Day 56 – 22 Aug, Tverrelvnes Accommodation to Harvasstua

(38 km, total 1420 km, 10h 50m, 0810 to 2000, less one hour at hut)

I had a good night sleep and was happy I managed to get all my electronics charged up. I am on a new breakfast type now which is muslea which I eat dry, with fresh blueberries, and a hot chocolate drink. This morning I also had the luxury of the pastries I bought yesterday.

I said good bye to everyone and was on the trail at a reasonable time. The trail followed a gravel road for 1.5 km then onto a lovely single track, over a big river by bridge and then a steady climb that seemed to go quickly.

Near the top it was into the open and the wind was really cold so I was moving quickly to try and get over the hill and down the other side into the trees again. However I was not going so quickly that I missed the great views behind me and to the side.
There was a long descent in the trees and I had to concentrate to keep on the trail at times then the trail joined what looks like an old overgrown forestry road down a long way to the road. It started raining just as I got into the trees. It seemed like I was dropping for ages but everytime there was a clear patch the houses below didn’t seem to get closer.

Finally on the road it was around 800 meters to Graynes Camping which I had not been able to find any information about. I was hoping I might get a coffee but it was very small with no shop and seemed deserted. I poked my head in a room that had sinks, a freezer a microwave and a tiny bench. More importantly it had a heater and a chair so I was cheeky and decided to sit there in the warmth and have my lunch. I have increased lunch to two tortilla now with a very generous amount of cheese, salami and Kremgo in Urter flavour, whatever that is.
Back on the road it was only a few hundred more meters until turning onto a gravel road and then turning onto single track. This was a lovely track that was nearly flat for 2km to a bridge. From the bridge it was on a gravel road for a few hundred meters and then right. At the turn off was a historic house with information board.
Now the biggest climb yet of the trail started and so did the rain. 500 vertical meters in just over 2 km. The climb started on old forestry track then onto single track that reminded me of New Zealand, a steep track with roots, rocks and mud. I kept to a steady pace and wasn’t puffing too badly. Above the tree line there was a track for a little bit then just markers to follow.
This was a pretty miserable section as the wind was really strong and it was raining continuously. Of course it was also a head wind just too make it as bad as possible. I was keeping warm going up the hill but started to get cold once it flattened out. The track dropped to a lake and followed along side and at the end was a hut, not marked on the map. The hut was open with 2 bunks with mattress, pillow and duvet, a table, kitchen bench and a wood oven. I decided to stay for a bit and warm up. I took off my wet things and got dry. I investigated the oven but it only had a tiny hole for wood and the few pieces of wood there were pretty big and there was no axe so I didn’t try for a fire. I had a hot soup, hot chocolate and some food sitting under the duvet. The hut itself was cold and I could see my breath. The mattress and duvet felt damp. I did think about staying but it was so cold there I thought it would be warmer in my tent at a lower elevation so I packed up and put my damp things back on and ventured back into the cold and wet. Thankfully it stopped raining after 30 minutes and the wind died down so I warmed up quickly. There were some crossing over a reindeer fence and a river then a drop and climb back up around a hill and over a saddle. The markings were just stones with no paint so I was having to search a bit, especially in an area of high vegetation. Once over the saddle the trail dropped into thick vegetation and I lost the trail. I knew I was heading to a crossing near a lake so made my own way but it was hard work in the thick vegetation.
At the crossing was a boat with no means of propulsion and a rope across the river. The boat was tied to the rope so you could pull it across if it was on the wrong side. I tried standing up and pulling the rope but nearly fell in so dropped to my knees and was much more stable.
On this side of the river there was a clear track and I was able to move a bit quicker. It started raining again as I climbed above a lake. The trail climbed gradually up the side of the hill and then over a saddle and into the trees for a nice gentle descent to the road. There was actually a little sunlight and it stopped raining. I found a nice tent site in the trees above the road and hung my shorts and rain jacket on the small trees to dry while I had dinner. Dinner was the Real Turmat Couscous and Lentils that Aste gave me and they were really nice. It was good to have a good meal after a long and cold day.

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