Day 26 – 15 Jul, Bridge near Paltsastugan Hut to Daertahytta Hut

(36 km, total 632 km, 9h 30, 0730 to 1700)

Today I didn’t want to get up when my alarm went off so snoozed a bit longer. I was really quick with my morning routine and was on my way within 45 minutes of waking.

It was a misty morning and this did not start clearing until 0830. The trail was lovely single track in good condition and I was making good time with little effort. I was following bright orange paint marks or small poles with orange tops. The trail was going around the side of a large hill and there was gentle undulations but nothing to strenuous.

I made a mark with rocks to celebrate 600km completed. Only 2000 to go!

Suddenly the markers changed to red ‘T” and I was now back in Norway. There was a yellow sign down the hill and this may have marked the boarder. There was no cairn like I have come to expect. Apart from the marker there was no change.

Back in Norway following the red T

Reindeer, once upon a time

The trail started heading down hill and there was a great view of a lake and steep mountains. The track went around the end of the lake and then followed the lake. Here the track occasionally went on to vehicle track and then back off to cut corners or avoid the top of hills.

Just before the end of the lake it started getting really windy and the wind was cold so I stopped to put on my wind jacket and gloves. Less than 5 minutes later it started to rain so I stopped again to put on my rain jacket and rain skirt.
At the end of the lake was a river and there was no way to hop rocks across so my feet got wet for the first time in ages. Now the track climbed up and over a hill. By the top of the hill I was really hot so stopped to take my wind jacket off from under my rain jacket. I left my rain jacket open in front with pit zips open but 10 minutes later the sun was back out and I had to stop again to take my jacket off.The final few km of downhill seemed to go quickly and the only irritation was the annoying birds (called Heilo, thanks Svein for this information). They had been non stop all day. As soon as one pair was happy I was past their babies the next pair would start up. Contestant “eeeek, eeerk”. It was really getting on my nerves today.

Coming down the last part of the hill I saw the river in front. There was a junction and the track went right to the junction and then there was a bridge over. I am glad there was a bridge as the side river was flowing really strong and fast.

Now it was a quick 10 minutes to the hut. I thought it was going to rain so rushed.

At the huts I was a bit confused as there were four buildings and no indication of which one was the right one. I chose the biggest and walked in to the palace which is DNT huts. There were multiple rooms with 4 beds each and a large kitchen/lounge with couches and tables. I sat and made 2 sandwiches and read the hut comment book. The only variation from my usual is I am having cheese rolls (very squished) instead of tortilla and the cheese spread is ham flavoured. I was feeling hungry, and knew I had a lot of climbing to do this afternoon so I had two.
It did start raining while I was eating but had cleared by the time I was ready to go. I was a little worried the weather would turn when I was up in the mountains. Today was going to be a new high point at 1033 meters.

From the hut was a river crossing over a bbridge and then a 250 vertical meter climb over 2.5km and it was more gentle than I expected.

Then a small descent to a fast flowing river which the trail followed upstream to a suitable crossing point.

As I was heading upstream I saw someone who had just crossed. I think they were putting their boots on. They took off up the hill so I now had a nice target to catch. I splashed across the river and started up the hill.

I was disappointed when the person stopped to talk to someone as I didn’t get the satisfaction of catching up to them. I still cannot get rid of my competitive streak. I arrived and it was a Norwegian lady heading to the hut I had just left and a German guy doing the E1 trail who I had seen at the Cafe at Kilpsijavri but didn’t want to talk. When the Norwegian lady left all the information I got from him is he started in Nordkapp, had camped under the big mountains before Rostahytta, had left at 1100 and was planning to walk until 2200 tonight. I quickly left him behind as he had a bigger pack than me.
This climb was steeper even though it was shorter at only 120 vertical meters.

This photo was taken at maximum zoom about 15 minutes after I passed him.

The track then flattened out and the went to the left of a series of lakes before crossing the valley and starting the last climb of the day.

It started raining but I ignored it and 5 minutes later it stopped and I dried out quickly. This was only 100 vertical meters but was on loose rock making for difficult walking. Most of the time I jumped from bigger rock to bigger rock where possible. Near the top was a patch of snow and the marker was in the snow so I had a legitimate reason to be on the snow, even though a person coming down hill took the wimpy option of walking 5 meters to the side of the snow.

Once over the crest there was a little more gentle climb through the rock fields to the highest part of Norge Pa Langs so far at 1033m. I was surprised how easy I had found the climb and how quickly I had gotten there.

The descent was steep down the rock fall to a lake where there was a short piece of grass that felt wonderful to be able to walk normally. The track skirted the top of a lake and then a super steep descent, partly on the rocks and partly on a gravel path. Once down it was a lovely trail though grass and occasional rock fields down to the hut.

I reached the hut at 1700 and considered whether to keep going but figured 40km was a good effort so settled in. There was one German guy there who read the whole time. At 1930 3 brittish came which was an interesting distraction from reading.

The hut was another palace and cost 150Kr (approx 30 NZD)

Plenty of wood

It is a bit of a climb to get up to the toilet. Note the polystyrene seat

Views: 304