Dovrefjell is a high mountain area which sits across Norway in a manner reminiscent of the Cairngorms in Scotland. Main travel routes cross at 1000m above sea level. Winter hangs on here right through to May.
Trondelag, based around Trondheim, is the large and prosperous region at the centre of Norway, split by Trondheim Fjord.
Fosen is the large peninsula north of Trondheimfjord where our daughter Catriona works at Fosen Folkehøgskole in Rissa.
First stop was at Fokstumyra Nature Reserve, a huge valley mire with a 6km trail round it. Loads of good birds to see: Bluethroat, red-necked phalarope, wood sandpipers, crane and hen harriers.
Then to Hageseter camping, where we had an evening walk among the ancient reindeer traps, which are common here.
We had a morning walk to the Snøhetta viewpoint cabin, which we were delighted to find was open. From here we saw one of the reintroduced musk ox in the distance.
A little further north we walked on part of the old King’s Road and found more bluethroats in the low trees.
We hoped to see the collection of native plants at Kongsvoll botanical gardens, but we were too early in the season, and apart from a Siberian primrose and purple saxifrage, the plants weren’t ready for us.
However, across the road, we had much better views of a musk ox. We were warned by a wildlife guide not to approach it, as they can be dangerous.
We wound our way north to Oppdal, a town which buzzes in winter as a ki centre. Overlooking the town is the byfjell of Allmannsberget, which we climbed the following day. A steep climb through pine and birch woods, and a winding trac over moorland still covered by large snow patches.
So, on to Trondheim, were we enjoyed the summer street café culture at God Brød (good bread), found an indispensable Scandinavian Flora (book) and picked up a key with would give us access to the DNT hut we had booked.
Then ferry to Fosen and to meet up with Catriona and Emma for a few days and deliver, at last, the baskets, ski boots etc etc we had been transporting from Scotland. We visited Nost, the farm that Catriona and Emma run and had a walk up to Lefaetten, the farm’s saetre or hill ground.
On Catriona’s suggestion, we travelled round the dramatic coast of Fosen and took the ferry from Garten to the island of Storfosna, which has a sea inlet with a narrow entrance and amazing slabs, on Fosenflellet, composed of conglomerate rock.
Travelling further north in Trondelag, we paid a visit to Leka, Norway’s national geological monument. Our walk round Lekafjellet was spectacular, and we found an unmarked route up Hundoyran (only 302m but a real rock peak) from the central lake there.
Returning to the mainland, we joined the celebrated Kystriksveien (coastal route) which took us into Nordland and on to the North West.
Exploring Norway 