Nature & wildlife | Krauss-ing The World

Austvågøy

Posted on December 9, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

I take the bus to the other side of the island chain, passing other fjords and mountains that are just as scenic. They soon taper off to less dramatic hills and scenery. As the clouds roll in I even drift off, waking up for a shopping break in Leknes, the largest city in the artic.

I continue on towards the town of Kabelvåg. There is a steeple and traditional fisherman’s town I explore after the hike. I summit the mountain towering over the town up to Tjeldbergtind. The path is straightforward and only muddy at a few parts. The extra day of sun dried out most of the dirt. With a bit of effort, I push up past a lake towards a view over the surrounding mountains. It is pleasant, but pales in comparison to the area around Reinefjord.

I have a similar reaction to a nearby hike of the mountain visible from this viewpoint. This mountain, Festvågtind, is much steeper and looks impossible from the bottom. However it is quite similar to the Reinebringen trail, just straight up, although I am once again let down by the views. There is a nice lake halfway and view that stretches over the islands of Hellingsvaer. However, the view is not that much different from the peak, though the mountains behind me look quite nice as the sun comes out.

I take some time to explore the town of Henningsvaer, which has not one concrete building in it. There is a music festival, so Norwegian rock bands play in the background as I walk the crowded streets and check out the crafts shops. The glass makers in particular are great, and I see the hearth while they take a lunch break.

I have a fish cake snack myself, which is delicious. I also try a waffle with the traditional brown cheese—not so delicious. The area around the football field, famous for the iconic overhead drone photographs, is a bit of a let down as well.

Maybe it is the new snacks I try, or all the mud caked my fingers as I snack on my wraps for lunch, but my stomach becomes wildly upset. I have to stop to relieve myself near the muddy lake, an unpleasant experience during this emergency that neither the lake nor I appreciate. But I am proud of myself for making my way down the steep path without having an accident!

Mungebu

Posted on October 21, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

I sit on the summit watching the clouds roll in over the Reinefjord. Similar to Reinebringen, this hike has a panoramic lookout over this most iconic of fjords.

The view is stunning, and I luck out with timing as the sun is on full display, turning the fjord bright turquoise around the shallower parts. The peaks look great from this angle as well, and it seems as if I can see further to the next mountain range.

The clouds wrap around the familiar peaks of Bunes, which is how I first saw them.

On the way up, I pass the Mungebu hut where backpackers can spend a night. It is at the top of a mountain that makes my jaw drop every time I cross the bridge on the road below. Yet here at the top the view looks out onto a lake cascading into another lake with a spiky mountain backdrop, reminding me of Torres del Paine.

More mountain peaks come into view as I arrive at the summit. They disappear as quickly as they appear since the clouds roll in to smother the peaks.

The start of the trail requires hiking alongside a very muddy lake. I climb up using chains past these snow covered mountains up to another lake. This path is still damp from all the wet weather. My boots get soaked and I struggle to keep my footing, sliding on my butt in the mudd. The view at the top near the cabin makes it worthwhile.

Filled with energy, I finish the steep, muddy climb to the summit to take in this spectacular view.

As if I couldn’t be more grateful for this view, as I watch the clouds roll in over the lake a sea eagle swoops down and flies overhead.

I begin the descent realizing I am not on the path I came up. I am grateful that it is easier, but I am unnerved as there is no signal to check the map I downloaded. Luckily I follow someone who tells me that it is the path back.

I see a rock ptarmigan, a bird in the grouse family, and her chicks darting about before the descent. A local who passed me earlier mentioned there are many different paths to return, and while this is less touristy, it is indeed the path I intended. He pointed out the path that veers off and he speeds ahead. I take my time admiring the higher vantage point over the lakes and cliffs as the clouds continue to come. Then it begins to sprinkle and I continue hustling along.

At first it is very muddy; I feel bad trampling precious alpine vegetation to avoid getting muddy. There is a flat bog with no way around and my feet get soaked. I think I made a mistake going off the main tourist path again, and that maybe it would be easier to stick to the most popular paths.

However, it is actually not so bad past this lake, which turns out to be a dam. I see the campground below and continue down the steep path. I am told how tricky it is, but going down is not so bad at all, even less muddy then the other path. I make it back safely, though a bit muddy, to the campsite below.

Ryten

Posted on October 13, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

Lying down on my sleeping pad I am ecstatic to be off my feet.

Not that the hike up to the Ryten viewpoint was long or hard. In fact, the muddy start was a bit cognitively draining, calculating where to step to avoid the mud along the side paths through the wet pastures up the hill. It was even worthwhile getting up to the hilltop overlooking the surrounding fjord where I had a picnic the day before. This time the sun shines on the many stunning peaks surrounding me.

Continuing on, the view improves with more mountains visible all along the coastline and a proper dirt road to continue upwards. I see the peak and take many breaks on my way up to admire the surrounding mountains.

At the top is a lookout on Kvalvika beach below, turquoise in the bright sun. I wait in line to take my photo at this particular lookout, of course, after making my way to the very top. The view from here is great of the surrounding mountains and I can even see a bit off the cliff and the ocean on the other side. But the Ryten viewpoint steals the show.

I hike down the beach alongside a river, scrambling over boulders and more mud.

The beach is wonderful; with white sand and turquoise water it looks like the tropics. The water is ice cold and almost hurts my feet to keep them in the water for longer than a few seconds. I relieve them in the water as I figure out which path to go back. While I see several people starting the steep hike in the middle, I am told by a Dutch traveler who takes my photo that the middle path is long and takes two hours and goes through mud. So to avoid this fate I cross to the other beach, which I assume is the main path.

This crossing is challenging and requires lots of holding chains over slippery boulders. I manage well enough, and get a hand climbing up to the other side. But this is clue one I’m not on the main path.

The sun is setting and shade creeps across the beach. The towering cliffs alongside the valley are easier to see now. Sheep run across the fields here; there are dozens of them.

There is no one on the path going up, but some people come down, so I think this must be right. But after a challenging ascent and a muddy descent, I realize this was the 2 hour path the Dutch tourist told me about. The effort to avoid the fate of muddy shoes walking through the bog was in vain, and the self fulfilling prophecy led to me miserably trodding through the valley around a lake.

There is a little troll hut which is cute and I make a plan to sleep there if I get lost. But I find the path and scramble over the boulders to more mud. I walk defeated along to the entrance, feet wet and tired and realizing I’ve missed the bus back once I’ve regained cell service.

After a half hour or so a car pulls over. The family I passed along the chains did the trail opposite me and was just driving back before they noticed me and gave me a lift back to camp. Thank you kind British strangers from Cornwall!

Reinefjord

Posted on September 21, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

Looking out over what is probably the most scenic view of my life so far, I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the Reinefjord in Lofoten islands of Norway.

I am filled with awe and gratitude for this sole sunny day on my trip here and for the clear views of the striking mountain peaks. I look back at past day to see how I got to this point.

I am met with fog and rain in the morning after setting up camp near the ferry dock. I sleep in and just hop on the bus until I find a patch of sun. I can finally appreciate the turquoise waters and have a picnic on an island meadow before deciding that the clouds would obscure any attempt at a hike.

I go out on the fjord from the cute town of Reine, a fisherman’s village and base for many surrounding hikes. The clouds reveal more of the mountainsides as the ferry makes its way along the dark blue waters. A stunning waterfall runs alongside a towering peak. I make conversation with a few expat Americans travelling here and befriend a girl from Taiwan, Sunni, who helps me capture some of the beauty of this fjord.

We hike through the valley of the mountains to the beach where there is a shrubby overlook. There are so many wildflowers in bloom and we hike up a bit to get a nice view of the beach and wait for the sun to reveal more of the mountains.

The sun comes out just as I scramble down to the beach and take in the view. I dip my feet in the icy cold ocean until they go numb and I warm up on the sand with a snack. It is nice to see the grassy dunes, and the wind has formed an interesting design, blowing sand past shells scattered on the beach.

The sun comes out more and the fjords become even more majestic as the clouds dissipate. Sunset is spectacular as the mountains begin to glow.

The full beauty of the Reinefjord is revealed in the early morning as I look out from the harbor. Beginning the assent to the summit is demanding, up 2000 stairs. It is cold in the shade, but I heat up quickly to remove all my layers. The view over the ocean and surrounding hillside keeps my mind off the struggles.

Finally at the top lays the iconic view over the Lofoten island chain. Smaller islands connected by the road below look particularly stunning beneath the mountains.

The sharp peaks surrounding the Reinefjord are revealed and have so many bizarre twists and angles. There is still some snow reflected in a lake. The water is bright aqua along the shallow edges and a fantastic deep blue along the fjord. I savor this view, hiking up a little further for some solitude from the crowd gathered at the top.

Værøy island

Posted on September 5, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

I look out across the ocean and see the sun shining on an island. I know I need to go there, so I hop on the first ferry to hike to the top.

The island comes into the view from the ferry and I realize I was eyeing the wrong one. This small island is overshadowed by a much larger one next to it, once viewed at a different angle.

Mountain peaks surround a flat plain, forming a fish bowl. Walking across the plain and town is a pain, and the mountains look craggy and covrered in gravel up close. Once I begin to summit through the muddy path up the side of one, however, I begin to appreciate the beauty of such a unique island formation. They formed from three plates of the Caledonian mountains folding on top of each other, with plateaus forming the large plains.

From the top I look back and see the neighboring island and Lofoten wall of mountains in the distance. Looking forward I follow the ridgetop, looking down towards the aqua blue waters and beaches. Kittiwake seagulls fly overhead, and I am careful not to fall off the narrow muddy path towards the summit.

At the top is a weather station, but behind it is a gorgeous view of the rest of the island. Grassy knolls slant diagonally, forming planes that people can hike along. The curvy mountain has steep cliffs jutting down into the sea. This is protected area reserved for breeding puffins, auks, and other seabirds. There is a bird flu outbreak this year, so I don’t see any unfortunately.

After having lunch with a spectacular view, I return quickly from my first hike in the lofoten islands down the road to catch a ferry. Only I got the time wrong and it doesn’t leave until 10:45pm. Oops.

I take advantage of the extra time to explore the other side of the island, with a new perspective on the cliffs. They seem steeper from behind, and I appreciate the sandy beaches.

The trail on this side is no fun and requires lots of tactical skill maneuvering the rocky boulders and muddy narrow path along the cliffside. I am grateful I do not twist an ankle, though they are so strained that I end up turning back before I planned. The cliff is beautiful here, and the rocks are unique, but it is more trouble than it is worth. Luckily, I hitch a ride back along the road with a fisherman and his wife. I also hitch a ride with a local and his family enjoying the beach. I am overwhelmed by the kindness of Norwegians towards visitors.

Time will tell if it was worth giving one of my days without rain to this island. Update: it certainly was!

Mountain dreams

Posted on September 2, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

The flight to Bodø goes smoothly, though I do pay $55 to check my bag.

I arrive to Bodø at midnight and miss the last bus, so I end up sleeping at the airport. This is probably my worst night sleeping so far. I get up and ready for the first bus out to catch the first ferry to Lofoten islands.

It is cold and rainy, so the mountains are disguised in mists. Their splendor is revealed to me slowly, so I will share them with you in the same way.

Large towers of rock shoot up from the sea, surrounded by mist. I sleep on most of the ferry, but wake up on arrival to see the mysterious green mountains. I wait for a bus and work on my thesis edits before I choose to venture out during a pause in the rain to go food shopping.

I stop for some waffles at a cafe as it begins to pour again. I wait it out, but as the cafe is about to close I explain how I was planning to set up camp nearby. Feeling some sympathy, the cafe owner offers me to stay in a room out back, since I have my sleeping bag already and it’s not much trouble to set up. I pay $20, dry my wet clothes, and wait for another break in the rain to explore the area.

I can see the mountains better as the clouds pass. The rain returns and I get soaked, but eventually I make it to Å. The town, Å , is a historic fishing village with red cabins on stilts and is famous for salting and drying fish the same way for a thousand years. While it is hard to appreciate in the cold and rain, I still see it’s charm and venture out to a nearby viewpoint.

At this point I am soaked, so I take the last bus back, but all my clothes dry by the heater. The clouds finally clear, and I can see the cabin looks out onto a lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains. I munch on some baked beans as I enjoy the view. I notice the shapes of the peaks are so jagged and bizarre.

Rorbu, traditional fishing cottages, in the town of Å, the end of the road in the Lofoten islands

I return in the morning with the sun to see Å in it’s full glory. A lake surrounded by mountain is fully visible, with clouds swirling around the peaks. This stellar view is even better up on a small hill, which I carefully summit as it is quite slippery.

I see these same mountains as I leave on a ferry, which is free for carless passengers, the view from the harbor even is spectacular, and I continue down the coastline and see the familiar rim of the lake and new jagged mountains lying in the background. This is the most stunning vista I’ve seen, like a bunch of mafate mountains in a line. I would love to hike to the other side across the lake, but I choose to go to another island.

The Lofoten Wall”

Stavanger

Posted on August 29, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

The Lysefjord is beautiful in its craggy appearance with patches of green, but it seems rockier than the other fjords. I am particularly impressed by the beautiful mountains surrounding the end of the fjord around a settlement called Lysbotn. The view is spectacular from up top, and this is one of my favorite campsites of my trip.

The view doesn’t last, as a thick fog sets in making me stay in my tent working on my thesis edits. I pack up and get a hot chocolate hoping to wait it out, but no luck. I get the last bus back to town through the fog and into the shining sun just up the road. The bus soon renters the fog in what I’d call the “valley of the giants”, for the giant green cliffs shrouded in mist that the bus passes through.

Going from A to B in Norway is usually a spectacular scenic ride.

The city of Stavanger has a cute neighborhood full of wooden houses in the classic style. There are also lots of bars in typical houses along the harbor. There is a street full of colorful houses and street art that is also mostly restaurants. I listen to some live music before making my way back to my campsite.

Preikestolen (AKA Pulpit’s Rock)

Posted on August 25, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

I set up camp near the bus station in Jørpland, a small suburb on the fjord. I miss the bus up to the trail because the ferry is late, but here seems as good a place as any to set up camp.

The view of the fjord is fantastic, and there are lots of nature paths around. I set off on one along a creek before finding a small field where I can finally set up a decent camp and dry my stuff.

I get up, move my tent and stuff out of site, then set off down the trail towards Preikestolen. Big mistake. Not only does it take over 2 hours, the hike is mostly through wet marsh, and my shoes get soaked again. There aren’t many views here, just logged forest, but I finally make it to the road to begin the hike.

The trail starts off uphill through pine forest over a big lake. About halfway the uphill ends and the stairs turn into flat open crag. I love the view from here over the lakes, and you can even see the fjord and Stavanger, the largest city, from here. On the other side, the trail looks out over Lysefjord. This one seems less dramatic than the Naeroyfjord, but still looks beautiful. The cliff here becomes very steep and I get a preview of what’s to come.

The crowd thickens, and the trail, which was already crowded, becomes like a line at a theme park. I make my way through the crowd to Pulpits rock, Preikestolen, which is a square cliff edge that plummets into the fjord below.

The view is excellent over the Lysefjord, with a lake and mountains on the other side. It is amazing seeing such steep cliff faces. I cautiously peak my head over the edge. I crawl on my belly to look down and see the steep drop down until the vertigo gets to be too much. The true fear and shaking of my legs is a feeling I can’t seem to get enough of as I go back for another peak after a snack on the other side.

I continue climbing upwards for better views of the cliff and eventually all the way to the summit. The views aren’t as good from here as the lower cliff face of the surroundings, but there is a feeling of accomplishment making it to the top.

I am happy to be safely down and continue taking glances over the edge, watching pebbles tumble down into the waters below.

I watch a ferry do a spin creating an aqua blue whirlpool in the fjord below. Update: turns out this was the captain from my ferry!

I sprint back down the trail in an hour to make a bus, which gives me plenty of time to pack up my camp and get over to the next ferry. Now I cruise the Lysefjord from below.

Lysefjord
View from below: pulpit’s rock is the rectangular shape jutting out!

Journey west by buses, cars, and ferries

Posted on August 25, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

After long bus stopovers on a return to Odda, the sun has finally returned. I gather food supplies for the next couple days of camping and let my clothes and equipment dry in the sun.

The bus ride south of Odda passes waterfalls galore, and I am dropped off at a bus stop to transfer with the most spectacular vista. My itinerary vanishes when I look again at Google maps, so I get nervous, but following from the previous day’s itinerary I expect a bus any minute. Instead is a small taxi insisting they are the bus, and he is charging 22 Euros? Apparently it is just Norwegian Kroner which is about $2. I don’t believe it, but with no other choice I get in the taxi and ride for an hour along the most scenic lake and fjords.

I chat with a Norwegian girl, the first I’d have to say, and she tells me about how she was staying in a cabin and loves hiking Juttenheim with the mountains. There are multi-day tracks and will have to return when I am prepared or with a car. There is also a lot of snow this summer still so paths may be blocked.

The car drops us at a shuttle which we take to Sand, a beautiful little town on the fjord. I enjoy the ferry ride through the fjord to smaller towns as the mountains transition to rolling green hills, still with their fantastic Fjordian features including dramatic drop offs.

The ferry captain asks to speak to me. I thought I was in trouble for paying on-board instead of beforehand. The captain asks me to follow him up front in the cabin. Controls are everywhere including lounge chairs for co-captains. They ask me if they can skip my stop because they are running late. Confused, they show me an alternative route and offer to pay for the fare. After some discussions over route planning on the app (each region has their own, of course) I agree. The stewardess offers me some chocolates and snacks as compensation. The captain escorts me to the bus stop—Norwegian hospitality at its finest! Update: I see him again on the way out of Stavanger and he takes a picture of me to show to the crew. Now that I’ve showered and am on my last clean pair of clothes I’ve hopefully made a better impression.

The bus ride is actually kinda cool and goes through the world’s longest underground tunnel to get to the island. There are lots of neon light designs along the way purple and green to keep you entertained.

Vørringsfossen

Posted on August 18, 2022 by krauss-ingtheworld

It begins to rain but this was my intent. It is better to hike in the sun, then see a waterfall in the rain. I backtrack up the road then take a new turn at a beautiful fjord intersection. I can’t see well with the rain, but I can tell Eidfjord is marvelous as well.

Eidfjord. The mountains visible in the background are around Myrdal

The landscape becomes starker as we approach the waterfall part of Hardangervida national park. The largest protected area in Norway, it is a vast expanse of mountain plateau.

The rocks are unusual and jagged and slippery from the rain.

I carefully approach the viewpoint to see the two cascades flowing synchronously into the river below that flows down the valley. I walk all around both waterfalls before sheltering from the rain with a warm waffle.

I wait for the bus but it never shows. Perhaps it only dropped us at the waterfall as a courtesy in the rain but expected us to go to the true bus stop. I luckily have my tent so I hike up into the park and find a flat spot to set up camp.

It is wet and very buggy, so not ideal, but it is nice along the waterfall, and there is some interesting alpine vegetation. I follow it up on a short walk to see what all the fuss is about, and to my surprise, it is very muddy and the views look like meadows. The mountains are all visible below, though I continue to see a nice mountain vista. However this is not uncommon for the area, so it seems like a lot of trouble for a typical view. However lots of people are walking their dogs here, so this must be a local spot, despite the challenging and remote location.

With feet and shoes muddy and soaked, I return defeated to camp, but I see some song birds and a frog along the way. I discover a hole in my tent and leak in sleeping pad from the rough night before. Needless to say I am not a happy camper.

However, I am very happy to see the view the next morning with less fog. It almost makes up for the unexpected wet morning.