Mountain to Fjord 07/05-10/05

Day 1

Our mountain to fjord trip started with a bus ride up to Byglandsfjord near Evje. After approximately one hour (and after having checked with the busdriver multiple times) our group managed get off the bus 20 minutes too early. Which was actually quite funny, but then we found out that it would take us more than two hours to walk up to the designated meeting point. So at that point Laura decided to call Scott, and he told us to wait at the bus stop so that the Trollaktiv van could pick us up. After ten minutes the van arrived, and so we drove up to the fjord. We all managed to be there in time, and thus Even started right away with the basic skill techniques course about canoeing. After lunch we paired up (me + Jo) and picked out canoes. We did some turning and stroking techniques to get used to maneuvering the canoe, and set off around 1AM. Although we had to steer in quite often to keep the canoe in a straight line, it all ran surprisingly smoothly. The ‘forward stroke’ was the easiest to maintain. It is used to simply paddle forward without turning. The ‘reverse stroke’ or ‘backwards paddling’ is used to make the canoe go backwards or to stop the canoe completely. Also important to note is that the person in the bow is in charge of the steering, and the person in the back (the ‘stern’) follows the pace. The person in the stern paddles on one side the canoe and the bow position paddles on the other side. Important is to keep the paddling synchronised, thus working together and proper communication is key. Steering is mostly done from the stern. Major turns are done by using the paddle as a rudder (i.e. ‘stern rudder’): pushing the paddle against the flow of water to the left to turn left, or right to turn right. After three/four hours we arrived on the the island where we were meant to spend the night. We set up camp (or: hang up our hammocks) as soon as we arrived. I had not decided yet whether I wanted to sleep in a hammock or bivy next to the fire, as the weather was amazing (full sun and 20 degrees). Then we decided to go for a swim, so we jumped off the rocks into the fjord. It was extremely cold but definitely worth it. After our swim we cooked, played games and chatted around the fire. My last minute decision was to sleep next to the fire with Frankie, which was not as comfy but definitely added to the experience.

Day 2

We woke up to another lovely sunny day, and me and Frankie had the most amazing view when we crawled out of our sleeping bags. Although when I woke up I noticed that my sleeping bag was quite damp. Yet the warmth of the sun made it dry up rather quickly. After having had breakfast we left for another day of canoeing (10AM). This time the canoeing went more smoothly and the group was way faster than the day before. Evan and Pat let us navigate during the day. After two and a half hours we decided to have lunch in a bay half way to Trollaktiv. Having had half an hour we then continued our trip down the fjord. We arrived at Trollaktiv around 3:30 PM and quite soon after we had to be ready to go rafting. The weather was incredible, and the rafting was really exciting. Luckily we knew all about paddling techniques (because of the canoeing), so that made the rafting a bit more easy for us as a group. After having had a great rafting experience we went back to Trollaktiv, cooked in the communal kitchen and sat around the fire till dark. We (me, Jo, Laura and Frankie spent that night in the teepees. The temperature was airless, and we fell to sleep quickly.

Day 3

After breakfast we collected our bikes and rode our first few kilometres to Evje. We made a mandatory stop at the bakery, as instructed by Len on the info sheet. What a burden it was to be able to eat cake and drink coffee in the sun. After this tiring stop, we continued our journey up to the climbing wall. As it was only 20 kilometres we arrived before lunch time. We put our bikes somewhere in the bushes along the road, and made our way to the climbing spot. After sorting our bags out and having had lunch, we spent the entire afternoon listening to Evan explaining how to set up three anchor point for belaying from the top (or: top roping).

We spent the afternoon practicing top roping, abseiling and tying knots (prusiks, alpine butterfly, Italian clove hitch etc.). I found it very useful and fun to practice all these different roping techniques, as it might come in handy for future prospects. After Evan and the others had left, our group started cooking and setting up camos. Every trip I am surprised how easy it is to cook for a big group of people, and how convenient it is as well. We then chilled around the fire a bit longer and went off to bed around 11:00PM.

Day 4

Early start of the day as we would have to cycle over 50 kilometres. Len came in early, asked for coffee  that we obviously (sorry Len) did not have, and collected our gear so that we only would have to carry a small day pack. We started cycling around 9:30AM, and made our way down along a former train track. The track lead us along forested terrain, fjords and small towns. It was enjoyable to cycle this route as the sun was (again) out all day. In addition to that, I was happy that I brought my own bike as (unfortunately) two of the Trollaktiv bikes broke down after we took a wrong turn and had to climb up a hill. We stopped for lunch in Vennesla, and found out that it would take us only 17 more kilometres to arrive in Kristiansand. At that same time dark clouds came rolling in, and (sooner than forecasted) it started pouring down from the moment we got on our bikes again. Yet, as it would be only 17 kilometres from Vennesla to Kristiansand, we all remained fairly optimistic and thus continued our way down. Hence after 10 kilometres we took a wrong turn (which we would only find about half way up the wrong path) and ended up de-touring for more than 15 kilometres. It had not stopped raining yet since we left Vennesla, and most of our detour was all uphill. Maps would have been useful in this situation, yet it was a (fun) learning curve for all of us. By the time  (two hours later than estimated) we arrived in Kristiansand we all were soaking wet but happy to have come across the finish line.

Learning outcomes

One of the biggest learning outcomes for me personally were the basic canoeing techniques that Evan taught us. The different strokes and turns that you use to maneuver your canoe,how to work together in pairs, and how to communicate clearly over stern and bow. Another (rather) unexpected learning outcome was to never trust ants. The island we were bivvying on was overcrowded by the small creatures, and they would just be everywhere. Other than that, roping techniques, practicing knots and different abseiling techniques brought me added knowledge to what I was already familiar with. Overall I consider the mountain to fjord trip a varied and fun way of getting a hand of all the different outdoor activities that Norway has to offer.