PPR-29 23.04
Start: 08:00 Finish: 16:27
Total km., for day: 140,9
Camped at: N67°59’17” E15°58’18”.
Boy did I have a good sleep. Just before leaving I checked the period of the Battle being commemorated and it was 09.04 to 09.06 1940.
Went into town first and spent ages looking fr a good internet connection. finally found one at the VW Dealer that fixed my duff starter motor on teethe last winter trip I made unto Tromsø, so I dod a quick update and post.
Finally got back on the road about 12:00. Decided along the way that I’d break and camp at Ballangen. This is thew same site I was on when the starter motor resigned. The guy that runs the place recognised me from back then and offered to let me just use the facilities to shower, fill up water canisters again instead of having to camp. dod lad, didn't want paying either.
Did I enjoy my shower, first real wash worthy of the name in three weeks so I suppose it was a bit overdue. I must have used up all of the hot water in the neighbourhood. Squeaky clean now though. Figured the as I was clean I could treat myself to a change of bed linen as well. Only got the one change with me anyway. Water on board and HiHo on we go again. Smelling like a garden of roses. I got to the ferry that sets you across in Bognes just in time and carried on down the road awhile before calling it a day here. It is actually at the other end of the small lake that we camped on on our first trip way back in 2008. Couldn't use the original spot as the van doesn't have enough ground clearance. Could only do it last time in the T5 as with the pneumatic suspension I can in case the clearance quite a bit. Shame really as it is were the river cascades in a series of waterfalls into the lake.
The lake is still frozen over and there are Elk tracks all over it and this is way out in the wilds, so fingers crossed again, just no breath holding.
Didn’t have to hold my breath,at about 21:40, still pretty light then, two fine big specimens came crazy past immediately adjacent to the van. Then I did hold my breath and they ambled off in their own good time. Chuffed I was.
PPR-30 24.04
Start: 09:00 Finish: 17:36
Total km., for day: 204,7
Camped at: N67°58’12” E14°58’09”.
Fair early start and off down the E6, no alternative here, until just after exiting a short tunnel it passes through a village named Sagelva and just after that hung a right onto the 835. After quite a short distance this disappears int an eight kilometre long, straight as a plumb line, tunnel which throws one out at the other end in fairyland. This is a part of Norway that I and most other tourist I would imagine, don't know exists. Truly amazing piece of real estate. Endless, constantly changing scenery, water, snow covered mountains, fields. forests. You name it, its there.
Followed the 835 round to place called Bogen and across a bridge onto an island going by the name of Engeløya. It is completely mountainous and the road trundles around the foot of them as well as the island.
A great deal of history here from what I could read from the Tourist info boards right back to Stone age. Brilliant walking area, unfortunately all steeply uphill. Not yours truly anymore. Shame.
It also has, like so much of Norway have a sinister side to it. You guessed it Adolph and Friends were at work.Right out on the point they built one of the largest coastal fortifications in Europe during WW II, when else?
It was home to three of the world’s largest land based canons, each with a maximum range of 56 kilometres. My little Pea boggles. Built to protect the shipping lane into and out of Narvik, which is where his steel from Sweden was exported, and naturally built by, mainly Russian, POW’s. Seems these poor folks were dropping like flies at the rate of ten to twelve a day.
The installation, of which only the foundations are remaining, are accessible and when I got up there I fell of my perch. The view is nothing less than gob smacking. It is across the Vestfjorda and the entire Lofoten mountain range, a continuous unbroken range of big snow covered Johnnies. From the southern most tip right up to where the range turns east towards Narvik. Seen in one piece like that is fantastic, no wonder I was goggle-eyed the whole time I was over there. A
quick check of my tatty old map indicates the range, that I could see, covers almost three full degrees of latitude, however much that is in kilometres? Anyone know, I’ll have to look it up next time I get online.
I could hardly tear my eyes away but when I did I found a place to camp in the lee of the outcrop on which the southerlies battery was built. If anyone interested input the coordinates above into Google Earth, where else, the three foundations of the canons are to be clearly seen. The Battery goes by the name of “Batterie Dietel” probably named after some Wehrmacht Squaddie I suppose.
Camp site was great, totally overrun by ME all be lonesome.
PPR-31 25.04
Start: 06:00 Finish: 14:40
Total km., for day: 220,5
Camped at: N67°55’16” E15°25’09”.
Bit parky in the night, but not a problem and I set off at about 8:45 and by the time I stopped there is not a corner of the rest of the area that can be accessed by a vehicle that was not accessed. All fascinating and full of interest but I definitely would not like to be here in the main Tourist season. But thats not likely as I find that at these high latitudes, winter is the best time to be here. All the snow adds to its grandeur and takes away, in my mind, some of the dark threatening mien they present in summer.
I’m suffering little with the views where I am camped, leave a lot to be desired, I think you'll agree when you see the iPhone snaps below. Miserable to say the least, just have to suffer I suppose.
Oh, I nearly forgot. Saw another rather impressive Elk this afternoon on the way out. Been lucky this trip with these fellows, whats the feminine for Fellows? Had trips where I finished up thinking all of the “Beware Elk” street signs were a Tourist gimmick to get us to come and visit. I am not complaining.
Start: 08:00 Finish: 16:27
Total km., for day: 140,9
Camped at: N67°59’17” E15°58’18”.
Boy did I have a good sleep. Just before leaving I checked the period of the Battle being commemorated and it was 09.04 to 09.06 1940.
Went into town first and spent ages looking fr a good internet connection. finally found one at the VW Dealer that fixed my duff starter motor on teethe last winter trip I made unto Tromsø, so I dod a quick update and post.
Finally got back on the road about 12:00. Decided along the way that I’d break and camp at Ballangen. This is thew same site I was on when the starter motor resigned. The guy that runs the place recognised me from back then and offered to let me just use the facilities to shower, fill up water canisters again instead of having to camp. dod lad, didn't want paying either.
Did I enjoy my shower, first real wash worthy of the name in three weeks so I suppose it was a bit overdue. I must have used up all of the hot water in the neighbourhood. Squeaky clean now though. Figured the as I was clean I could treat myself to a change of bed linen as well. Only got the one change with me anyway. Water on board and HiHo on we go again. Smelling like a garden of roses. I got to the ferry that sets you across in Bognes just in time and carried on down the road awhile before calling it a day here. It is actually at the other end of the small lake that we camped on on our first trip way back in 2008. Couldn't use the original spot as the van doesn't have enough ground clearance. Could only do it last time in the T5 as with the pneumatic suspension I can in case the clearance quite a bit. Shame really as it is were the river cascades in a series of waterfalls into the lake.
The lake is still frozen over and there are Elk tracks all over it and this is way out in the wilds, so fingers crossed again, just no breath holding.
Didn’t have to hold my breath,at about 21:40, still pretty light then, two fine big specimens came crazy past immediately adjacent to the van. Then I did hold my breath and they ambled off in their own good time. Chuffed I was.
PPR-30 24.04
Start: 09:00 Finish: 17:36
Total km., for day: 204,7
Camped at: N67°58’12” E14°58’09”.
Fair early start and off down the E6, no alternative here, until just after exiting a short tunnel it passes through a village named Sagelva and just after that hung a right onto the 835. After quite a short distance this disappears int an eight kilometre long, straight as a plumb line, tunnel which throws one out at the other end in fairyland. This is a part of Norway that I and most other tourist I would imagine, don't know exists. Truly amazing piece of real estate. Endless, constantly changing scenery, water, snow covered mountains, fields. forests. You name it, its there.
Followed the 835 round to place called Bogen and across a bridge onto an island going by the name of Engeløya. It is completely mountainous and the road trundles around the foot of them as well as the island.
A great deal of history here from what I could read from the Tourist info boards right back to Stone age. Brilliant walking area, unfortunately all steeply uphill. Not yours truly anymore. Shame.
It also has, like so much of Norway have a sinister side to it. You guessed it Adolph and Friends were at work.Right out on the point they built one of the largest coastal fortifications in Europe during WW II, when else?
It was home to three of the world’s largest land based canons, each with a maximum range of 56 kilometres. My little Pea boggles. Built to protect the shipping lane into and out of Narvik, which is where his steel from Sweden was exported, and naturally built by, mainly Russian, POW’s. Seems these poor folks were dropping like flies at the rate of ten to twelve a day.
The installation, of which only the foundations are remaining, are accessible and when I got up there I fell of my perch. The view is nothing less than gob smacking. It is across the Vestfjorda and the entire Lofoten mountain range, a continuous unbroken range of big snow covered Johnnies. From the southern most tip right up to where the range turns east towards Narvik. Seen in one piece like that is fantastic, no wonder I was goggle-eyed the whole time I was over there. A
quick check of my tatty old map indicates the range, that I could see, covers almost three full degrees of latitude, however much that is in kilometres? Anyone know, I’ll have to look it up next time I get online.
I could hardly tear my eyes away but when I did I found a place to camp in the lee of the outcrop on which the southerlies battery was built. If anyone interested input the coordinates above into Google Earth, where else, the three foundations of the canons are to be clearly seen. The Battery goes by the name of “Batterie Dietel” probably named after some Wehrmacht Squaddie I suppose.
Camp site was great, totally overrun by ME all be lonesome.
PPR-31 25.04
Start: 06:00 Finish: 14:40
Total km., for day: 220,5
Camped at: N67°55’16” E15°25’09”.
Bit parky in the night, but not a problem and I set off at about 8:45 and by the time I stopped there is not a corner of the rest of the area that can be accessed by a vehicle that was not accessed. All fascinating and full of interest but I definitely would not like to be here in the main Tourist season. But thats not likely as I find that at these high latitudes, winter is the best time to be here. All the snow adds to its grandeur and takes away, in my mind, some of the dark threatening mien they present in summer.
I’m suffering little with the views where I am camped, leave a lot to be desired, I think you'll agree when you see the iPhone snaps below. Miserable to say the least, just have to suffer I suppose.
Oh, I nearly forgot. Saw another rather impressive Elk this afternoon on the way out. Been lucky this trip with these fellows, whats the feminine for Fellows? Had trips where I finished up thinking all of the “Beware Elk” street signs were a Tourist gimmick to get us to come and visit. I am not complaining.
The above are just a quick hodgepodge I've thrown in to demonstrate what I'm having to put up with. Click on them as usual for a bigger image.
Gotta move on for today, I'll try and add some comments to them next time to relate them to the posts above.
Gotta move on for today, I'll try and add some comments to them next time to relate them to the posts above.
