Tuesday 29/7

I took the little path past Vytjärn (reference) and then aimed directly for the confluence of Vålån and Härjångsån; walking was very easy on nice heathland almost all the way, but towards the end there was a small mire I had to round. As planned I reached the water just where the two streams join, but since conditions for fishing were not very good there I continued downstream a bit. By then the sun had been covered up by a bank of high veils and the oppressive heat of the last few days was therefore much alleviated, and a bit of wind added to the effect.

I started fishing when I reached a meadow of sorts, but I got nothing other than a rock on the far side of the stream, which was not very wide just there. After a while I therefore exchanged the spinner for a set of flies, and immediately on the very first cast a fish swallowed the bait, but unfortunately it unswallowed it while still a few meters out. I continued with my efforts for some time yet, but all I had for it was visual contact with another fish that just nibbled at one of the flies before darting off. Having decided that there was nothing to it I sat down where I was and had lunch at 11:45, going around the meadow looking at flowers afterwards (as well as an interesting caterpillar).

Vytjärn (Viewmere)

Rock and Härjångsfjällen

The confluence of Vålån and Härjångsån

Having done so I walked further upstream, past the confluence and then a series of minuscule waterfalls, and now the veils were drifting off releasing more solar power. I tried my hand for a bit in the calm waters above the rapids, but nothing came of it so soon I continued to the next calm area. After another fruitless session I went over to the place where I had left the spinner on my first excursion, which was just above – and then it was abundantly clear that the water level in the stream had sunk drastically since last time. Indeed, retrieving the spinner was a simple matter of walking out in ankle-deep water and picking it up from behind the rock against which it had been jammed, and it felt really good being able to salvage a lost piece of equipment thus.

Härjångsån down

Härjångsån up

I went on to make some casts in the cove directly above, being much disturbed by an unidentified "something" that had taken up position somewhere in my eye and refused to leave. Suddenly I heard a crack of thunder far off to the east, and as I changed back to a spinner there were more booms closer by. Something else which there was more of was sunlight, and thereby also warmth, but as the thunderhead now seemed to be close to Vålåvalen itself I saw fit to embark upon the return journey at 14:00. I went around a rather large and rather wet bog after which followed nice and easy heath. When I was drawing close to Vytjärn I observed a fairly large group of people in among the trees where the trail goes, and they were headed towards the cottages. I emerged onto said trail just after they had passed, and I filed onto the yard on their tail before 14:30, overhearing a few German words.

Calm

Less calm

Across the heath...

...past the same rock

« Return to Vålåvalen report