Numedalshovda & Skirveggnuten
Skirveggnuten, 1381m above sea level, is located in Tinn community. The trail is about 7km one way, but the difference in altitude between the beginning of the trail and the summit is just over 200 meters. On the way there is one more, lower hill, Numedalshovda (1164m above sea level).
Get Directions
To get there, I had to go to the northern part of Lake Tinnsjå. A few months earlier, I was climbing Haugefjell and Gjuvhold in almost the same place. Skirveggnuten is only 10.5 km in a straight line from Haugefjell. Encouraged by the forecasts, I prepared myself far too lightly for this trip. I was wearing short pants, light shoes (Fivefingers) and a sweatshirt. It was supposed to be up to 14 degrees. However, when I got there and parked next to the Håvardsrud Seterliv farm, I was surprised by the terrible cold. I could still take my jacket with me, but I left it in the car, assuming that it would get warmer soon. Instead, I took the cap and gloves before I went.
The trail starts in the cottage area, in a small parking lot next to the Håvardsrud Seterliv farm. This can be a great point for a trip when traveling with children. The farm is open to travelers and the owners are happy to show the kids animals on the farm. I found the path that took me beyond the boundaries of the civilization. The forest section of the route was quite short, and soon I stepped out into the open space. I was immediately able to identify the nearest mountain as Numedalshovda and the well-marked trail and well-trodden path led me in that direction. Very son I felt the wind. It was perhaps not particularly strong, but it did lower the perceived temperature by at least a few degrees. I quickly regretted not taking the jacket from the car.
Reaching the top of Numedalshovda was not difficult and the views on the spot tickled the eyes pleasantly. However, the cold and the wind quickly chased me down. I found the path towards Skirveggnuten and continued on. I crossed the river over the stones and headed north. Soon, in addition to the cold and wind, I noticed another problem. It was not a very good idea to wear comfortable Fivefingers for this trip. Yes, the shoes are fantastic and great to wear, as long as the ground is dry. As soon as there is moisture, walking in such shoes ceases to be a comfort. They let the water flow instantly and it gets not very pleasant. It should be said that they dry quickly, but in this case, at these temperatures, they had no chance to dry out. The path at some point turned into a swamp and there was no option not to get your foot wet here or there.
I wasn’t going to turn back halfway because of that. At the foot of the mountain, it got dry again, and several parallel paths, probably trampled by sheep, indicated complete freedom in choosing a further route. In a few minutes I was at the top. The fingers in light gloves had become fossilized so much that I could hardly operate the camera. I took some photos in a hurry and ordered a retreat.
I was unable to warm up on the way back. Despite rubbing my hands together, blowing and squeezing, there were still hard to operate. Only after getting back to the parking lot and setting up the heating in the car helped. If I assumed before that this trip was supposed to be a easy and pleasant break from the previous one, I miscalculated a bit. Above all, however, I trusted the weather forecasts too much, which will have to be corrected for the future.
