Lake above the 1300m contour. The grass got thinner here.