Blomstølen
My plans for this visit were completely different. I supposed to spend whole week in Norway this time and I wanted to go in other places. As always, I had to modify the plans. Because of weather I was afraid, that I will stay at home for all seven days, but fortunately one day appeared without rain and I decided to go out whatever will happen. And weather served me a strong wind, blowing up to 10 m/s. I didn’t care of it. It always better than rain.
Blomstølen was on my reserve list and I had prepared maps of this route. Blomstølen is a lodge located at 630 m above sea level in the mountains between Etne, Sauda and Røldal and it is only one of few cabins belong to Tourist Norwegian Association (DNT). As you can imagine, there is possibility to make a trip from one cabin to another with booking a bed inside but you have to do it earlier and get the key to the lodge before you travel. There is no DNT crew inside (exception can be Olaila Fjellstove during summer and winter vacation) so inside you have to manage yourself. Booking you can make by webside www.ut.no. When I chcecked for prices, one bed for a night in Blomstølen in September costs 375 norwegian krones. If you are DNT member, you have lower price. Blomstølen has total 48 beds in three buildings (two small cabins and one big lodge).
From the terrace of lodge you can admire of scenic view of Blomstølvatnet lake, mountains on the other shore and waterfall.
I left the car at the Best fuel station, located by E134 road, few kilometers on west from Etne. Beginning of the route is not easy. Very steep, wide road goes up between pastures and forest and somewhere at 540 m above sea level I came out on a narrow but easy mountain path. The wind was blowing with fury. There is a good spot to look at the Åkrafjord, because later it hides behind the mountains.
Soon I came into Verdal valley with beautiful lake and few private cabins built around. I climbed to a pass and went down to another valley. Raw, amazing Norwegian views surrounded me. After another pass, I could see the water of Åkrafjord but the view was limited. Far away on north-east I saw Folgefonna glacier. I hang my eyes also at interesting looking mountain summit somewhere on east. I checked my map and find out that this is Reinsnuten and the trail will follow me very close to this colossus.
In the same time I realized that on the path there are many sheep droppings. In fact, soon, I saw those animals and their surprises accompanied me almost to the end of this journey.
Later, when I was close to Reinsnuten and my path led further on east, I went off the trail and started climbing. Just below last stage I met three sheep that frightened of my sight and ran away. There weren’t any way up to the summit, and I climbed used legs and arms on very steep slope. At the top, wind almost blowed out my head from the shoulders. I could only make few pictures before descending. My visit at the summit was no longer that one minute.
After I returned to the trail, I met those three sheep as earlier. They followed the trail as well but soon they escaped at side because of me. Soon I could see more sheep and as you can imagine more their droppings.
Some time later I finally saw one of the cabin of Blomstølen. The rest left behind the mountain and I could see everything just when I showed up at place. The location was amazing. Beautiful lake with view at mountains and waterfall looked impressive. I sat down on the bench at terrace to rest, eat something and fill up my eyes those picture. Wind blowed incessantly.
At this moment I was on my legs from 5,5 hours and it was the time to go back. My plan was to descend other way, that led to the shore of Stordalsvatnet lake and then asphalt road come to E134 and fuel station. First stage on more less flat terrain was easy but when I started to go down, my knees responses by pain. I went along the river which runs from Blomstølvatnet lake. Steep, almost vertical walls of the mountains on my left fed the river by next waterfalls. Before I reached the first farm and asphalt road at the bottom of the valley, I met three sheep which looks very familiar. Are they the same sheep as I met before? Well, all sheep looks the same for me.
Journey on the asphalt road wasn’t the end. In fact there was easier but I still had some kilometers to go. I passed farms, residences and pastures with so intensive green grass that I wanted to taste it (I think I spend too much time among the sheep).
Finally I reached the shore of the lake and by the northern side I came to E134 road. I was afraid that there will be necessary to walk on E134 and share it with cars, speeding up even 100 km/h, but fortunately I found pavement along the main road which led me to the fuel station. At the place I looked at gps in my cellphone and realized, that I already walked the distance of 30 km in 9,5 hours. It was the time to go home and rest.
This post was originally published 2018-09-16 on https://kraina-trolli.pl.
