Distance: 23.5km (70.5km).
As expected the sky is grey and heavy in the morning, but no rain had materialized yet. From my haunt in the Gopollfjellet mountain, the trail will continue across the treeless landscape and reach the highest point at around 1100m, before it descends down to the large marshy area of Gopollmyrene. The Vetåbua cabin lies at the end of the marshes, surrounded by mountain birch forest. It then ascends up into the bare mountain again, reaching towards the Jammerdalsbu cabin, but I believe I will not go as far as that today. Especially if it will be raining.
Tautertjønnet lake in the morning on the third day, a wet day awaiting me.
Sombre is the mood as I head up into the fog, breakfast done and all the gear packed and wrapped up. How a landscape takes on a complete different appearance when the clouds are down. In itself, hiking in the fog is not bad, walking with a feeling of being up in the heath and moors with mystical beings unseen in the fog. An atmosphere of its own. No rain when I started walking, but I have not ventured far before the first drops starts to keep me with company.
Mist over the Gopollfjellet mountain.
No far view of the horizon after passing over the highest point and beginning the descent towards the marshland below. Instead the lower areas are spreading out underneath the clouds, only as far as the closest hills. Lonesome pastures, small cabins and mountain farms are scattered sparsely around. The descent is gentle for the feet, but gusty for the upper part of the body.
View of mist and marshes from the Gopollfjellet mountain.
Bjørgeseter.
It is all quiet when I come down to the pastures at Bjørgeseter. Although I can see a car parked, there are no signs of anybody present. The only sounds are the wind and the rain. A monument is erected here, commemorating the first airdrop from England during the war, on the 24th of January 1943.
Boardwalk across the Gopollmyrene marshes.
Crossing over the Gopollfjellet mountain was mostly pleasant, despite the rain, but down at Bjørgeseter I have become colder due to the rain and temperature. It does not get better crossing over the large marshy area of Gopollmyrene, even though the scenery is quite beautiful in this weather. The surface is almost wet all the way across, so I am grateful for the number of boardwalks involved to cross the marshes.
A horned tree at Gopollmyrene.
On what appears like an island between the marshes, the path goes through gnarled trees.
An interlude with sparse mountain woods, walking over a tiny bridge and passing by rivers feels like an island in the midst of the marsh. Then entering yet another line of boardwalks crossing over the marsh, leading the direction towards the hills that disappears in the clouds. The only beings seeing my approach, being sheep.
Path between the marshes.
Another boardwalk across the marshes.
Vetåbua lies a couple of hundred meters away from the trail. Another typical Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) cabin, with a view of the Gopollfjellet mountain from its windows. I am cold by the time I arrive, so it is good to get inside for a short respite from the weather. I am not going to stay at the cabin, but it would be a lie to say I would like to during the time I am inside the cabin. During the time I am at the cabin, the weather is at its worst outside and rain is pounding down.
River near the Vetåbua cabin.
The Vetåbua cabin.
It has abated a little when I leave. The scenery is similar as to the entrance to the cabin, but soon it opens up and a misty and foggy moorlands disappears ahead of me. I arrive at a small lake, Buduppen, with the other side visible, but nothing much beyond that. It might not be very pleasant walking in wet, foggy and blustery conditions, but the fog do adds a special atmosphere to the landscape. Shortly after the lake, there is a small open hut that can be used by hikers, Måsåbua.
Besides sheep, cows was the only other signs of life that I saw on this day.
Through the Fremre Trolldalen valley (aptly named as a troll is a mythical being), the trail follows a path through mountain woods. In the mist, the mountain woods becomes shrouded in the mystical, mythical and magical corners of your imagination. Unseen fantasy beasts walks unheeded past you. Trees takes on other shapes and forms. Your ear believes it hears voices that are not voices.
A small bridge at Buduppen.
Buduppen lake.
Part of the trail through the following marshy area of the Indre Trolldalen valley is difficult to follow, with few waymarks, low visibility and sheep as passive bystanders. After a while walking unsure if I am on the correct way, on what was supposed to be a 'road', but what hardly even resembles a path, I spot a familiar red T again. The fog thickens as I climb higher up and arrive at the junction where the Rondanestien long distance trail comes in from the right. The two trails will mostly follow the same paths from now on, with some minor variations.
Måsåbua, this is an open hut that can be used by passing by hikers, but unfortunately quite untidy when I looked inside it.
Now above the tree line, most of the scenery is obscured by the fog. The path is however clear. A campervan left alone on a parking lot is typical of this day, a ghost of the civilization, no one around. Emerging from the foot path, the Saga trail follows the Saubu mountain road, a gravel track now surrounded by heather peering up into the clouds. Cars are parked outside the old mountain farm at Saubu, but as before, no signs of life are visible or heard.
Walking through an enchanted woods.
Misty birch woods.
The path crosses over the river behind Saubu on a bridge before venturing into the thickness of the fog. The rain has subsided as I walk through this monochrome and ghostlike world. When I reach the Svæltjønnet lake, whose shore on the other side I cannot see, I am content. Finding a spot close to the water, I pitch my tent. Thankfully no rain at this time, only the moisture from the mist. After arranging myself inside, I lie down and rest, getting warmth back in my body. Nothing to see outside anyway.
Not much, but some of the trail went on gravel tracks today, here at the Almenningsvegen road.
Sheep in the mist.
Eventually, I have to go out. Dinner is calling and as my tent is too small to fire up the stove inside of, I have to go out. Gusty outside, the water of the lake is still vanishing into the grey nothingness. I prepare my freeze-dried dinner and a cup of coffe, which I consume inside my tent.
Lone campervan in the fog.
Saubu.
This has been another solitary walk. Today I saw and heard no one else out there. Only me and the fog and rain. Warm inside my tent, the day does not feel that bad. And I also believe that days with inclement weather is somewhat necessary to get variations when doing long distance trails. You need contrasts to the sunny days. And those days are often among those days you remember the most, but as with everything else, you do not want to overdo it, though.
In the mist between Saubu and the Svæltjønnet lake.
As said, a good day in the end. Hopefully, though, the weather will be better when I look out of my tent come tomorrow morning.
My tent at the Svæltjønnet lake.
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