Kjell's trip to Blåfjell 3013

The old man has once more been on a mountain trip. This time I also went to the Blåfjella Skjækerfjella National Park (Blåfjella fro short), but this time about 12 kilometres north west of the campsite I used last year. This time the trip took four weeks.

As usual I first went to Osen on the Fosen Peninsula, on the 31. July, where I visited with my sister Turid and my brother in law Øystein. Then, on the 2. August , I went for the mountains via Namsos, where I met my old buddy Eigil Karoliussen.

The first night I spent on the parking place about three kilometres north west of Berglisetra. There I met a sporty jogger with his two dogs, who tipped me about a nice campsite on the Eastern Nytjønna. The next day I went there via the Laka Lake, about three hours with a heavy backpack. I arrived at an idyllic campsite beside a small sandy beach. In the beginning the water was warm enough for comfortable swims. I could vade out in only my underwear with my fishing rod and even caught a few big trout. Fishing was good all the time, with the exception of one day with heavy wind and rain.

After a couple of days I got a visit by wildlife supervisor Leo Lyngstad and Ole Ivar Ness who were out to examine the population of ptarmigan. I had earlier got good advise from Leo on the choice of area to visit. He told me about a 4000-year-old stone carving of a reindeer or an elk, found accidentally in the mid nineties, on a rock surface at the western end of Nytjønna. As you can see from the photo it not easy to spot the reindeer, but with a little imagination it is possible.

As mentioned fishing was good, and I prepared a lot of cured trout, some of which I managed get with me home. Not so much cloudberry this year, but I had enough for the trip to make desserts and jam. And there was a lot of blueberry.

Still after a few days I met Christen and his son Didrik from Bærum near Oslo. They had aimed for my campsite and were naturally not exactly thrilled when they found it occupied. But they put up their tent about 100 metres from mine on a decent spot. A couple of days later they were reinforced by six more men. So it became lively near my tent: Eight men and thirteen dogs. In addition to the two mentioned above, they were Paal, Jørgen, Eirik, Henrik, Christoffer and Ketil. The dogs had pulled five sleds filled with lots of equipment and food. Chairs, tables, rubber raft and cases of beer. But the guys were also sporty and made long hikes every day.

They were out to train their dogs for hunting ptarmigan, fishing and picking berries. A really happy crowd, cheery and hospitable. They almost spoiled me with beer, strong drinks and good food. They even came to my tent and served me a really festive meal. And when they returned, they left me a lot of tasty food and drink.

I made several day trips, among them to Ingeltjønna, Klingervatnet, Eastern and Western Aksel Lakes and the finest to the top of the mountain Pråvhka, with a fantastic vie along the ridge back to my camp at Nytjønna. At the end of my stay, after four weeks, the weather got worse and I felt I had exhausted the tour possibilities for one with my capacity.

I am quite pleased with this “expedition”. My back gave me no pains, unlike last year, clearly thanks to my physiotherapist Arne Hart and the training programme he has prescribed. Next year I will hopefully turn 73, and if my health permits I will aim for the same national park, but with a different point of entry. I intend to keep at it until I turn 100.