Steigtinden and Priestkollen, Norway 2003 July 11th-16th

[litljortindan]

-this clip best viewed on YouTube to avoid the chewed tape effect along the top of the screen

This is an account of the second part of my trip to Norway in 2003. Most of the time was spent just touring about but I did fit in two good walks -one in the north to a small but impressive mountain called Steigtinden, north of Bodo, and one in the south to the better known Priestkollen or Pulpit Rock. For anyone interested in visiting Norway the video clip though lengthy is worth flicking through but this one only includes one hill, Steigen, as I ran out of tape or battery. I have included timings of highlights in the clip.

July 11th 2003
A day spent driving around the northern part of the Lofoten Islands (not so spectacular as the south).

11th July video highlights
01:20-02:35 midnight and early morning sun on the north end of Austvag
05:23 zoom to Moysalen I think
05:32-7:06 sunrise shots of Reka (not that interesting to be honest)
07:10-09:20 snowy mountains reflected in fjords at the north end of the Lofoten
10:40-13:28 Possibly in the ferry from the 822 to the E10; quite picturesque
13:30-13:48 Higrafstinden from the north

July 12th 2003
Hmm, must have taken either the Svolvaer-Skutvik ferry or Moskenes-Bodo ferry back to the mainland and went to look for a large waterfall east of the E6 and directly east of Bodo. I couldn't find it, largely because I couldn't read the signs and there was no-one else around.

12th July video highlight
15:33-15:48 uninteresting shot of woods east of the E6 in which I am lost looking for a large waterfall

July 13th 2003
Drove north from Bodo, thinking of the nearby Steigtinden but I am unconvinced about the route there from the west and decide instead to head east of Bodo and approach from there. There is a path heading north west to Steigtinden but it is overgrown and hard going. Having got half way though I wasn't going to give up and forced my out of the trees and on up across a strange rocky plateau and on to the base of Steigtinden's tower like summit. In fact from the very base of the summit ridge the profile was of a slender and overhanging summit. The east side is vertical / overhanging and the west side is steep. Reached the summit in fine evening light. Met a couple on the summit changing into spare tee shirts, an imaginative alternative to breathable clothing and an idea I have since copied
Stayed at the summit for an hour or so with the comfort of knowing it wasn't going to get dark and learned that the western approach is a lot easier.

Steigtinden one

Steigtinden two

Steigtinden three

Steigtinden four

Steigtinden five

Steigtinden six

13th July video highlights
15:50-16:28 Saultstrumenn –eat your heart out Corrievreckan, or possibly not
16:30-16:52 close up of Steigen from the north which I will stupidly climb from the south after hacking my way through the jungle
17:20-23:20 on the overhanging summit of Steigtinden
23:20-23:54 evening or possibly morning light on Steigtinden

July 14th 2003
Wow, I seem to have saved all the really sunny days for driving! The coastline south of Bodo is very dramatic looking when seen from the flight over but in fact is a bit less interesting at close quarters though there are a few fine looking mountains along the way. I probably drove for three hours or 150km to the south. Flew south over the west coast around midnight, a real treat.

Borvastinden from the north

Smatinden (I think), south of Bodo

14th July video highlights
24:00-26:00 road trip south of Bodo
26:00-29:50 the exciting midnight flight from Bodo to Trondheim

July 15th 2003 itinerary
drive from Oslo to Stavanger via Lysfjord then to north of Lysfjord and the path to Priestkolen

east end of Lysfjord

south west end of Lysfjord

Priestkollen one

Priestkollen two: quieter to the west

July 16th-17th 2003 itinerary
homeward bound