Distance: 18.1km (174.8km).
Sixth and final day on Røldalsleden. It has been five wonderful and exciting days on this near forgotten pilgrimage. Weather has been stable, apart from the first day, all nice and warm (although the early mornings and evenings has been chilly). I have also reached one of the goals that I set myself, to get as far on the penultimate day, so that I would have a shorter walk today. Getting time to see the stave church and the goal of the pilgrimage in Røldal.
Øysteinsvatnet in the morning on the last day on Røldalsleden.
The morning is lovely at the Øysteinsvatnet lake, the convoy has already started, cars and trucks moving slowly ahead further up. The path goes all the way down by the shore of the lake, patches of snow covers parts of it. Where I am heading towards is easy enough, but the path is vague and waymarks non-existent. I end up using the old cairns as waymarks instead, like at the end of yesterday, moving from one pile of rocks to another as I make my way through this scenic landscape.
Snowy path next to the Øysteinsvatnet lake.
Midtlæger.
At Midtlæger, the Haukelifjell tunnel is coming out in the open again. Lots of construction site equipment are located at the entrance. A line of cars are waiting for their turn to be taken by the convoy across the Dyrskar pass. Here there once was a place to stay, for weary travellers coming over the mountains. I take a look at the old buildings, with curious gazes from the people in the passing cars.
View of the Votna lake.
The waterfall with the bridge crossing over next to Votna.
The walk continues, I follow the cairns and sometimes the foundations of the telegraph poles for navigation. There is no reason to worry, though, between the busy road and the Votna lake, it would soon be just a narrow stretch available to walk on. Another makeshift bridge over a gushing waterfall, and there I find a pile of poles with the Røldalsleden waymark on. My guess is that all the snow have prevented people from setting up the waymark poles.
Between Votna and the highway (E134).
Kapellet (The Chapel).
A large and pointed rock is called 'Kapellet' ('The Chapel'). And an old smithy and place to stay during the construction of the road between 1875 and 1880. At Svandalsflona, a yellow, worn and old building was where the person responsible for maintaining the telegraph line over the mountain used to live. When the telegraph line broke, usually due to icing on the cables, he had to set out on skis to find the location of the fault and fix it. How it must have been staying up here during the winter storms. I find a waymark pole lying on the ground here, putting it up right, before I move on.
The remains of the old smithy next to the Votna lake.
Svandalsflona.
Greeting me above the tunnel at Svandalsflona, is a couple carrying binoculars. Despite giving me instructions on where to look, I am unable to see the herd of reindeer moving on the mountains above Øysteinsvatnet. Of course, with their binoculars they would see the animals more clearly than I am able to.
The route through Svandalsflona.
View back from Svandalsflona, above the tunnel.
From Svandalsflona, Røldalsleden begins its descent from the mountains towards its end. The route is going on an easy track and waymarks appearing again, with a valley opening up in front of me. Almost named after me, Tarjeibudalen, I feel almost at home here. Maybe a person with the same name once lived here, giving the valley its name, but who knows. It is a fitting place to have lunch. On the gravel road below is an old couple busy clearing the road of snow, so that they get to their cabin.
Walking into the Tarjeibudalen valley.
Tarjeibudalen.
Going down Tarjeibudalen towards Austmannalia.
After a short walk on the busy highway (the convoy is thankfully making the traffic coming in waves), the renowned Austmannalia is waiting ahead of me. St. Olav has a rock named after him here, Olavssteinen, but it is unknown if he actually has been here. The path down is beautifully adorned with flowers in the path, but they deceptively hides the uneven surface from my eyes. It is treacherous walking, with my feet disappearing in the greenery, and not knowing what I put my feet on. The path goes steep down while crossing the highway a couple of times.
Austmannalia, the Olavssteinen rock is visible to the right.
Ålmannavegen waymark.
For some the detour starting at Hølen Camping (now closed) might seem unnecessary, but believe me it is not. It is taking you to the amazing bridge at Bruhølen, which is a special kind of log laying bridge. Built on a principle that the logs on both sides are being held up and kept steady by a rear weight. The bridge now crossing over the Valdalselva river is not the old one, but one erected in 2006 after many local enthusiasts had wanted the bridge restored. It is a remarkable bridge in a scenic spot.
View from Austmannalia, with the Røldalsvatnet lake visible.
The overgrown path with flowers down Austmannalia.
Another old road is made use of when the pilgrim path is going on 'Kongevegen' ('The Kings Road'), which is named after King Oscar II when he rode to Røldal in 1879. Now mostly a path, it goes through vegetation, past old hollows and large boulders with names (Varasteinene), as well as old places used to extract bog ore. On the way there is a good view back towards Austmannalia with its winding road. Lower down now, the mountains are dressed in green.
Path to Bruhølen.
The Bruhølen log bridge.
There has long been talks about Norway growing over and that the treeline is creeping upwards. Krosslia, which the trail goes through, appear to be a good evidence of it. In the guidebook there is an old photograph of the place, showing an open area with a lone cabin in the middle. When I walk through it now, bushes and trees has risen all over the area. The cabin still there, but surrounded by vegetation. Another explanation is of course that local farmers have stopped grazing animals there.
Another view of the log bridge at Bruhølen.
The Røldalsleden path next to the Valdalselva river.
The final descent comes after Krosslia, with a final walk through vegetation (which provides the first view of Røldal on the way down) before I emerge out on the road leading down to the village. The path does not follow the highway all the way, but thankfully leaves it for a minor road for the last stretch. Around a bend in the road and then I can look down at the centre of Røldal with its stave church, the end of the pilgrimage.
Looking back up at Austmannalia.
Farms in the hillside.
Røldal stave church may not be as grandiose in size as the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela or Nidarosdomen in Trondheim, but that does not take away any of the joy of arriving. Especially on such a beautiful day. The church is believed to be built in the latter half of the 13th century. In the 17th century the church got its rich rose painted walls and roof. The crucifix is believed to be from the 14th century.
Krosslia.
Røldal.
The church is now also operating as a museum. As much as I love the architecture of the stave church, it is the interior that makes this church so special. The rose painted walls and roof are giving the inside such a special atmosphere. I look up at the 85cm high crucifix, carved in oak. I am not going to disclose whether the idol cried or not, I keep that to myself. There will however be no special pilgrims mass here in secret this evening, as it was in the old days, but I feel content with my small moment of contemplative silence inside with light streaming from the windows.
Røldal stave church, the end of the Røldalsleden pilgrim path.
The crucifix in Røldal stave church.
The Røldalsleden pilgrim path is a route that is living in the shadow of the more famous and known pilgrim path in Norway, Gudbrandsdalsleden that goes from Oslo to Trondheim (Nidaros). I have yet to walk that pilgrimage, so any comparison is at this time of writing impossible, but I believe that Røldalsleden is a pilgrim path that should have more attention than it gets. It is a wonderful walk and I have had six great and exciting days on it, despite some sections on road, but it do suffers from some problems. The waymarking could be much better and it lacks infrastructure for those that does not feel comfortable walking with camping equipment. Do not let that scare you away from walking it. Let the adventure take you.
The rose painted interior of Røldal stave church.
(I took the Haukeliekspressen bus service back from Røldal, which was nice as it took me past many of the places that I had visited.)
Sitting outside the church, having finished Røldalsleden, a satisfied pilgrim.
Tips for this part of the Røldalsleden (from Øysteinsvatnet to Røldal):
- * The lack of waymarking from Dyrskar continues past Øysteinsvatnet and to Svandalsflona, this is probably due to snow still present late in the year. The path is also vague at times. Where you are going to is however easy enough, just keep the highway to your right and the lakes to your left until you get to the yellow and red houses at Svandalsflona (the route goes on the road between the two houses). You can also use the old cairns as waymarks.
- * If the bridge crossing over the waterflow above Votna is not there, you will have to walk on the road above.
- * The path down Austmannalia may be overgrown. If it is, it might be treacherous as the overgrowth could hide the uneven path.
- * Attention to where the path is going down Austmannalia, the path crosses the road some times and it is not apparent everytime where the path is going, this section could be waymarked better too. Some of the waymarks here actually has 'Ålmannavegen' written on them instead of 'Røldalsleden'.
- * Not so good waymarking after the log bridge at Bruhølen, but once at Krosslia the path should be apparent.
- * The exact route through Røldal down to the stave church is not waymarked, the goal is of course clear enough.
- * Both accommodation, restaurants and food stores can be found in Røldal.
- * Røldal is linked to Oslo and Bergen / Haugesund by the Haukeliekspressen bus service.
- * Buy the guidebook, Fann Eg Dei Stigar by Una Høydal.
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