Distance: 31.2km (214.2km).
Sleep is a miraculous doctor. My feet feel nice again in the morning after a good night of sleep at the Stensveen pilgrim hostel.
Sunlit forest track after Kapp.
A few days remains before I will finish the Vestleden route and will start on the Gudbrandsdalsleden route for good from Lillehammer. The clearest sign of that is that I have come to the shores of Mjøsa. Large parts of the last stretch leading to the Olympic city will go with the water of the largest lake in Norway visible from the trail.
Sparkling water in Mjøsa.
If you manage to look around Helgøya, you will see Stange on the other side of Mjøsa, where the Østleden route passes by. Behind Helgøya again is Hamar, but today there is another Mjøs-town that is in focus, Gjøvik. I do not intend to spend the night there, but a visit to the town is definitely planned. Where I will end up today is not given.
More lovely walking on illuminated paths.
Disregarding where the route has brushed the three lakes of Tyrifjorden, Steinsfjorden, and Randsfjorden, the pilgrim path has so far been well on land. It is therefore nice to get a few days next to water and from Kapp you quickly get out on a path with the sound of waves crashing against the beach right next to you. However, the route does not always go right next to the water, with the danger of getting wet when Mjøsa goes over its banks, but the water is never far away.
Pleasant walking past farms and through a cultural landscape.
Cottage by the sea, Mjøsa.
The route moves along Mjøsa with the sun sparkling in the water, on scenic forest roads and paths between trees lit by the same sun and past quiet fields. Occasionally houses, cottages and farms are standing drowsy in the morning light. In good weather you get light-hearted from such a hike. The road is never far away, but it is not annoying.
On forest tracks past acres.
On a sign I am warned that the little black horse that grazes inside a fence can bite, but there are no horses to be seen. I move away from the water and then towards the water again, almost in an eternal dance. Whether the pilgrims went here in the old days is doubtful, but it is a fine route they have found. After some nice hours of hiking, I can see Gjøvik ahead.
Here the path goes all the way next to the shore, with high water level the water will go over the route, Gjøvik at the back.
The last kilometres into Gjøvik goes on a pedestrian walkway next to the road.
Towards the town of Gjøvik, on the other hand, there is a few kilometres on asphalt that apply. Not too bad, but a significant change from the nice hike so far. A wooden sign informs me that I now have 455km left to walk, fortunately it is a little bit shorter distance to Gjøvik. On the way towards the city, clouds have started to pay me a visit on the sky.
Statue outside Gjøvik Olympiske Fjellhall.
Where the pilgrim route is laid through Gjøvik is giving me some puzzlement. It takes me through a residential area, which is not very exciting, before it comes down by the Gjøvik Olympic Mountain Hall. From here, it just takes a quick look down towards the centre itself before continuing on. By looking at the map, I think it looks strange that it does not go down to the centre of the city earlier to let the pilgrims get a better look at the city. It must be more interesting to see the old buildings in the centre of Gjøvik rather than the newer residential houses?
Inside Gjøvik church.
I have two errands in the town. One become evident while I have been walking, the other I had planned in advance. The truth is that I have realized that I should get a pair of new shoes, in addition to the ones I have (which are still very good to wear, as long as they have not gotten wet, something they will definitely become). So, at a sports shop, my pilgrimage becomes a great deal more expensive, but it is still a good investment, even if there is some risk involved in wearing brand new shoes.
View over Gjøvik and Mjøsa from Tranberget.
Here I feel it is time for a clarification. For another fact is that I have carried with me an extra pair of shoes, with almost worn soles. Meaning I have with me one pair of shoes that have gone up in the seams and one pair of shoes that may have poor grip on slippery surfaces. This is something I absolutely do not recommend, and you can question my choice regarding it, but the fact is that I did not trust the shoes that I had. And my stubbornness when it comes to do this walk trumped the more sensible mindset by waiting until I had sorted out and checked new shoes. As an extra 'safety' I chose to bring the extra pair of shoes, which now went in the trash. Now I am better shod, but the backpack has not become lighter. One has to look at it as the price I have to pay.
A fox rummaging through the grass while dark rain clouds dances in the background.
Nice path down from Tranberget.
The second errand is easy to guess. Lunch. I get myself a pulled pork sandwich with fried potatoes at a local place. I also treat myself to a cold beer with the food. Before I again set course towards Trondheim, I go for a short walk in the city centre.
Contrasts and hay balls.
Gjøvik church happens to be open as I pass it. Where there has been a postponed confirmation ceremony due to the pandemic, and I just managed to get a stamp in the pilgrim's passport and a look inside before the church closed for the day. It is a rather pleasant long wooden church, built in 1881-82.
View over Mjøsa with rain.
The hike out of Gjøvik is not so exciting, but up on the Tranberget hill by the last houses before leaving Gjøvik you get a nice view of the town and Mjøsa. The pilgrims now say goodbye to the proximity of the lake and have to settle on a little more undulating terrain ahead.
Just in case if one is unsure of which way to turn. Den ene vegen (the one way), Den andre vegen (the other way).
Path going past a cottage in the woods.
On the horizon further ahead, there are small rain showers moving over Østre Toten. A small fox is unaware of the pilgrim standing and watching it sniff around a small field. The trail leaves Gjøvik behind on a nice path that finally brings me down by a quiet road.
View after Ramberget, veiled and darker clouds in the horizon now.
Walking in rainy weather does do anything as long as the rain does not hit you but stays put in the horizons around. The light becomes nice too, especially when the sunlight mixes in. The stage ahead is now surrounded by trees, on good and pleasant paths with large open windows in between them, which means you do not forget that you are walking near the shores of Mjøsa.
Waymark for the St. Olavs Ways, with a rainbow behind.
Although it may not help the pilgrims to find their way to the Nidaros Cathedral, they have been creative with the waymarks on the paths over Ramberget. In case you are unsure of which way to turn. Here I first see two signs that hang over each other, on one of them it says ‘Oppover’ (upwards), on the other one it says ‘Nedover’ (downwards). Later I come to a sign pointing towards ‘Den ene vegen’ (one way), below it hangs a sign pointing in the other direction with ‘Den andre vegen’ (the other way) on. I first go upwards and then I take the other way afterwards.
A trane out in an acre.
When I approach Redalen and Sveastranda camping, there have been repeated showers in the horizons, with accompanying rainbows, I myself have barely noticed a drop of water. There has been little to complain about on the trip after Gjøvik, it has been nice. Now the gravel road and the farms the pilgrim route passes by are bathed in a warm afternoon light. I call it the day, satisfied, having in a way reached my minimum expectation and more in terms of how far I will reach. I set course for the campsite at Sveastranda where I am greeted by a double rainbow.
The pilgrim path in the direction of Redalen and Sveastranda.
There is more life here than at Sløvika. I find a place to pitch my tent on a small promontory with a good view of the lake. On the other side, beneath another rainbow, I see the white church spire of Ringsaker church. Maybe there is a pilgrim standing there on the other side looking over here. The campsite has a nice kitchen, with places to sit both outside and inside. In the evening there is a beautiful reddish light across the sky.
Rainbow over Ringsaker church.
For me, this was an improvement from yesterday. A day where I have mostly enjoying myself all the way, but I miss the sight of and meeting other pilgrims. For me, pilgrimage has always been synonymous with a social walk, but until now it has been surprisingly solitary. Although it should be said that I probably walk something out of season, I guess we have to put the blame there, until further notice.
Campsite at Sveastranda camping.
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