Tuesday 7 July 2009

Chasing Waterfalls - Four days in the Hardanger - Day 2

Hedlo (945m) to Torehytten (1340m) - 12 km

Tale of the tape - the shortest distance today but most of the climbing so a good breakfast was in order. The summer berry breakfast from Real Turmat is so good I could eat it every day washed down with some coffee and a Snickers to kick start the ol' fuel tank. I also had piss like Iron Bru when I woke up so the getting some fluids in was order of the morning. Luckily within five minutes of getting started I found a perfect snow fed stream cascading down the hillside. As I rounded the next bend in the path a stumbled upon an adult Ptarmigan and two chicks, one chick froze still like she was told while the other panicked and flew off, no doubt it would be hearing about that later. I was within 3 metres but still the birds sat like statues, hoping I wouldn't notice them. Unfortunately they were sat in the middle of the path and their mottled brown camouflage wasn't working on the ash grey path. I tried to shoo them along gently and when I did all hell broke loose. The other adult and half a dozen other chicks jumped up out of the surrounding undergrowth like a feathered landmine. There was squawking and flapping and much pretending that wings were broken. I almost felt embarrassed for the scene I had created.

Minutes later I was face to face with more Norwegian wildlife when some brightly coloured birds were behaving very strangely, agitated at something on the path ahead. Then a rascal of a stoat came bounding down the path towards me, oblivious as he taunted the small birds above. Then he saw me and his little face went 'Oooh SHIT!!'. He froze still for a moment. Like gun-slingers in the wild west we stared each other down, slowly I tried to ease my camera from it's holster on my shoulder strap. The stoat took his chance and bolted.

The rest of the morning was spent slowly following the river bed as it meandered through the valley. Periodically the path went up over rocky outcrops and down over tarmac smooth granite slabs. I passed through centuries old summer farms, still not yet occupied for their short season. All the time Hårteigen remained in the distance, never seeming any nearer.

Eventually I reached the tourist hytte at Hadlaskard. It too is based at a crossroads in the trails that cover the Hardanger only this time the crossroads was on the other side of a really wide stretch of the river. Thankfully this bridge looked fairly recently refurbished although the wooden pallets seemed a bit flimsy in the middle. I took big strides, making sure there was wire work under each footfall between me and the thundering, foaming water below. The climb up Kyrkjesteinsbekken was pretty gradual. The path crossed several streams and I took a half hour break there for lunch. The sun was beating down at that time but I forgot to reapply the sunscreen, a mistake that would haunt me later. At Viersdalen there is another crossing of trails one of which goes directly to Hårteigen. I had read up on climbing the granite beast, it's not too technical and protected with wires and ropes at the exposed parts but I thought better of it, I really shouldn't do it alone, and left it for another day.

My reward for choosing the righteous path was the biggest river crossings yet, two of them the Sandhaugo and the Olbogo, less than five minutes apart and both very cold and deep. I unbuckled my waist belt and gingerly waded across, thigh deep, a little concerned to find the deepest water just under the far bank of the Sandhaugo. The tracks here had seen more traffic around here, human and Reindeer by the looks of the footprints that peppered the muddy track as it crossed Grondalen, a wide green valley that was mostly flat and featureless. At one point a toad decided to leap out of the undergrowth and landed on my foot. I didn't know who was more surprised. I leapt about involuntarily but thankfully neither of us was hurt in our brief attempt at being dance partners. Across the valley a hill appeared to be steaming but it wasn't until I was inline with the gorge that I heard the thunder of a waterfall. The Sandhaugo river had split the hill in two and filled the void with noise and spray. The path turned towards it and as I got closer I could make out the river, trying it's best to melt it's winter coat of snow and leaving a very precarious looking snow bridge. I was glad the path didn't go over that.

The path kicked up hard again, gaining elevation and surprising me at every turn with gorges, steep snowfields pocked with sun cups and huge lakes including the tragically named Lake 1268. It is a travesty that such a pretty aquamarine lake , with it's swirling coloured sediments has such an unimaginative moniker. Gradually, after a quick directionally challenged detour across one too many snowfields I crested the high point of the dayd, finally in the shadow of Hårteigen and looked down on the ice strangled lake and Torehytten (1340m), the tourist hyttes that sit on the edge of this stunning bowl of snow and rock. I managed to find six feet of flat grass and threw up the Laser Comp.

I spent the next few hours taking dozens of photographs, washed my sweat drenched clothes and ate a fine dinner of Wolffish Casserole. There were less bugs here but they were still here, hardy little specks of biology that braved the permanent cold and snow on the off chance of a sweaty backpacker or climber would be staying in that spot. The sun couldn't make up it's mind. It wasn't going to set, it was quite sure of that but it didn't know wether to shine into the frozen hollow or hide behind the cirque of rocks. In the end it did both. Sometime later I curled up in my sleeping bag and was serenaded to sleep by a nearby waterfall.

(more photos here)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This, like the previous instalment, is pure magic.

I don't fancy river crossings, to be honest, but other than that, it looks and feels like a fantastic place to be. It makes Scotland feel suddenly very small and civilised...

Thanks for posting! Very inspirational.

Martin Rye said...

Very, very nice. I want to go there. Cairngorms but bigger!!.

Joe Newton said...

Anonymous - thanks for the kind words. The inspiration goes in circles, others have inspired me to do this and if it inspires others to try something then it's all good! I didn't expect the river fordings to be like they were. When it was there in front of me I made informed, educated choices and just got on with it. I read books on what to do and not do but experience is the best teacher. It's a long walk round otherwise!

Martin - this was one tiny corner of one national park. There is just so much scope here!

Make plans!

Anonymous said...

Hi Holdfast,

You're right, inspiration goes in circles indeed! I got here from ptc*'s blog...

It looks so fantastic out there. As Martin says, the Cairngorms on a bigger scale, a kind of mix between Yellowstone and Wester Ross but without the grizzly bears! And I suppose that's also the thing, the feeling that you can go solo around there without the need for all the precautions you need in the States, like bear cans or Smith Wesson pistols hanging from your hip belt (I remember one review of a pack on that American website, backcountrygear whatever it's called and there was this picture of this guy with his ULA pack and a Smith and Wesson hanging off his belt!).

So I'm so very much tempted to follow in your footsteps, but the exchange rate from the UK must be pretty prohibitive these days...

Anyway, once again, thanks for posting this stuff, it made my day. And post lots more please!

It's nice to see familiar kit (like the LaserComp) in unfamiliar locations!

Best,

Andy

(formerly Anon)

Joe Newton said...

Andy - I think ptc* has inspired a lot of people!

I felt totally safe out there. Two people had my route & itinerary and I did my homework of what to expect and not once did I feel in danger. A couple of times I thought what would happen if I fell here, off the trail and out of sight but apart from buying and carrying something like a SPOT beacon I'm not sure I could have done much more. I packed the right things and the weather wasn't a factor (unless you count the sunburn - back of the knees - ouch!).

Norway is expensive. No denying it. To use the age old barometer that gives you a clue about the price of anything: a pint is about £7... Saying that you could bring practically everything you need with you, you can get flights from around £70 and suddenly it doesn't seem so out of reach.

Days 3 & 4 to come and plenty more Laser Comp photies, of that you can be assured!

Anonymous said...

Fair point about taking in all the provisions! Must look into them airfares from Edinburgh then...

Inevitable kit question: how did you get on with the GoLite pack (a Jam 2?) in the heat? You're an OMM pack too, aren't you? How did it compare?

Sorry to spoil the magic with kit questions... It's the hills that count, and the porridge by the high lake.

In the end, that's the thing that appeals about that place. Being on a plateau high up at 4000 feet for a week or so. I hate when you have to come off the high ridges in Scotland!

Andy

Joe Newton said...

Andy - The GoLite pack is a Pinnacle, the Jam 2's big brother and it was a last minute gamble that paid off handsomely. I knew I wasn't going to get my current sleeping bag and four days food into my OMM Villain so I ordered the Pinnacle and it arrived the day before I left. No chance to test it. It worked great. No comfort issues at all and it weighed less than the smaller Villain.

I'm torn, I love all my OMM packs but the Pinnacle has opened my eyes to see there are other even lighter options out there that I would be more than happy with. I think they're safe from eBay though. I may however add a Jam 2 to the stable when I get a smaller sleeping bag and lighter insulating jacket...

The Hardanger is massive, I've got plenty to explore yet!

Unknown said...

Wonderful. Maybe we need to have the Nordic bloggers meeting over in Norway! We actually could make it an annual happening with changing locations - Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland!

Joe Newton said...

Hendrik - awesome idea. Each country has it's own beauty and it would be fun to share the experiences with like-minded souls.