Saga // day 5 // Veslefjell - Fremre Vulutjønna

Saga, day 5.
Distance: 27.1km (129.7km).

When I looked at the map of where the new route is going I was not very satisfied. Instead of keeping to the higher ground, as the original route past the Gråhøgdbu cabin (now closed) did, the new route is heading lower down. It will first go through a cabin area, which I have never been very fond of, especially the ones with the huge and vulgar cabins. Then it will go through an area of woods and marshes, where I fear that my shoes will be completely wet and making my feet sore again. Finally, before the trail is reaching Rondane national park, it will go through another cabin area. Before I stumbled into the cabin yesterday, I had toyed with the idea of going back and hiking the old route, but had discarded the idea.

Old kind of log laying bridge over the Mya river.

For unknown reasons I am off to an all too late start. From the cabin there is a short walk down to a road and the cabin area around Spidsbergseter, crossing over a wooden log laying bridge that uses an old style of weight principle to keep the bridge erect. I briefly stop at the Spidsbergseter Resort for a refreshment.

View of the Venabygdsfjellet mountain, Muen clearly discernible.

At the top of Flaksjøhøgda, with Flaksjøen lake below.

Thankfully the cabin area is not that large and the cabins far from being that imposing. And as soon as I have climbed up to the top of Flaksjøhøgda through the ski resort, the view in front of me is all mountain scenery. The only fly in the ointment is the view of the pyramid-shaped Muen in the distance, I had really wanted to climb that peak on the way, but I will have to keep that climb for later.

View of Muen from Flaksjøhøgda.

Flaksjøhøgda is not a big mountain, but the view is nice for its size, especially in the direction I am walking. Mountains rising up underneath waves of clouds on the sky, moss covered scenery, the Flaksjøen lake below with old pastures and small mountain farms next to the shore of it and the wind wrapping my jacket tight around me.

Cabins and mountain farms at Flaksjøen lake.

Looking back towards Flaksjøhøgda and Flaksjøen.

Ahead is a small hill rising up and I instantly know that it is one of those places that I want to climb up to the top of. Someone must have heard my curiosity calling out, for the trail is going straight up to the top of the hill. A strange fascination this, seeing a path wind itself over a ridge. Not high, but high enough to give a good view both ahead and backwards.

The path going up and over a nameless hill.

I was quite wrong in my belief that the walk through the cabin area would be very bad, but I am even more wrong when it comes to my second fright. As it turns out, the paths through the lower area with woods and marshes are dry and firm to walk on. Going down through trees and vegetation, the long views ahead are lost, but it is a pleasant walk.

Looking over the direction ahead.

Having left my misgivings about today behind, I walk with my shoulders lowered, more relaxed. All the days leading up to the centre piece of the trail, Rondane, are now only numbers in the tally of kilometres. I really like how this trail is slowly building you up to the more imposing mountain scenery ahead, as the terrain of the Øyerfjellet and Ringebufjellet mountains are more easy going. With clearer weather than I have had, you would be walking with the peaks of Rondane coming closer in view for every step, tuning into the long hike as you go.

On lower areas, going through sparse woods.

At Venåssætra, a small cluster of old farms and cabins, I enter the outskirts of the second cabin area. With my fears already allayed, I feel even better when I find out that the cabins here lies more secluded and away from each other and the trail. You pass close by some, but they are inconspicuous, others you just discern behind the trees and some are quite nice with old stacked wooden fences around. The only negative is the workings of a new road that the path is temporarily following, but I belive the road will tune more into its surroundings when it is finished.

Secluded cabins.

Winding path through the woods.

The path is eventually leaving the cabin and then suddenly going steep down towards the Svartåa river, which is crossed on another wobbly suspension bridge at what is called Storfallet (which translated to something like 'The Big Drop'). A steep climb up again and then a walk across open scenery brings me to the old pastures and mountain farms at Eldåsæter.

Suspension bridge, at Storfallet.

View back after Storfallet.

I kind of envy those who are so lucky as to have a place like this as a cottage, although I believe it would also mean a lot of work to keep it maintained. With its old appearance, the now sombre weather, Eldåsæter looks like a place where history has been told. A beautiful place.

Lone trees in the mountain as I approach Eldåsæter.

At the Vesle Eldåa river below, a herd of cows are blocking the way for some women trying to get across on the bridge. They look rather shocked at me when I just walk past the cows. 'You are not afraid of cows?' they ask me. Maybe I am foolhardy, and although I have heard a couple of rumours of people being attacked by cows, I do not feel afraid around them. At least not in Norway, when I hiked the Pennine Way in England, I had a herd of cows running straight at me. Which might explain why I did not believed it to be a problem here, as these cows where quite calm when I approached them. Trying to help the women get across is harder, though, as drawing the attention of the cows towards me is difficult, but eventually they too get across and away from the cows.

Eldåsæter.

The Saga trail is then continuing next to the Vesle Eldåa river, before climbing upwards and finally heading into the Rondane national park, marked by a stone monument. Ahead of me is the distinct and almost pyramid-shaped mountains rising up towards the sky, as always looking like huge piles of rock (which they are). There are many that finds Rondane too rocky, but I find those round and undulating mountain fascinating, and I like the contrast to the more jagged peaks of Jotunheimen. Heavy clouds lies over those mountains now and that is where I am heading.

An old derelict cottage or shed, at Eldåsæter.

Old farm with barn at Eldåsæter.

It will take about five days to cross Rondane and enter the last mountain area on the trail, Dovre, but it is entirely possible to do it in less days (or more if wanted). Eldåbu is the first cabin after having entered Rondane, it is a self-serviced cabin with 18 beds that you reach by leaving the open scenery and walk through a birch forest (you have to leave the trail and go back again). This is also the last cabin where you can buy provisions at until the penultimate cabin, Reinheim. All the cabins between are staffed and they usually do not sell any provisions.

Cows barring the way on the bridge over the Vesle Eldåa river

Stone marker for the Rondane national park.

On my first hike in Rondane, a couple of years ago now, I spend the night here at Eldåbu. It was a pleasant stay, remembering the rustling of the trees outside. The wind is still rustling the trees today, as I sit outside preparing lunch on my stove after having bought the final provisions for my hike.

Into Rondane.

Eldåbu cabin.

The terrain becomes more and more undulating as I move further into Rondane. Apart from the morning, clouds has been dominant on the sky all day, but now they are slightly brekaing up again.

Rondane pyramids ahead.

A play of lights over the mountains.

As with the other days where I would camp, I had no particular target for where I would be walking to today. My plan before beginning the hike had been simple. I had used the time estimates on the webpage of the trail (saga.dnt.no) as basis, set a relative number of hours that I would walk each day. Given the estimated hours between the Veslefjellbua cabin and the Eldåbu cabin, I had calculated about 2 hours to walk after leaving the latter cabin. Give or take. Reaching the Fremre Vulutjønna lake, I am within the timeframe I have given myself and begin searching for spot to pitch my tent. The surface is all rocky underneath the thin layer of moss, so finding a place is not that easy.

Lone gnarled tree in Rondane.

At Fremre Vulutjønna, looking ahead towards the cabin at the end of the lake.

The lake is a nice and scenic spot and would be very peaceful had it not been for the increasingly annoying gnats. Leaving the tiny fiendish beasts to themselves, I look back upon this day. As all my fears was allayed, it had become a very nice and varied walk. It probably serves as a good transition from the easy going Øyerfjellet and Ringebufjellet mountains to the more rocky Rondane.

Evening at Fremre Vulutjønna.

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Saga // day 4 // Svæltjønnet - Veslefjell

Saga, day 4.
Distance: 32.1km (102.6km).

The fourth day on the Saga trail awakens me to similar weather as yesterday. No to rain, but still to heavy clouds on the firmament. Although there are tiny patches of blue in between. Now into the Ringebufjellet mountain, the stage for today will take me above the treeline to another mountain pasture called Saubu, before climbing steadily up towards the Jammerdalsbu cabin. The trail will keep its ground above the treeline, although undulating, but after it has passed Stulshøgdin the trail has been re-routed. Before it headed towards the Gråhøgdbu cabin, but that cabin is now closed and the waymarks removed from the path (which eventually is meant to be retaken by the nature). Instead the route is now heading towards the Veslefjellbua cabin.

Svæltjønnet in the morning, still cloudy, but some patches of blue sky visible.

Tiny patches of blue or not, the clouds are all the same dominant on the sky. The scenery is similar to that of the Gopollfjellet mountain, but wider, offering a more windswept plateau. The surface is quite wet, but it matters little as my shoes are still wet from yesterday. Crossing over Øverlihøgda at 1170m, my head almost reaches the clouds, but as I walk downwards again, the clouds are lifting. I begin to see the landscape unfolding below.

Looking back over the landscape I have walked through, a windswept plateau, Svæltjønnet lake in the background.

Looking underneath the clouds, Nordre Breitjønnet lake in view.

Prior to the hike, I had heard about the wreck of a plane situated at the Ringebufjellet mountain. Searching for the location of the wreckage, I discovered that it was not that far away from the trail. To go to the plane wreck from the Saga trail, there is a path leading up to it from the small Saubu cottage. It might be a little bit unclear at the beginning, where you need to go straight eastwards for the first hundred meters parallel to a stream, but it soon becomes quite wide and clear. Just keep to the south of the river, and do not cross over the small bridge. The wreck will eventually be visible at the top of the hill in the distance, looking like a big boulder at first.

The plane wreck at Ringebufjellet.

At the end of October 1942, a German Junker Ju 52 military aircraft crashlanded here. With a crew of four people and four passengers, flying from Fornebu (Oslo) to Banak through Værnes. During the flight, the plane was hit by severe icing conditions and the captain decided to make a controlled emergency landing. The captain was killed in the crash and another crew member later died due to the sustained injuries.

Inside the carcass of the plane.

At the wreck of the plane at Ringebufjellet.

Despite its grim story, seeing the wreck of the plane is great, but planewrecks has fascinated me for a long time. The frame of it is quite intact, although the tail part of the plane is however unaccounted for. There is one thing, though, that is thoroughly infuriating. Even out here, you cannot escape the vandalism of civilization. Someone has spray-painted his tag in large letters on one side of the plane.

Remains of the fusilage.

Back at Saubu, the path begins its climb up towards the Jammerdalsbu cabin. Compared to other more frequently visited areas like Jotunheimen, with its dramatic and spectacular peaks rising up around you, this mountain area is consisting of a slowly undulating heather and moorland that rises gently up towards its highest points. The weather had opened up a bit while I visited the plane wreck, but now clouds are gathering again.

View back towards Saubu on the slow climb up towards Jammerdalsbu.

Approaching the Jammerdalsbu cabin.

Jammerdalsbu, another typical DNT cabin, lies at 1134m. In clear weather, I believe the view of Rondane from the cabin would be wonderful, now I can see the foot of those mountains before they disappear up into the clouds. The view alone would make a visit to the cabin worth it. Inside, the heat is at full strength. A mother with two children are staying at the cabin, getting their clothes dry after the rain of yesterday. She is so kind to give me some boiled water for my lunch. Several other hikers are passing by on their way to the wreck of the plane.

View from Jammerdalsbu.

From the cabin there is about a thirty minutes walk down to a small road (Friisvegen) that crosses over the mountains. The path is going around the Kvannslåhøgda, then crossing over a mountain plateau that unfolds like rolling waves over the landscape. Rondane is now a little bit clearer in the distance as clouds are breaking up again. It is a pleasant journey towards the Stulshøgdin that lies like a gate before the Dørmyrin marshes. If you climb up to one of its three tops, you will get a good view of the surrounding areas and Rondane if the weather is good.

The path going alongside a cliff above Jammerdalsbu.

Friisvegen road cutting across the mountains.

Water is running full in some of the creeks the path is crossing over. At one of them, I find a better spot to cross over, but clumsily I manage to loose my footing and plunges my foot down in the water. With shoes on and everything.

On the way across Ringebufjellet mountain.

After the two suspension bridges over the Remma and Hira rivers, I meet the cabin guardian of the DNT cabins in this area. She is on her way from the Veslefjellbua cabin to Jammerdalsbu. Her estimate of the time needed to get to Veslefjellbua is a little bit disconcerting, but not entirely unexpected. As I had only the estimates for the old route to go by, and not for the newly re-routed path. Time is not exactly running out, but I will be later than I had hoped for.

A rare visit through a mountain birch forest, most of the walk today was above the treeline.

Suspension bridge across the Remma river.

At Dørmyrin, the original route headed towards the Gråhøgdbu cabin and from there continued further towards the Eldåbu cabin. Due to the local reindeer herds in the area, the Norwegian Trekking Association has decided to close Gråhøgdbu and remove the waymarks from the path. The cabin will later be moved to the Maihaugen folk museum in Lillehammer and I will have to move in another direction. However, the old route looked more enticing than the new route and I had hoped to get a chance to climb the Muen peak on the way.

Path up towards Stulshøgdin.

This route is not without its merits, as I am unaware of what the Dørfallet actually is, having not giving much thought to it. It is then an exciting surprise seeing the landscape open up in a steep gully or cleft in front of me. So exciting that I temporarily forget about the pain that has slowly crept into my feet, the wet insides of my shoes has been chafing too much.

Looking back from the hike towards Stulshøgdin.

At the top of Stulshøgdin.

With aching feet the tiny mountain of Veslefjell (aptly named, translating to Little Mountain) appear bigger than it is. The summit has a full stack of cairns and stony wind shelters, as well as other paraphernalia. The view in the distance is dramatic as clouds are assailing the sky, releasing broad beams of light through them. On the way down I can spot the destination of today, the Veslefjellbua cabin.

View towards Rondane from Stulshøgdin.

Veslefjellbua cabin, or rather cabins as there are two, is a brand new cabin built in a more modern style to replace the closed Gråhøgdbu cabin. Due to the pandemic, you have to book in advance if you want to spend the night at a DNT cabin. That provided some puzzles in terms of planning this hike, as I had to know which cabins to stay at beforehand and not having either too long or too short of a distance between them.

Looking towards the destination of today, Veslefjellet behind the Dørmyrin marshes.

Dørfallet.

I stumble into the cabin, thankful to provide some rest for my aching feet. The interior is modern, but nice. I need to get my shoes dry again, so I kindle a fire in the fireplace, feeling grateful for the warmth on my skin too. My tent also needs to dry, and there is ample space to hang it up outside.

Indre Dørdalen.

With a full food cabinet at my disposal, although mostly consisting of canned food, I will have a 'feast' tonight. Seeing that they have the cans with bacalao here, the choice is simple, it is possibly the best food available in a self-serviced cabin. In the evening, a shower comes in from the west.

At the summit of the Veslefjellet mountain.

View from Veslefjellet.

Despite my sore feet and longer walk, I have had a nice day. This is a beautiful stage of the Saga trail, mostly on high ground above the treeline over windswept plateaus moving closer to the majestic peaks ahead. The highlight was still the detour to the plane wreck. Tomorrow I will breach the border of Rondane national park.

The modern interior of the Veslefjellbua cabin.

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