Mission Jotunheimen

One hot sticky Trondheim day school was out and Emily and Chris were running very fast towards the Trondheim train station, backpacks swinging. Sweating heavily they hooned into the station, stabbed the reservation code into the machine and retrieved their train tickets before sprinting off to the platform. A rumble and they were off to Oslo. A chirpy looking young man with blond hair and blue eyes who could easily pass as a Norwegian greeted them at Oslo Central Station - one Cris Lovell Smith!

The train then wound its way for another 7 hours up through some spectacular mountain scenery, before a gradual descent into the city of Bergen.

We were feeling rather weary and trudged with heavy packs up towards a beckoning forest. Suddenly we stumbled upon some steep lines running up the hill - a funicular! We were saved, and after a steep ascent and wonderful views across Bergen we were able to pitch their tents in a pretty little piece of forest.

Emily was awakened by the smell of a damp Chris arriving back from a morning run.

He had been up exploring the hill above. After a rather prolonged breakfast we all headed up the hill for a view across Bergen, and a narrow green ridge which wound its way Southward.

Seal stalking on a day 1, things were already getting desperate!

A long descent down a forested path and they reached the bustling center of Bergen. A huge submarine-like white ship was anchored in the harbour and touristy outdoor cafes lined the streets.

The day was spent purchasing food and organising transport for the mission: a 7 day tramp through the Jotunheimen mountains, starting in Turtagrø and finishing in Lom.

Up early the following morning to catch the bus through the green hills. The bus ride went extra fast due to the purchase of a tub of ice cream and a nice French lady to talk to. When the bus finally pulled up in Nærøyfjord (a UNESCO World Heritage Area) all four of us jumped out of the bus and sat eating Lydiana's salty market fish, taking in the very spectacular view.

The amazing blue water was sparkling in the sun, and the steep sided valleys plunged straight into the waters. Huge waterfalls cascaded over cliff edges and sea gulls soared overhead. The ferry boat pulled away from the docks, and it was time for sandwiches on the deck.

After a couple of hours on the boat we unloaded in Kaupangea, then caught the bus to Sogndal Fjord. A fantastic grassy spot right on the fjord was discovered by the ever cunning Chris. Clothes were quickly striped to inaugurate an entire week of freezing nuddy swims to come.

Feeling very refreshed we sat round cooking dinner enjoying a magnificent view as the sun lowered in the sky. Next morning there was more traveling to by bus up a windy pass to Turtagrø where we were finally ready to start walking.

Up over a snowy past, alongside gushing waterfalls and not a sole in sight! We did see a herd of reindeer on the near hillside though. After several hours walking we dropped into another valley and sidled through some stunted forest, then hung right up a joining side valley. At about 7 pm we decided we had had enough and found a pretty spot in the forest (plus the obligatory lake for a swim).

Over the first pass.

We passed by a rather amazing hytta.

A small dark cloud passed overhead in the night, creating little spots on the the thin shell above our heads, but soon left and the sun was back up again (its normal waking time being approximately 3am).

Stunning views in the morning.

The day was spent mostly trudging through soft summer snow, admiring the peak we renamed 'Quarrelsom Peak' - maybe you can imagine why? Late in the afternoon we sidled round the shore of a very large and still partially frozen lake. We spotted more reindeer - some frolicking bravely on the ice!

Camp spot number two was an amazingly beautiful spot beside a crystal clear lake settled in a alpine valley. We had still seen virtually no one else on route, it was wonderful having such an amazing place to ourselves.

Another bright day arrived and we headed along a ridge for a few hours, until the spectacular view of the bright blue waters of the massive Gjendbu lake appeared far below us. We followed the ridge along, before woopeeing down a snow slope into Memerebu lodge by the fjord. Our nuddy swim here even received a poop from the ferry boat.

Late in the afternoon we climbed back out of Memerebu and along the famous Bessegen ridge - a place where the ridge narrows very steeply between a high lake and the Gjendebu lake below. Beyond, there is another circular lake visible which is another slightly different hue of the bright blue which characterizes the snow melt loaded lakes.

The rivers were running pretty high from the snow melt.

This was the camp spot to end all camp spots. Not a sole around, we wallowed in its natural beauty, wowed ourselves over the vertical cliff face on one side of the ridge, then trotted 30m to the other side of the ridge to plunge into the iceberg filled lake.

Chris takes a chilly plunge!

The next day was supposed to be the short day. It was the longest! We climbed Surtningssue 2368m, me terrified of a huge thunderstorm I definitely spotted on the horizon, while Cris decided he had had enough some short way from the summit - consequently we renamed this one 'Pikers Peak'. Some crappy holey snow on top slowed our progress, so we didn't reach Cris till 5 pm.

Up in the mountains!

Snow makes a fast descent.

A long descent to our rucksacks and then on to another lake for camping - it was 10 pm before we ate dinner. Never mind, it had been a cool day.

Finally we were getting into the swing of things, packs were much lighter and food supplies low, so we quickly covered the distance to Glitterheimen hut. There we were able to buy some much needed chocolate and snackie goodies.

As we crossed the large snowy plateau that took us down to Spiterstulen, a thunderstorm rumbled over the top of the Galdhøpiggen summit. We found a sheltered spot in the forest for our final camp.

We had a very steep grunt out of the valley the following morning, up to the skifield on Galdhøpiggen. There were hundreds of snowboarders doing some amazing 'aerials' on a huge jump. This field is apparently a 'summer only' field - in the winter there is actually too much snow and the road cannot be kept open.

We enjoyed a hot chocolate in the ski lodge before trudging down the ski road to our finish point - Lom. From there we took a couple of bus rides, then a train trip from Otta and before we knew it we were back in Trondheim at our comfy new flat for a much needed shower!

(For a selection of more fantastic pictures from the Jotunheimen trip Click Here)