Norway peninsulas

We turned aside several times from the main E6 route on the way south, mostly onto peninsulas.

Balsfjord peninsula was a great find. Rock art at Tennes and an old church; one of the most welcoming campsites at Berg; water-powered sawmills at Aursfjord and then we travelled the E6 via Notvann and a couple of visitor centres to a peninsula near Mo i Rana.

It was very warm at Tennes and Balsfjord church. Still warm on a little walk which started out as “I wonder where those red dots lead” to a walk through woods and across moors and a snow patch to the hill of Tinden. On the way, we saw bluethroat, long-tailed skua and, new to both of us, Temminck’s stint, a scarce wading bird. Not bad for an impromptu walk!

Aursfjord peninsula lies low in the last view of Mårtfjellet but is also quite beautiful and interesting. We started coming across vass-saga references, but didn’t work out what it meant for ages.

Water-powered Sawmill, Aursfjord

By coincidence, at the campsite near the E6 where we pulled off that evening was another vass-saga, accessed over a suspension bridge, a henge-bru (hanging bridge).

The bay was called Sagpollen. It was warm. We were surprised to find such a quiet and pleasant campsite, called Notvann, next to the main road in the height of the season. Generally campsites tried to provide lots of facilities, activities and attractions, and filled up with white boxes, some of which stayed for weeks.

We visited another peninsula here, Finnøya, the best part being just after we had driven onto it. No parking signs at the end meant we came straight back.

A long drive next day, with lots of interest. The E6 is much more direct than our route north, having only one ferry, and following long dales between occasional coastal sections. Two visitor centres gave us cause to stop: A Centre for the five National Parks in this part of Nordland, and the much more commercial Polarkirclen Centre almost on the Arctic Circle.

The E6 took us past Mo i Rana and another peninsula for a roadside stop overnight. Unfortunately, the road had been recently planed, and the cliffs opposite reflected a lot of sound. At least traffic was light until 6am.The best thing about it was easy access to the sea for a cool-off in the water.

We were heading south pretty directly, now, but still had time for diversions, all more inland, which comes next.