Distance: 31.8km (224.9km).
From my campsite below the small outcrops of Fremste Veslfjellet, Gautstigen will continue its traverse through the open mountain scenery. It will then join the traditional route from Hjerkinn into the Dovre and Rondane mountains, maintained by the Norwegian Trekking Association (Den Norske Turistforeningen, DNT).
Underway, the path will pass by the peaks of Halvfarhøe, whose name it got by being encountered halfway on the walk over the mountains, and Avsjøhøe. Once on the route coming from the Grimsdalshytta, waymarks will be more abundant again.
My aim today is to walk to Hageseter at Gautåsætrin today, who provides accommodation and a camp for camper vans.
On Gautstigen, with Storhøe now behind.
Another green G Gautstigen waymark.
View of Rondane from below Halvfarhøe.
Halvfarhøe summit.
At the summit of Halvfarhøe.
The surrounding mountain landscape of Halvfarhøe with Snøhetta massif in the background.
Stone next to the path with a Gautstigen waymark.
Walking on Gautstigen through Gautdalen valley.
Barren mountains of Dovre.
Where the path climbs down and crosses over Gautåe river before heading back up again.
And I easily find the Gautstigen path going further, with faint markings on an indistinct rock for aid.
It is a walk where the hardest part of navigation is when the path leads down into ravines created by flowing rivers burrowing down into the soil.
Where I have to look over on the other side of the ravine before I go down into it, in order to find where I should climb up to locate the trail again. As once down in the ravine, both path and waymarks are difficult to spot.
And silently the curved peaks watch my process, seeing me spot faint remains of waymarks on the raised stones next to the path. Sometimes these erected stones are the only marks found to lead the way.
It is a walk where I can spot the summits of Rondane appear just above the horizon, giving me reminders of my through hike of the Saga trail last year. Standing tall like distant natural pyramids.
Halvfarhøe is the prominent halfway on Gautstigen. Where I leave my backpack close by a tall and narrow cairn, to spot the world from its rocky summits.
A climb that has no paths or waymarks but is easily found. Where once on the summit at 1687m, a wonderful view of 360 degrees is opening up. And I find myself lured away to reach the other two secondary peaks of Halvfarhøe.
And I continue walking. Always keeping an eye ahead, to spot what once might have been a waymark. Even the tiniest of green residue on a stone sparks a feeling of success.
Gautåe has to be crossed without shoes and socks on my feet. A cold sensation before sitting down to prepare food and coffee for my lunch break while listening to the quiet sounds of nature.
Mordors backyard? A tiny version of it a least. At Avsjøhøe, where the stones and rocks protrudes from the ground like spikes.
Snøhetta from Avsjøhøe.
At Avsjøhøe.
Rondane from Avsjøhøe.
Looking down towards Hageseter and Hjerkinn.
It is a walk where my curiosity again leads me away from the path. Not really knowing why I felt the need to climb up to the summit of Avsjøhøe at 1635m. It just sparked my curiosity, seeing its steep sides above me.
And the summit of Avsjøhøe feels like the backyard of Mordor, if such a place could be found. Where the protruding pointed rocks are littering the rocky summit like menacing spires or towers. How did they become positioned like this?
Where my curiosity does not end at Avsjøhøe but has to extend to the summit plateau of Falketind (1684m) as well. There the views let me see towards Hjerkinn and the pilgrim path hidden in the scenery.
And I pass by the sharp stony spikes protruding in every direction on the way down again. Where back on Gautstigen again, the path undulates over a ridge before I find myself on the familiar track leading down towards Hageseter.
It is a day where I spent time on my curiosity, climbing Halvfarhøe and Avsjøhøe, and arrive at Hageseter just in time to get dinner. Having to eat while still wearing the clothes I have been walking in.
Talking to the hosts, learning that it was registered about 300 lightning strikes during the thunderstorm yesterday. With one of them hitting the satellite dish at Hageseter, causing quite the shock to some of the guests.
Where I also learn that it is the hosts who own the cabin that I had my coffee break at yesterday. We talk about making Gautstigen an alternative route of the Gudbrandsdalsleden path to Trondheim. Problem is that the governance of the area does not want too many people into the area due to the reindeer herds.
I also learn that pilgrims are sloppy in terms of closing gates, leading to livestock getting loose and roaming the villages around. They are also making use of private property when sitting down for lunch. This is behavior that makes landowners who have agreed to let the pilgrim path go through their properties irritated.
Tomorrow I will again go to Kongsvoll, another place with a history in terms of the pilgrimage to Nidaros.
Snøhetta massif.
View towards Hjerkinnhøe.
Back on tracks again, now sharing the trail with the path coming from the Grimsdalshytta cabin.
Vegetation again, before the final descent to Hageseter.
A nice evening at Hageseter concludes my walk of the Gautstigen trail from Budsjord. My experience of Gautstigen is that it is a lovely hike, especially if you like walking through a more open mountain landscape with rolling peaks around you.
Although the waymarks are no longer maintained, there are still some of them that remains, in both good and bad conditions. Mostly in bad condition. The path is mostly visible, but it is not always clear. Biggest problem is when crossing ravines with rivers running through, seeing where the trail leaves the ravine is not always apparent when down in them.
In bad weather with very low visibility, finding the trail could be difficult.
Pilgrim bedsheets at Hageseter.
I really had a great time hiking the Gautstigen path. It was exciting to do this hike on a route that once was the main pilgrim path over the mountains but is now almost lost.
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