It’s been a couple of days without internet, and mostly spent heading on down towards Trondheim. We have managed to fit in a couple of stops as we meander southwards, including Mo I Rana. Heads up all other Info centres: Mo I Rana has a great scheme going that when you visit the Info Centre the delightful assistants give you a park for free card, valid for 2 days. Hmmm – chances of anyone picking up on this?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Overnight in the carpark at the railway station was free, quiet, and provided some entertainment watching construction workers piling concrete pipes. As expected, level 3 put too much pressure on level 2, which had level 1 rolling off across the road …

A highlight of the week has been the Setergrotta, caves north of Mo i Rana. Two sets of caves, with the family version having the conventional coloured lights etc. Setergrotta, however, does it au natural, making this a fantastic experience. Even better, we were with a great young guide, a Dutch family, and German tourist – this lot had all come down from Nordkapp. Weather descriptions (snow in August) left us feeling glad we had decided to spend more time in the Lofotens rather than add an extra 1500km roundtrip. The kids in the tour were a hoot, taking off like weasels down a hole, leaving us to follow a lot more cautiously … with the regular ‘tack tack’ as Niki’s helmet connected the roof. A great 2 hour tour – we can certainly feel it the next day.

Currently we are in great little carpark off the main road to Trondheim – and not planning on getting out the van – Oh, except that Niki has to get the levellers under the wheels, so we’ll have a drowned rat in here shortly J  The day has seen continuous (like really, non-stop) alternating between raining hard and being torrential. Niki is going through her ‘I love the van’ bit, even though there are no tents around to add to the comparative delight!

And here’s our last blogs cousin, ready to take off on the next leg …

Yesterday evening brought one of those moments. We were playing backgammon, looking over the fjord to Svartisen glacier, when the sea began to boil in immense circles. This was followed by a festival of leaping predatory fish – I’m presuming salmon, and then, to cap it, a sea eagle takes flight and stoops for a catch. Seagulls didn’t let it get away too easily though, and mobbed it back to shore. Between the glacier, the ripple free fjord with its reflections of mountains and ice… wow!

We’ve taken advantage of an absolutely stunning morning – blue skies, temperatures up to 16°C, no wind … to do a bit of cycling. So we’ve packed up at our amazing free site overlooking the Svartisen glacier, and driven 11km to Halsa. Parked at the church, took the bikes down, and did a 60km loop down to Vassdalsvik, which is another little ferry station in an area simply littered with them. The area is marked as an outstanding Natural Landscape, and was well worth the effort.

Got back to the van a little knackered, then took off for our 10 minute ferry ride from Forøy to Ågskardet, another 2 km and we are now parked off next to a lovely lake and, again, all by ourselves. This stretch has been so much quieter than the Lofotens, and none of the jostling for sites that characterised some afternoons there.

Rain forecast for the next few days which will determine a bit as to what is planned. Definitely some caving at Mo I Rana, with a walk or two, and perhaps some rafting a little further south – although at these costs 1 out of 2 is pretty good! Meantime, the Navigator stays two-dimensionally tuned:

Last – I knew Border Collies were clever, but this is ridiculous!

We’ve had a slow meander down the Helgaland Coast, which is, I’m almost sorry to say, breathtaking! There’s just no downtime from the scenic beauty …

The weather has definitely closed in. We are now at 6°C and rugged up in jackets. Before that, however, we took an inadvertent hike … We parked at our overnight stop at the base of Holmvassdam after a very interesting drive up what seemed to be a single lane. Getting through the tunnels on the way up proved equally entertaining, and Niki was good enough to keep her eyes open and film one small section. Anyway, after parking, and in a light drizzle, we put on light raincoats for a 10 minute walk to the top of the dam wall. Looking up to the left we could see a saddle that looked to be accessible, and with a glacier peeking out of the cloud, and, by now, heavier rain. Fortified by another couple who looked eager for a walk we took off, skirting a small river plunging down from the glacial edge and scrambling over various rocks, streams, muddy banks etc, to arrive at the edge of Norway’s 2nd largest glacier, Svartisen. What a sight, made all the better for not having planned this at all! So, drenched, frozen, and very pleased with ourselves, we stumbled back home.

Svartisen Glacier

Svartisen Glacier

Summit – Svartisen Glacier

Chilly! With wet gear now strewn over the seats we turned on the Truma gas heaters which got us to a living temperature in no time flat – and made for a good overnight in the back end of nowhere.

The weather had cleared a bit, but without internet access, and no detailed maps, we decided to give the planned Corbels Canyon a miss. Did take some photos of rocks to compensate a bit!

So we’ve settled down for the afternoon at the info/informal van overnight site at Holand, with a classic view of the same Svartisen glacier, but much further down the road. The glacier is 400sqkm! With the weather closing in again I’m glad we skipped our planned walk – cold rain, fog, no map … we know how those stories end. Nevertheless, the view out our van door is not too bad. And our Glacial Day continued …

Clever Niki has sorted out our internet woes, hopefully until we get our data plan card – bought in Germany, shipped to Denmark, and now waiting for us in the UK. Ah, missing the carrier pigeons… In any case, we are now able to better plan a couple of days ahead. Niki seems to do so by looking for convenient dumping stations – surely there’s better ways of planning a route that from toilet to toilet?

Getting over to Bodø was a breeze, with a really flat (almost) passage. Out of Bodø and on to Saltstraumen . not a moment to waste – Oh, apart from the 600NOK PARKING TICKET!!! I certainly did not budget for a speeding fine (France) followed by parking tickets. That’s €120 down the drain – and to think we take our time to compare the /kg price for a loaf of bread!

Salstraumen was quite spectacular, with the sea rising against a narrow neck in the fjord caising enormous pressures and a current in excess of 35km/hour – and a fisherman’s paradise! My photos were awefull, so take a moment to check out these!

The weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse, and we are taking full advantage of the driving rain, howling wind, and 12C temperatures to catch up on washing, getting a couple of decent stews and soups done (thanks Cosori), battery charging etc. Most important, we are setting up the next few days of things to do – Thank to great internet service here at Reipa campsites.

So, what’s coming up? With some better weather on the horizon, we are looking to do some  steps (Fykantrappe), walk on a karst plateau (Corbels Canyon), overnighting at Holmvassdamme, walking to Norway’s second largest glacier (Svartisen), and then ending off with some caving (Setergrotta). Certainly after all of that we’ll be needing a holiday!

A completely different landscape from Lofoten, but just absolutely stunning. Driving through the rain today, looking at hillsides erupting with waterfalls from every nook & cranny – WOW!

Looking back – a short video clip from one day in the Lofotens … and a soundtrack that may well summarise our present condition!