Back to the GREAT outdoors.
We had crossed on the ferry last night to the Lyngen peninsula, and stayed at the Svensby campsite which was very nice and reasonably priced. It was quite late and the boys were soon off to bed, it was miserable but the forecast for today was better so it was a leisurely start and we got everything sorted out in the van which allowed the last of the drizzly weather to clear and eventually gaps started appearing in the clouds.
The Lyngen Alps are a well know range of very rugged and glaciated mountains and home to some of Norways best alpine routes, it is also very popular for ski touring and extreme skiing. The mountains were all shrouded in mist and cloud yesterday when we sailed over but for today we had high hopes. There was a walk a few miles further north that we hoped would prove worth the effort. It was after 11am when we left the campsite but by 12 o'clock we were down to our t-shirts and setting off to walk up to Blavatnet- The Blue Lake. I think in the big scheme of things in Norwegian tourism this is a much lesser known walk but I had found it and it would be right up our street. There are less tourists up here, the roads are quiet, the towns are small and the scenery a match for anything we have seen up till now.
The walk is quite flat and only 4km each way according to the signs, this is incorrect but it didn't matter it was turning into a lovely day. The walk starts on quite a good path, crosses a couple of rivers and then after about 1 km degenerates into a rocky path which although never steep needs constant concentration particularly for those with small feet and legs. we had a cereal bar and banana to keep us going as I hoped we would make it to the lake and have lunch there. The path goes up a big wide ancient glaciated valley which almost feels and looks like a flood plain and to me feels a bit like something that might be found in Canada, you really do feel small in these sort of environments. It didn't look far to where we were going but the path just kept on going and going. Eventually a huge wall of old glacial debris could be seen in front of us and surely the lake would be there, it was but not just yet, a few hundred meters further and Joyce's first real taste of walking around and over huge glacier debris and moraine and we were there, and there it was The Blue Lake. I won't try and describe it, there's no need, the camera almost does justice to the scene.
We found some comfy stones and enjoyed our picnic, Callum was amazed at the colour of the water continually telling us "that is the bluest water I have ever seen" very enthusiastically. Its great when he enthuses about something as between him and Logan he is often the one who is harder to engage in something, unless it's something he wants of course, like a film on the iPad for example. He is usually the first to have a moan if a walk is too long or steep even if its not that bad. The two of them had a ball throwing in stones, paddling and looking at the wee fish swimming about. Upon first looking at that water and seeing the silt on the bottom you would think nothing would live in there but there were lots of little Arctic Char swimming about in the shallows grabbing any little flies that they could. I bet there are some nice big fish in those blue depths.
We spent a good while here, longer than we planned but it was so warm. We hadn't expected quite such a rough walk in, and it was about 1km longer each way than expected also so our plan for the day was scrapped and plan B concocted. I had hoped to head south via Lyngen town and then south further to the Norwegian, Swedish, Finish border-you can do a walk there to the most northerly 3 country's cairn and walk around the cairn travelling through the 3 Scandic country's as you do so. But for the time time being that plan has been put on the back burner, we have a good forecast for the Nordkapp for Sunday and Monday and (I think) we will try and get up there by Sunday at some point. We can do some stuff on the way back down if we have the time or inclination. We wandered back out to the van and it was about 5.30 when we left the parking area. Joyce was stressing (a little) about what time we were going to be parked up, and where, there was a campsite at Lyngen so we headed there, found a shop for a couple of supplies and then hunted for the non-existent campsite, we couldn't find it. So, it was hunt for somewhere else to park and or take the ferry over to Olderalan and the campsite there, eventually we decided on the ferry-surely this time it will be the last one-sadly.
The ferry was soon with us and 40 minutes later and an ice cream each we were over and looking for the campsite, which again didn't exist, lol. We headed north and eventually found one at Djupvik. I had really hoped not to be splashing out for a campsite tonight but it was late and we needed our tea, had I known it was going to cost us 350NOK we would have driven by, never mind, we are in, tea is cooking and I have a beer. It was a late night again for the boys, 10pm bedtime but it doesn't matter, we can lie a bit in the morning, it looks like rain again and we will try and get up to at least Alta by the end of the day.......like most days, that plan will probably be altered!!
A few more stats........
we passed the 4000 mile mark on Senja, we are now about 4150 miles.
Bessie averaged about 30.2mpg over the first 2500 miles (including plenty motorway miles). Over the last 1650 miles she has averaged 33mpg according to the read out-superb.
The boys have had their shorts on every day except 3, I have missed 4 days.
We have used a washing machine 4 times since we left home, although need to again soon-why is our machine on almost every day at home?
We are now on night no 50 in the motorhome, we have a total of 77 van nights. So are about 2/3rds of the way through our trip.
The boys are doing just great, Callum does a little school/learning time every morning and now asks to do it. Logan is writing some numbers also.
Joyce has done a fantastic job of keeping us all fed and watered. We haven't eaten out very much.
Me, I just drive, I love it, so long as I have mountains or sea around me and a beer at night I am happy.
I have another 25 beer cans to recycle and claim my Pant money back on.
The water colour from todays walk has not been enhanced in anyway shape or form.
We are now definitely into it. Its great and I would recommend it to anyone. Norway is simply too big, it has taken me 48 years to get to know Scotland fairly well, I doubt a lifetime is long enough for anyone to say the same about Norway.
The Lyngen Alps are a well know range of very rugged and glaciated mountains and home to some of Norways best alpine routes, it is also very popular for ski touring and extreme skiing. The mountains were all shrouded in mist and cloud yesterday when we sailed over but for today we had high hopes. There was a walk a few miles further north that we hoped would prove worth the effort. It was after 11am when we left the campsite but by 12 o'clock we were down to our t-shirts and setting off to walk up to Blavatnet- The Blue Lake. I think in the big scheme of things in Norwegian tourism this is a much lesser known walk but I had found it and it would be right up our street. There are less tourists up here, the roads are quiet, the towns are small and the scenery a match for anything we have seen up till now.
The walk is quite flat and only 4km each way according to the signs, this is incorrect but it didn't matter it was turning into a lovely day. The walk starts on quite a good path, crosses a couple of rivers and then after about 1 km degenerates into a rocky path which although never steep needs constant concentration particularly for those with small feet and legs. we had a cereal bar and banana to keep us going as I hoped we would make it to the lake and have lunch there. The path goes up a big wide ancient glaciated valley which almost feels and looks like a flood plain and to me feels a bit like something that might be found in Canada, you really do feel small in these sort of environments. It didn't look far to where we were going but the path just kept on going and going. Eventually a huge wall of old glacial debris could be seen in front of us and surely the lake would be there, it was but not just yet, a few hundred meters further and Joyce's first real taste of walking around and over huge glacier debris and moraine and we were there, and there it was The Blue Lake. I won't try and describe it, there's no need, the camera almost does justice to the scene.
We found some comfy stones and enjoyed our picnic, Callum was amazed at the colour of the water continually telling us "that is the bluest water I have ever seen" very enthusiastically. Its great when he enthuses about something as between him and Logan he is often the one who is harder to engage in something, unless it's something he wants of course, like a film on the iPad for example. He is usually the first to have a moan if a walk is too long or steep even if its not that bad. The two of them had a ball throwing in stones, paddling and looking at the wee fish swimming about. Upon first looking at that water and seeing the silt on the bottom you would think nothing would live in there but there were lots of little Arctic Char swimming about in the shallows grabbing any little flies that they could. I bet there are some nice big fish in those blue depths.
We spent a good while here, longer than we planned but it was so warm. We hadn't expected quite such a rough walk in, and it was about 1km longer each way than expected also so our plan for the day was scrapped and plan B concocted. I had hoped to head south via Lyngen town and then south further to the Norwegian, Swedish, Finish border-you can do a walk there to the most northerly 3 country's cairn and walk around the cairn travelling through the 3 Scandic country's as you do so. But for the time time being that plan has been put on the back burner, we have a good forecast for the Nordkapp for Sunday and Monday and (I think) we will try and get up there by Sunday at some point. We can do some stuff on the way back down if we have the time or inclination. We wandered back out to the van and it was about 5.30 when we left the parking area. Joyce was stressing (a little) about what time we were going to be parked up, and where, there was a campsite at Lyngen so we headed there, found a shop for a couple of supplies and then hunted for the non-existent campsite, we couldn't find it. So, it was hunt for somewhere else to park and or take the ferry over to Olderalan and the campsite there, eventually we decided on the ferry-surely this time it will be the last one-sadly.
The ferry was soon with us and 40 minutes later and an ice cream each we were over and looking for the campsite, which again didn't exist, lol. We headed north and eventually found one at Djupvik. I had really hoped not to be splashing out for a campsite tonight but it was late and we needed our tea, had I known it was going to cost us 350NOK we would have driven by, never mind, we are in, tea is cooking and I have a beer. It was a late night again for the boys, 10pm bedtime but it doesn't matter, we can lie a bit in the morning, it looks like rain again and we will try and get up to at least Alta by the end of the day.......like most days, that plan will probably be altered!!
A few more stats........
we passed the 4000 mile mark on Senja, we are now about 4150 miles.
Bessie averaged about 30.2mpg over the first 2500 miles (including plenty motorway miles). Over the last 1650 miles she has averaged 33mpg according to the read out-superb.
The boys have had their shorts on every day except 3, I have missed 4 days.
We have used a washing machine 4 times since we left home, although need to again soon-why is our machine on almost every day at home?
We are now on night no 50 in the motorhome, we have a total of 77 van nights. So are about 2/3rds of the way through our trip.
The boys are doing just great, Callum does a little school/learning time every morning and now asks to do it. Logan is writing some numbers also.
Joyce has done a fantastic job of keeping us all fed and watered. We haven't eaten out very much.
Me, I just drive, I love it, so long as I have mountains or sea around me and a beer at night I am happy.
I have another 25 beer cans to recycle and claim my Pant money back on.
The water colour from todays walk has not been enhanced in anyway shape or form.
We are now definitely into it. Its great and I would recommend it to anyone. Norway is simply too big, it has taken me 48 years to get to know Scotland fairly well, I doubt a lifetime is long enough for anyone to say the same about Norway.
there is no amount of money in the world could buy what you have right now my friend thanks for sharing, i don`t need to tell you to cherish every Minuit if Norway was only cheaper i would have went by now and i think the ski touring would be great but severely cold ive heard my brothers tales of ski touring there !! COLD ! loved the stats BTW made me smile i can see the washing machine getting its fuse taken out i have found out some interesting stuff this past year about our clothes washing habits but thats for another day
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