Thursday 24/7 – Monday 28/7

Thursday 24/7

Rough-legged buzzard, possibly

The following day it was still overcast, however, but after breakfast the clouds started parting, and it was both still and warm. I pondered the question whether or not to bet on a day tour, and resolved at least to do some laundry first as I was running out of clean garments. I therefore went over to the old cottage to be out of the way, and while the water heated I emptied the garbage containerns and did some other stuff inside. Moving on to the rinsing process I went to the little pool behind the woodshed, where a swarm of mosquitos eagerly awaited my arrival. By then the sky was almost clear and it was quite warm, so when I was done I packed for another excursion, this time choosing the shorts. Now only the Belgians were left, and after a quick talk with them I was on my way at 10:30.

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On the yard stood a man with rather a broad Värmland dialect, and I chatted briefly with him before returning back down to Sturebadet for a very pleasant cleansing. Upon climbing the slope again I noticed that some of the items I had hung on the drying line had fallen to the ground due to the wind, so I went over there to adjust things. I then had a fruit-fortified snack immediately upon which a camping couple came on the Vålådalen trail; they were headed for Härjångsfjällen and so only bought some things before going on, and I tipped them off about the campsite by the Härjångsån bridge. Three more groups totalling seven people then arrived, and they all stayed.

I turned to the preparation of dinner, and in so doing managed to spill a bit of boiling water on my foot, resulting in a flayed patch. Not good. After both food and dessert I did nothing in particular, but talking some with the assembled visitors and reading. The evening was an incredibly nice and clear one, but apparently the mosquitos and suchlike were fond of it as well. Another side effect was the uncomfortably warm indoor temperature, which owing to said mosquitos and sucklike was not easily reduced, so it was with no extra cover that I lay down for the night.

Friday 25/7

I went in-bed mosquito hunting in the wee hours of the night, but then I slept to the usual time. Already it was hot outside and also entirely calm, so it was obviously going to be a very warm day. The single man had already left, one of the pairs did so shortly and everyone else was also on the move early, so I had the opportunity to make an early start myself – I had had my sights on a visit to Gåsen while Håkan and Ingrid were still there, and this was their last day so the time was well chosen (or received). It was 08:45 when I set out, wearing only shorts, a sun hat and a very light pack.

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Immediately after arriving and saying hi to the one woman who was sitting on the porch I threw myself in Sturebadet, which took place in sunlight – and also in the obvious presence of fish. When I was just done the other came down for a bath of her own, and I went in to have some fruit creme. For some strange reason I was feeling exhausted so I sprawled on the bed and rested until I could summon the strength to make dinner. Afterwards I went back to resting, and now I really felt the effects of the sun on my shoulders. Looking out I could see dark clouds further off to the south, and what looked like thunder in the area of Dunsjön, which was followed by localized rainfall which passed in the direction of Ljungan.

Just after 20:30 two men arrived from Vålådalen, and they paid for two nights at once. Just then another two people – women this time – came from Helags, seeming half-dead from the effort, but after settling in properly they seemed to regain some of their stamina. All four latecomers then had their respective evening meals, and outside the clouds of the afternoon saw fit to remove themselves from existence, but the sun had now passed behind the western ridge and the air was cool(er) and (more) pleasant. I went for a short photo round before falling into a (somewhat overly) warm bed at 22:15, positioning myself gingerly because of the tender skin on my shoulders.

Saturday 26/7

Also this morning was clear and warm, so the coming day was expected to be even more so. The two men who had arrived late the day before were to go on a (long) day tour up onto Gråsjöfjället, where two military airplanes crashed within sight of each other during an educational flight in 1948, so they hoped to locate them; they had brought papers and stuff detailing the occurrence, of which I had seen or heard nothing whatsoever until that moment.

Having cleaned up after everyone had left I went to the wood mere, somewhat close to which I spread out a sleep mat on the one patch slightly suited for it and lay down in the sun. There were a fair bit of mosquitos and horse flies around, but my US622 repellant kept them at bay, even though the buzz of the latter kind was annoying. I covered my shoulders with a towel and read in Fjällsmultron until I felt it was time to enter the water. Upon doing so I discovered that just a few paces out from the shore the bottom was all mud, so the best bet was to just recline and try to float. I did just that and found the water to be pleasantly warm, but cool enough to, well, cool things off. Another reading-and-basking session was followed by another bathing session, and then I returned to the cottage for lunch.

Submerged

Gruvsmällen and cottage roof

The hills of Roupe

Luspientjaerhvie before Gråsjöfjället

While I ate the sun was mostly hidden behind a cloud, but then it reappeared and I went back to the mere and continued to read. During the next bath I swam across the mere to the opposite side, but finding the bottom to be of like condition all the way there was not much to it, and I swam back at once. I finished Fjällsmultron and then remained for a while to dry. It was now very hot in the sun, and the insects seemed more and more ardent, so I soon saw fit to get back.

The time was about 14 when I walked onto the yard to find an elderly German couple on the porch. Via some very shaky English, Germanic affinity and a pocket dictionary we covered a weather report, the buying of sun protection, and the giving of a photo they had taken of the warden in this very place a few years ago; I did not recognize him myself, but promised to convey it to the person in question somehow. There was also a Swedish man sitting at the table in front of the old cottage, and I walked over to speak with him too. He had walked from Vålådalen and was "catching his breath" before going on to Stensdalen. Now it was cloudier again, and off to the southeast another bout of rain was occurring.

All three of them soon left, and when they had done so I went for a walk up Roupe. The way up was pressingly warm, but on the top a nice wind was blowing. The rainfall was passing eastwards, and the low rumbling of distant thunder reached my ears. I took the other path back down and went inside to have a look in a reference book of fjeld flowers.

The woodshed/garbage room

Gråsjödörren från Roupe

Ridge upon ridge

Back again

Soon two women came from Gåsen, and after seeing them in I started to bake another cake, having a snack while the oven heated. I then changed the batteries in the camera, which were finally running out, upon which followed the arrival of an older couple from Vålådalen and then two more hikers from Ljungdalen. I had dinner and dessert while reading in the flower book, and then I started the task of answering a number of questions sent to all wardens for an upcoming overhaul of STF's website, going to the shop to do so because it was much cooler there than in the warden's room. The pair of women were on their way out for an evening stroll, and when they asked if I had any particular recommendations I of course mentioned Roupe. Outside it was clear again and rather wonderful, had it not been for the multitude of mosquitos.

The time was well after 21 when the airplane hunters finally came back, having not succeeded in their quest – they had walked around and around and up and down and around some more, but not seen squat, so the wrecks may have been shipped away at some point in the 1980s or so. I went on writing for a while before it was time for radio weather and evening snack, after which I talked with some of the others in the kitchen before crawling into bed before 22:30.

Lots of fireweed beside the house

Sun setting

Harebells on the yard

Härjångsfjällen in the dusk

Sunday 27/7

This time the clouds'n'showers were already present over the usual southeastern areas when I got up. My shoulder skin was noticeably better, but parts still hurt when rubbed the wrong way, so to speak. I soon discovered two people outside the window and went out to greet them – they had camped at Kroktjärnarna and were on their way to Helags, where their third attempt to mount the mount now seemed more than likely to succeed (both the previous two had been thwarted by snowstorms).

I talked for quite a bit with the "expedition pair" before they left, and they bestowed upon me and the cottage site their information material, for posterity, and I added a note about their localization attempt. Two more campers passed by, and then I set about cleaning the place thoroughly. Just before lunchtime a Dutch family of three arrived, having camped as well, and they came in for a bit to get away from the mosquitos and horse flies. They then heeded my advice and went down to Sturebadet, while I myself went up onto Roupe again.

Once above the trees I aimed directly for the southernmost summit, but as it turned out the ground (or that which grew upon it) was not very well suited for the sandals I was wearing. I still managed to find a passable way, and having arrived at my destination I sat down with my back against the large cairn there, letting it shield me from the sun; there was also some wind which felt really good. I had lunch and read in my book, frequently raising my eyes to absorb the beauty of the scene.

Eventually I got up and proceeded straight to the northernmost summit, from which I cut across the land to the main path, which again entailed some inventive stepping. From there I could see that the family was just leaving, having had an extended break, and before going down myself I improved upon the (very) small cairns that marked the path across dry and hard ground, or made new ones where appropriate. While this was not at all hard work, it was very warm and still in the air, so when I found the place empty upon my return I immediately walked down to Sturebadet and stepped in. It was better than ever, and it was only reluctantly that I got up again.

Dragonfly on the privy wall

Smällhögarna and part of
Lill-Stensdalsfjället

Rounded Ottfjället

One of the summits of Roupe

Kroktjärnarna et al

Aaaaahh!

I went on to have fruit and snack in the shadow on the porch, and then I went to the nearby table to continue my writing. There was a bit of wind – and mosquitos – on and off, and despite the warmth of the sun it was pretty comfortable sitting there. Eventually I went inside and relaxed to the radio, never being disturbed by new arrivals. Towards dinnertime the sun was covered by a large cloud which brought temperatures down to more reasonable levels.

Later on I observed a tent close to the nearest crest some kilometers away on the Gåsen trail; perhaps it was the Dutch family, even though they had intended to go all the way to Härjångssjöarna before making camp. Another rain came into being in the southeast, and later on there was a bit of thunder in the northeast, but where I was things were as fair as ever. I continued to write and did some other things I needed to do inside, and before I knew it it was time for the evening forecast (and snack, of course). The evening itself was beautiful indeed, but unfortunately the mosquitos seemed more zealous than usual, so there were no long outdoor visits before I finally closed my eyes around 22:45 – for the second time with no one else in the house.

The older cottage

The newer cottage

Signpost

PR...

Monday 28/7

When I awoke there was not a cloud to be seen, and neither was there wind of any kind. I simply had no choice but to go on another short bathing tour, and this time I aimed for the "lower" mere I had found about a week before. I went straight to the closest bay, where I tested the bottom; it was somewhat muddy here too, but it was possible to find a streak with a semi-stable stratum, which enabled actual walking out into the water. I lay down on an open patch nearby and busied myself with book and crossword, while sun and wind competed for mastery of sensation. Several immersions took place, and they were all wondrously pleasant; I had brought a little thermometer according to which the water temperature was 18°C.

Suddenly I heard some sounds, which resolved into voices, which then resolved into glimpses of people up on the trail; I counted four going east towards Lunndörren. I had lunch in that same place and then went back to basking and bathing. At last feeling content I packed up and walked off, making an arc starting out alongside the mere and then turning up the path, then swerving directly towards Sturebadet. This turned out to be a somewhat difficult matter, for the terrain comprised many a low shrub which I needed to circumvent (sandals, you know), but I did manage to get there without too much hassle. I put in the thermometer and upon taking it up I immediately put it back, but also the next reading was the same – the water actually did hold an impressive 23°C!

At the mere

In the mere

From the mere

When I returned home at 13:15 there was still no one to be seen, but a voice message from Ebba in Lunndörren (there had been a warden change there too) told of six people on the way. I took it easy in the meantime, but the first to arrive were a couple who had camped at Stensdalstjärnarna where they had been fishing, and apparently several other parties had had the same idea.

Just as I was speaking to them a guy leading a unicycle(!) came up the slope from Sturebadet – which is not in any way a common sight in a place like this. He had cycled from Storulvån to Gåsen, and then onwards; the first part had been very easy (as it should, given the road), but today he had had to lead his vehicle for long periods. I then sat down for an afternoon snack before people started pouring in: a total of 15 more arrived before dinner. Just as I was finishing up the dishes there were two more, but then things quieted down and I went out to join three people who were sitting at the outside table: the unicycler, a girl who had come from Helags, and a man who had followed in her footsteps – which meant that all the present "singles" were now assembled.

A long and varied conversation followed (or, rather, continued), and it was most pleasant sitting outside now that the sun was not sizzling hot (even though I could have done without the mosquitos). These talks were first interrupted by some people wanting to have a look in the shop, and then by the late arrival of four new visitors from Vålådalen. When the sun finally descended behind the western ridge we called it quits, but only location-wise: things went on for quite some time yet in the kitchen. As a consequence my bed-entering was delayed compared to what is usual, but this also had the effect that I got to see some rather striking late evening clouds.