Hustveitsåta 1187 m asl
It was supposed to be an easy trip. Two, three, maximum a four-hour trip to the mountains and then another six in the car and return to Oslo surrounding. Planning this Sunday trip I did not intend to push myself. On the Saturday evening I was supposed to be meet with my friends. For this reason, I left another, more tempting mountain in the Hardangerfjord area, where I would needed at least 5 hours to get to the summit. I chose the less demanding trail, at least I thought so.
The party with friends dragged on until three in the morning, and another three quarters of an hour before I went to sleep. I planned to be ready to go at six o’clock but in this situation I decided that I would get up when I got up. Surprisingly I woke up at six o’clock. There is nothing like an internal alarm clock.
So before seven o’clock I was on my way and at about eight I got to the parking lot in Hustveit, near town of Sauda. Hustveit is an old farm, founded in the nineteenth century and today it is an open-air museum. The place is very picturesque, located near the Saudafjord and this is where the trail to the Hustveitsåta mountain begins, which I intended to climb.
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The route did not look super demanding on the map, but that’s how it is, with reserve routes. Somehow, they rarely pay attention to details. When I got to the place, a plate at the beginning of trail informed me that I had to walk for 8 kilometers to the top. I was very optimistic when I walked along a wide road leading into the forest. Already after the first turn the road jumped sharply up, but it was nothing for me. As a serious walker, I have handled that as many times before.
When the road transferred into a narrow path, I found myself on a plateau, among peat bogs, individual trees and shrubs. I could not seen the sun, though the time of its rise had already passed. Therefore, it was rather gray around. I crossed the bridge over the rapidly flowing river and followed the path. In the distance I saw the stunning waterfall, but unfortunately the trail led me in a different direction. I walked along another river for some time until I reached its source, a large lake in the valley among the mountain slopes. The lake was fed by another stream flowing down from above and I had to climb along it. I was beginning to feel the first signs of fatigue. I wondered how far is my summit and soon I found the answer. A bridge over the stream appeared on my way and there were plates with the names of the routes and distances. I have about 4 kilometers to the summit. I only got half the route. I just realized that it won’t be the short, light walk I was hoping for.
I kept going, laboriously climbing along the stream. I reached the pass, behind which there was a larger lake. According to the map, it was called Øvrastølsvatnet and I had to march along its eastern shore, and then around it from the north.
From the beginning of my trip I had to deal with wet ground and water flowing down from the mountains. It did not flow only in the streams, but often flooded the entire slopes, including the path that I passed. It was quite tiring and the next kilometers dragged mercilessly. When I thought that I was approaching the summit and that hill in front of me is my target, I found another sign saying that I have more than 2 kilometers ahead of me. I had the impression that these distances are heavily stretched and that my legs are well over 10, not just 6 km. I walked like zombie. Behind the next pass I passed two natives, a young girl and probably her mother. They both went in the opposite direction. I was surprised because it meant that they had to start their journey earlier than me, and I started early in the morning.
I reached another lake. From this perspective, it did not look big, but it turned out to be the largest of those that I have passed so far.I marched increasingly along the stony path now. Wet and muddy ground became a memory. I climbed the mountain and the summit was getting closer. An amazing panorama of the mountains stretched around, and the sun, which finally decided to come out from the clouds, began to paint the surrounding slopes with vivid autumn colors.
Finally I got there. At the top, I was greeted traditionally by a stone tower and a box with a notebook inside. I could write my name on damp sheets. By the way, I discovered that nobody had been here for two last days. At least no one signed in. So that those Norwegian women passed on the trail did not return from the summit.
After taking some obligatory photos, I started on my way back. It took me four hours to get to the top. On the way down I came across other wanderers: first a middle-aged couple and then a man who probably passed sixty. I tried to walk quickly and finally find myself in the car and move on, but my knees slowed me down, signaling fatigue with persistent pain. Then I heard voices behind me. It was a Norwegian couple that I passed under the peak. They overtook me as if it was a normal walk in the park. And I felt pain in my knee with every step. How do they do that?
Finally, I arrived at Hustveit farm. However, before I went to the car, I was interested in the signpost pointing to the nearby waterfall. I like waterfalls so I couldn’t miss that one. It was just 800 meters away, so I decided to take a look.
But I will write about it the next time, because the post has grown through these 8 km (one way). And I took some photos too. So see you next time.
