Wilhelmstind

Off we go.

One can see Værøy in the background.

Heading up.

Time for harness and helmets.

Summit 385 m.

Lovely view. Can you see my tent?

We found a sea eagle nest up here.

Enjoying the view.

Me and Per (looking like a helicopter pilot)
Photo: Andreas

View from the tent.

 

Found a cave! Pic: Andreas

Discovery trip around part of the island.

Kristin enjoying the midnight sun.

Campfire on the rocks.

After we set up camp we had some lunch and then we went to Wilhelmstind, the highest point at the island. There was a short section where we used rope, some of us would have no problem without but many had never climbed before so we went for safety first. Weather was marvellous today, almost to good to be true.  Three of us went up to a second peak shortly after but I've lately overstrained my knee so I went down to the tent to lay in the sun with a beer, some cheese and crackers enjoying the last part of "Tinder og Banditer" (Peaks and Bandits) about Alf B Bryn's adventures in Corsica in 1909. Later Andreas came down and he was a bit tired so we made some coffee before heading off for a discovery trip along the coast. We found a cave! Then Bjørn Harald and Stig joined us.

To Mosken

Today we head for the uninhabited island Mosken just outside Lofotodden. The boat leaves from Reine. The area of the island is 1,5 squarekilometer. As far as I know there has never been any settlement, only sheeps.

Loading the boat.

Evereone in suits!

The skipper.

Mosken.

Short stop at Svarven bird colony.

Arriving our destination.

Getting ashore.

Pitched my tent on the beach.

RIB to Mosken

My first trip with a RIB-boat and it was crazy fun!

Festhelltind

We went off to Moskenesøya, weather was not so good but still I wanted to get out. First we went Mølnarodden to check out a spot by Solbjørnvatnet then we went to Å where nothing was open, nor the museum, shop or bakery so we couldn't buy any cinnamon rolls. Then we went to Reine for an ice cream instead and after this we went for a reconnaissance hike up Festhelltind at least we thought so first since it was raining with some hail in between but then we just kept going even if some spots were a bit on the edge without any rope...we left it down there. Suddenly we found ourselves standing on the summit looking down at Reine and the fjords down there. We went down and pitched the tent in a nice spot along the old road which was used before the tunnel. Tomorrow we are going to Mosken! I am so excited I can't even tell you how much...

Stockfish.

Crawling up trough a hole. Pic: Andreas

Looking for a good way.

It's all wet. Pic: Andreas

Summit!

Basecamp.

Storsandnes

 

 

 

 

Today we moved the climbing outdoors to make a social event for Vest Lofoten klatreklub. The weather was quite good but only 7 people showed up, except for me, Kjell-Arne and Elisabeth. Also it was rather short notice but anyway it was more fun than being indoors.

Strandrydding

Today we're cleaning up part of Sversvika and we also made a campfire.
It was almost midnight when I got home again...

 

 

Hellsegga

Refsvika beach.

Breakfast in the remains.

Kolhellaren cave on the other side.

Top of Gongskaret out through the hole.

Beautiful Buvågen.

Happy to get out on the other side.

Hiking up towards Hellsegga.

Hellsegga behind me, Uranus is out there.

Hellsegga with Uranus.

View towards Å.

Me, Eline and Andreas.

Sandwich break. Mosken and Værøy behind.

At the highest point of Hellsegga plateu.

Looking down at the tents.

Eline.

Eline.

Kolhellaren (Refsvikhula)

Love this place!

Today we went to Hellsegga. Kjell-Arne stayed down in Refsvika to rest, explore and take pictures. Today's hike took us something like eight hours or so before we came back down to our camp. Then we made a campfire and dinner before we hit the sleepingbag. Tomorrow will be a really long hard day since we have to go back all the way to Å. I would rather stay one more night in Gjerdvika but tomorrow is Norway's national day and I'm not sure if there are any buses to get home on sunday. I never went far into the cave since it was really dark and we didn't bring head lamps since it's almost midnight sun this time of the year. But I will come back for sure, there is more to explore!

Kolhellaren cave contains prehistoric cave paintings believed to be 3000 - 4000 years old. They consist of almost 30 simple depictions of humans painted in red, mostly found in the eastern and western arms of the cave. The act of placing such images in deep, dark caves is thought to have had a special significance and it is assumed that both the cave and the paintings were linked to ritual activities.