Early ferry and some mileage.

I was keen to make sure we were on the 9:35am ferry from Forvik to Tjotta, I wasn't sure how big this ferry was and how many vehicles would be wanting to get on but I did know I didn't want to miss it and wait nearly 2 hours for the next one, so the alarm was set and we were up earlier than of late. There had been torrential rain again through the night but by morning time the weather wasn't too bad again, the boys managed out to throw some more stones in a Rockpool while we got the van ready. Were good to go at 08:50 and were in the almost non existent queue,  2 cars and campers were in front of us so we were. The ferry arrived and on we got, this crossing was longer so we left Bessie and went into the lounge on the ferry and ended up chatting to a couple we have met a few times over this last few days. They are heading to Bodo-pronounced Bhuda to see their daughter and son in law then carrying on up to the nordkapp. There was some amusement on the ferry for us a as I think it only visits certain islands if someone presses a switch to say its required, so we were not sure which place was Tjotto.....let's just say we were last off!!

The couple we met, realising we were Scottish mentioned a museum that we had also seen, its the Petter Dass museum, he was a clergyman from the area in the 1700's, but more significantly his father Petter Don Dass (Dundas) was born in Dundee. We are not at all religious people and this was maybe not the best choice of attraction for us to visit as it was more religious than we expected. Basically he was a clergyman and a poet, and also a business man but it wasn't until after his death that his poetry and writings were published and used in common practice within the church, he was significant however as a lot of the people he was preaching to were illiterate, his poetry was made into songs that the people and congregation could understand.......many people who attended his church had travelled for hours from far flung islands and remote areas and spent the day attending the market that was held and the church also.....It was quite interesting and the old church is a really basic structure and we can say we have been there......It was one of the first stone built churches in the area, this is significant as it was very costly to build (back in the day) compared to the wooden churches we have previously seen. It was also Petter Dass who named the mountain range nearby "The Seven Sisters".

After a quick lunch we continued up the 17 road, I was glad we had stopped where we did as by the time we were moving the Seven Sisters were revealing themselves from the clouds, and, they really do look superb. Bare Rocky Mountains with very little green about them, One of the ridges leading to 1 of the sisters looks exactly like Pinnacle Ridge on the Cuillin on Skye, all the peaks look good. I think the complete traverse would be a decent challenge at 27km and around 3220 meters ascent, one to come back for I think. I have no proper maps for the areas we are travelling through and setting off up any big hill like these with their bare slabby ground without a map would not be advised, also, I don't think I have ever been somewhere that the weather changes so fast so it would be foolhardy not to be cautious in these hills. Also, I would have no idea which hill to climb first, at every bend in the road now a new view opens and a stunning looking mountain catches the eye.

After stopping at the super market, recycling some of my beer cans and getting my Pantt money back we carried on to the next ferry from Levang to Nesna, this was shorter hop and really quite disorganised. Up until now the ferrymen have approached before you get on the ferry, or on the deck to take your money, but on this one we were on the ferry and everyone was getting out their vehicles. We did the same. The ferryman came around the lounge area asking people to pay, and what they were driving, and how long it was etc etc....We could have said anything as there was no check when leaving, I have to confess to a little white lie here and we've not been arrested yet. The road climbs steeply here and the area is becoming more and more bare. There are far less trees growing on the slopes and also not growing very far up the slopes, they are also much smaller and mostly birches and other small deciduous trees. This is now a very tough environment for plants to grow. We did catch sight of 2 Sea Eagles today which is good, but still none of the elusive Elk.

We are parallel with a town called Mo I Rana which for some reason seems a really romantic sounding place name to me. We didn't visit it however as I think it is a pretty industrious town and also its not on our route at the moment. We could on the way back down if we come back through Norway. We found a superb free Bobil parking area and parked for the night. We don't have much of a view tonight, but the boys have a big huge grassy area and had some fun with the frisbee this evening before tea, which was the second portion of Rune's salmon, another pretty much free meal.

After dinner the boys got bedded and my mate Tim was whatsapping me saying their might be a glacier near us, and to get out for a look, there is but it's not that close. I did however get the shoes on and get out with the camera to check out what is round about here, I want to see an Elk but failed on that mission, I did have a lovely walk however, along the shore and then up onto the open hillside. There is another cracking looking hill right behind us called Tortenviktinden, its 1020 meters high and would be a fantastic viewpoint, and summit to achieve. Again however I have no map or I would have given it a go. Its south side is vast glaciated slabs, and there's still a fair bit snow higher up. I have done a google search and I am pretty sure that once out onto a ridge there is a pretty straight forward way up it but as said previously, the weather changes fast and getting lost up there would be a bad idea. I did find a well marked trail to follow which led up to a cracking little mountain hut called Tortenkota, so I had a nice wee exploration and end to the day and I did see plenty of birdlife with nesting Whimberel and Redshank.

Tomorrow we will cross the Arctic circle, a milestone that seemed a long way off a few weeks ago, most likely on a ferry as that's the way the 17 road goes. We are bound to Bodo ourselves and should hopefully be there on Friday although there's a lot to see along the way.