Harstad surroundings
As I mentioned recently, a trip to Lofoten was not a spontaneous, but an event related to arriving in Norway after a two-month journey from China, the Havfarm unit. Together with the other team members, we were able to watch live the project that some of us have been working on over the past years. The plan also includes official meetings with engineers from NSK Ship Design and a tour over the new Nordlaks fish processing plant, together by the CEO, Inge Berg.
But wait, be in Lofoten Islands and do not go sightseeing, not even climb a small hill? No way!
Fortunately, we also had some free time to use, mainly on Sunday, and that’s when I decided to go hiking in the mountains. We were accommodated in a hotel in Harstad and due to the lack of any car I could use, I had a limited choice of where to go. The evening before, I asked the locals about some recommendation and I was sent to Middagsfjellet (604m a.s.l.), rising just outside the city center.
After consuming a modest breakfast, I set off. The weather was no longer as perfect as in the previous days and on the way to the beginning of the route a rain caught me. But I was in Lofoten Islands and nothing was going to stop me from climbing even one mountain, I thought. The rain was fleeting and ended as suddenly as it suddenly began. I came across the right path by consulting the ut.no app on my mobile. Initially, the route crossed the shooting range and appropriate boards advised not to continue walking when the red flag was displayed on the mast. Of course, there was no mast, so I took the risk. A short while later I noticed the mast and I felt relief not seeing the flag on it. The terrain rose gently, and when I looked back I could see beautiful high mountains range emerging from the sea, covered with snow. I was hoping for a much better view when I get higher.
My hopes were crushed shortly afterwards, when I came across deep drifts of snow lying on the path and swift streams of snowmelt flowing down the trail. I was not wearing trekking shoes, only light footwear for everyday walking, although I would have problems in my mountain boots to break through these heaps of snow. The worst thing was that I didn’t even get near to the summit. I haven’t been in halfway of the entire route, I thought. So since it’s hard for me to go on here and my shoes are all wet inside, what will happen next? With a heartache, I decided to return.
I was passing through the shooting range again and this time I saw a red flag wandering up the the mast. I managed to get back to the safe road in time and to avoid accidental shooting.
The invaluable app ut.no showed me another peak in the area, much lower, so there was a chance that there would be no snow on it. It was about two kilometers away and suddenly I felt that all was not lost. I headed that way. The hill was called Gasåsen and it was only 180 meters high. To reach it I had to go through the city’s buildings. Finally, a bit tired I got to the beginning of the trail.
The trail itself is undemanding and quite short. What to expect, however, after such a small hill. The slopes are completely forested and only the top offers some views. Fortunately, these views compensate for all the inconveniences. The panorama of Harstad is clear. In addition, you can look at the sensational mountains on the islands around the city. I could also see my unrealized destination, Middagfjellet, and all the snow on its slope.
Picnic benches, a viewing binoculars and even a shelter protecting against rain and wind were set up on the Gasåsen summit. There is also a place to light a bonfire. Therefore, the mountain probably is extremely popular as a place for family walks and even during my short stay there, I missed a few or a dozen people.
Return to the hotel took some time. Feet protested for such a long walk in footwear designed for short trips. In addition, the sun started to warm up again. However, I was glad that I managed to include a hill on these Lofoten Islands. Who knows if the smallest in the whole archipelago but it is always something.
