Friday 19/8

The first part of the night was rather windy, with strong gales shaking the tent, but it later abated – and between the gusts it was almost still. Finding a good position for the knee on the hard, uneven ground was troublesome, but once I finally succeeded I slept well until 06:00. At this time the clouds were low, and even lower ones were drifting past, but when I awoke next around 07:30 it was hazy with light drops borne on the wind – just like at the camp on day 1.

After I got up I packed what I could inside the tent, and in a pause in the very light rain I went up to the station to prepare breakfast, where a fair number of people were already present. After a sudden shower of greater force the clouds lifted somewhat, but as I finished packing and struck the tent it was back to wind-drizzle. Having cleared everything I went up to return the "I have paid the fee"-tag to the reception, and then waited for another short shower to pass before leaving around 10:15, opting for the wind jacket to start with.

Rain (no singing)

Cloud base at the cloven rock

Tents beneath Herrklumpen

The first bit I walked on a muddy path along the winter markers without really noticing, so I quickly went over to the much drier summer trail instead. The knee was complaining a bit as usual, but on a low enough level that it was no problem. The were more drops in the air from time to time, but away from the massif there were also patches of sky to be seen. When I reached the Gamla Sylen shelter I found two guys having a meal behind it, and more people were walking up from a nearby tent camp. I passed a couple of others as I was approaching the bridge at the bottom of the valley, where another haze came in from the east, resuming the previous conditions.

Leaving...

...Sylarna

Approaching...

...Gamla Sylen (also new)

Lighter

At the bottom

Still cloudy

More rain behind

I had good use of the walking stick going up the gentle slope on the other side, and on the crest I passed another four people. The drizzle had now stopped again and there were faint patches of sunlight here and there. It was not to last, however, for at the next crest which gave a better view of the land ahead yet another haze approached fast from the southeast, but since the effect remained light I just walked on, never bothering with rain clothes. I met a runner who judging from his attire could not afford to be still for many seconds, and then arrived at Spåime just before noon as the haze moved away.

Approaching haze

Worse behind me

Passing a couple...

...of tarns

Lill-Ulvåfjället

People at Spåime

There were a number of people about, most having some sort of food break outside the little building. Spåime is special nowadays in that it sports a charging station and wi-fi hotspot, which have been installed to boost safety (or so the rationale goes). I availed myself of neither, and instead had my own lunch sitting against the wall in near-lee as more and more people arrived. Another rain was starting, drifting in from the same direction as before, and when it grew stronger I relocated inside, being joined by more of the others as the shower dragged on. Eventually the worst passed, and I started walking again when it was back to just a few drops in the wind.

The immobile hour had made my knee worse, and I relied more and more on the stick to maintain a comfortable stride. I met quite a few people going the other way, a couple of which I recognized from Storulvån, but once I reached the trail's crest on the slopes of Lill-Ulvåfjället I was all alone. There had been another light drop-bout, but now those seemed to have run out, and the clouds clutching Getryggen ahead of me were slowly lifting. A bit later I met a heavily laden woman with a not-laden-at-all small child on a similarly small bike, and after a more uncomfortable light downhill stretch I came to the large suspension bridge over Lill-Ulvån.

Weak light

Clouds holding sway

Leaving Spåime

Woolly

More of Getryggen visible

Lighter behind me

Miektjieburrientjahke

Boarding

Look, sky!

More of Getryggen...

...and the vale of Handölan

More people on the move

Said bridge swayed quite appreciably as I crossed it, even with my patented swaying-bridge-crossing gait. Going up the next slope was tough work, and I progressed slowly. I met two groups of four, and then came to an area of very pleasant terrain up on the heights. Now I was beginning to feel the onset of... something... in the other knee as well from all the compensating it had had to do over the last few days, so when I reached the trail split to Blåhammaren I sat down to rest for a while at the table placed there, looking out over the clouded landscape.

The next stretch down into the forest was also slow, and when I came to a smaller side path where the main trail grew overly rocky I turned off. I stayed on this path even after a connection returned to the trail, and was rewarded by easily trodden ground through pleasant forest. Eventually I did come back to the trail, which was still rather stony, under the power line to Sylarna, and soon reached the wide wooden walkways closer to Stor-Ulvån. I tiredly walked the last bit up to the Storulvån fjeld station at 15:00, being greeted by the sight of a trio of sheep in a pen outside the main entrance.

Having crossed...

...Lill-Ulvån

Pretty heather

Back in forested lands

Branching off

Last bit

Passing the older buildings...

...belonging to the Storulvån fjeld station...

...beside Stor-Ulvån

Lawnmowers

I took off the boots at once and put the slippers on, and my feet rejoiced at their newfound freedom. I looked inside the station, and found some usable leftover food in the service kitchen, so I decided to make use of that for my dinner. It was still early, however, so I sat down outside and relaxed, reading a bit and watching a good deal of people going to and fro – Storulvån's position as a natural start and end point makes that a given most of the time. The clouds were slowly breaking apart, and when I went down to the stream to prepare dinner on my gas stove the sun broke through. The bus arrived ahead of schedule, and was filled over capacity so the driver had to call for taxi assistance, but it managed to leave more or less on time anyway – and thus my trip was essentially over.

Sun!

Getryggen in all its glory

Transportation