Iceland November 2014

Intro
It all started with Addie, Chris and Geraldine planning to go to the Airwaves festival in Reykjavik. Then I added myself to the trip with a view not to go to the festival but to go hiking. Chris was unable to go because of her illness and Geraldine wasn’t able to go either. So Addie recruited Rosie and then there were 3.
Sun 2nd November

Stayed in the Radisson Blu at Manchester airport. I dropped the bags off, drove to the Meet and Greet parking to find I only had parking from Monday to Monday. The guy took pity on me and gave me a night for free! I walked the Skyway back to the hotel, settled in and met up with Addie and Rosie for a beer in the bar.
Someone said "red, white and blue"
Someone said “red, white and blue”
Mon 2nd November
My deal of park (limited) and sleep didn’t include breakfast so I walked into T2 but no shops there without setting off to the wrong location and particularly no M&S so thought I would get something in T1. Lovely surprise, Addie brought me a bread roll, an apple and a yoghurt! We walked the Skyway to T1, checked in, did security (thorough frisking for me even inside the top of my pants)! Shopping was a large bottle of whisky. Coffee, then onto the plane.
Smooth flight up through Scotland and along most of the southern coast of Iceland. Cool but sunny on arrival. Onto bus to cross a very flat lunar landscape. To Reykjavik and a quick switch to a minibus which took us to the Embassy Luxury Apartments see the link for photos of the flat. The Russian embassy is across the road from the flat. At first there was no answer to the intercom but we soon got in. Freya then rang us to check we were ok. Flat is v spacious and comfortable with 4 separate table areas – kitchen, dining room, vast leather sofa for watching TV and another relaxing set up in sitting room. Hot water is geothemically heated so smells of sulphur which we will get used to after a few weeks, we are only here for one week. Cold water comes off mountains and is delicious. We all got nice bedrooms. I went for the twin as small and cosy. Lots of books mostly in Icelandic and a large number of hideous and in two instances disturbing items of “art” on the walls. Settled in and unpacked then out to explore. Looked in supermarkets and food is expensive, in fact everything is. We went to Caruso to eat. I had quiche baked potato and salad which was good. Nice firm pastry and chunky veg.
Did some shopping in the 7:11 and then home via the city pond (Tjornin).
Cheers me dears
Cheers me dears
This one is loads better in a photo than on the wall, can actually make sense of it now.
This one is loads better in a photo than on the wall, can actually make sense of it now.
I rather liked these chaps.
I rather liked these chaps.
This one was also better in the photo.
This one was also better in the photo.
This was HUGE and frankly very nasty.
This was HUGE and frankly very nasty.
What can I say?
What can I say?
I liked this one for its bonkersness.
I liked this one for its bonkersness.
Kiki didn't seem to like being open to guests.
Kiki didn’t seem to like being open to guests.
N and R were obscuring the name of the shop!
A and R were obscuring the name of the shop!
Lake Tjornin
Lake Tjornin
Tuesday 3rd November
Got up early for collection by David (an Englishman) of Iceland Horizon. Drove out of city. He gave us lots of info and quite a few opinions some of which were a bit old fashioned but he knew a lot and was good on geology and birds and culture. We stopped often and jumped out for the loo and coffees, then a waterfall to walk behind, a farm under Eyjafyallajokull (I can almost say this now) which had made a video of when the volcano went off, their house was covered in ash, they had to leave. The farm is pretty much self sustainable with its own hydro electricity since the 1920s and hot water and heat from geothermal sources. Then to the beach at Myrdal with basalt columns. Another cafe at Vik where we surreptitiously ate our sandwiches. On the return trip to a glacier with black ash from Eyjafyallajokull making it look very grubby, then another big waterfall at Skogafoss. Dark and snow on the way back. We tried valiantly to keep the condensation off the windows but it was a somewhat thankless task and had a certain bonkersness to it as we had to share just 2 water scrapers back and forth up and down the minibus. Back at the flat, A and R quickly produced leek and potato soup and pasta with veg and sauce. We stayed up late and drank whisky. David said there would be no buses at all to Mt Esja as no one lives there or has any need to travel there or even past there.
Sneaky pic.
Sneaky pic.
And another sneaky one, love the intense concentration in both.
And another sneaky one, love the intense concentration in both.

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Myrdal
Myrdal

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Basalt columns
Basalt columns

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No idea! A highland fling perhaps?
No idea! A highland fling perhaps?

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Grubby glacier
Grubby glacier

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Setting up Little Ted for a shoot
Setting up Little Ted for a shoot
Orange works well on the glacier
Orange works well on the glacier
Just squeezed in there
Just squeezed in there
Wednesday 5th November
We all got up late and walked to Harpa, the gleaming new media centre. Addie and Rosie got their wristbands for the Airwaves festival. I then went to the tourist information centre and got information on the non-existent buses to the places where people do live and even for journeys beyond. I wandered around the town, went to the church, a creperie – Eldur og Is and had a cheese and sun-dried tomato crêpe. Bought some beer and some Brennavin for Kate. Came home and just chilled. Had some soup for supper.
Leifur Eriksson
Leifur Eriksson

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Any why not?
Any why not?
Leifur Eriksson found America first
Leifr Eriksson found America first
Concrete church, the Icelanders have been a bit too fond of concrete...
Concrete church, the Icelanders have been a bit too fond of concrete…
Thursday 6th November
Slow starting the day. Walked to Volcano House cinema via the old harbour. Watched a film about volcanic fissure on Heimaey Island in the Vestmannaeyjar  Islands near Vik in 1973. Then another one about the Eyjafyallajokull eruption in 2010. Got a Reykjavik welcome card. Went to 871 + – 2 Settlement exhibition which is a Viking long hall. They’ve built the exhibition around the actual dig.
Lunch at Gio raw food. 3 salads for £4.50 with rye bread included. Very good. Located the Handknitting Association of Iceland. There were ladies knitting by hand in the back of the shop! Walked across to the national museum which gave me a comprehensive history of Iceland. I saw the actual axe and block used to behead Agnes Magnusdottir, I am reading her story in Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and recommended to me by Chris.
Bought veg so as to cook dinner for when the girls returned from the Blue Lagoon, all chilled out! Made noodles, veg, tofu and peanut sauce with toasted nuts. They seemed to like it.
Nice little hut
Nice little hut
Apparently Reykjavik is overrun by cats, I saw about 4.
Apparently Reykjavik is overrun by cats, I saw about 4.
A badstofa
A badstofa
Off they go out to boogie!
Off they go out to boogie!
Typical corrugated iron clad houses, but not rusty!
Typical corrugated iron clad houses, but not rusty!

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Mount Esja
Mount Esja

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Lots of people very unhappy in the small population.
Lots of people very unhappy in the small population.

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Friday 7th November
A and R went to the Blue Lagoon so I went to the local hot baths which were included in my 24 hour city pass. I thought I was mad walking across to the pool in my swimsuit in very chilly air temperature but then the relief of the warm water made it all ok. I swam myself warm in the first pool, then moved into the next one to get a bit warmer, and then the next one to get warmer still. There were hotter pools but I was quite happy at 38 degrees. The lifeguards appeared to be wearing snowmobile suits so I dread to think what they would do if someone needed them, maybe they strip off very quickly or perhaps they use a pole.
We all went into town and I set off to do a bit more shopping and then went down to the prom to take some photos of the stainless steel Viking boat. I was nearly blown away and it was icy cold in the wind. I went back up to Gardurinn Buddhist resto for a veggie curry which came quickly and was lovely.
It was bitingly cold wind chill that day requiring hot chocolate when I got back to the flat.
I then went out to the university cinema which doubles as a conference centre to see the first of a series of films to commemorate 25 years since the wall came down in Berlin. I was very interested to see all this as I’d kind of missed it all at the time because my dad was ill and dying. There was an introduction by an Icelandic chap to welcome us all (mostly a German audience). The first film was Zug in die Freiheit (The Train to Freedom). There was a panel at the end of Icelanders who were in Berlin at the time so they said their bits and asked for questions but none were forthcoming! Good film.
I liked the statuary
I liked the statuary
Off out to more bands!
Off out to more bands!
No traffic
No traffic
Embassy Luxury Apartments
Embassy Luxury Apartments
I'd like this boat
I’d like this boat

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An electricity building
An electricity building
Saturday 8th November
Up early to the bus stop near the Radhus in the dark. No. 6 Bus didn’t come. 10 mins later as I walked away it did come very fast and wouldn’t stop so I think the driver overslept. All well as went home for loo, coffee and to pick up my phone which I’d left on charge.
The next bus did arrive and went through the burbs to Artun which is not very nice just a big bus stop on a busy road. The 57 bus came and dropped me off half an hour later at Esjuraetur Hiking Centre. This is a big name for a bus stop. There is a cafe which was shut and a portaloo and a hand drawn picture of routes up the mountain. I had given my details to Iceland 112 in advance. My map was limited by being 1:100,000 and my head would struggle to do the maths but the sky was clear and it was sunny so I could see my path went up the east side of the valley. They really do need to make some maps at a larger scale. It was also very very cold and very very windy. There were a few other hikers out. I was warm enough with all my gear but wished I’d remembered the balaclava. One girl was out in trainers and no socks. Not for long I bet. I went about half way up but stopped when the ice became too difficult without crampons. The path was clear but I drew the line when the wind blew shards of ice into my face. Went back down across a bridge. Chatted to woman taking photos. Back to the shut cafe having just missed a bus. Hung around in the sun and ate oatcakes and cheese. The woman met up with her husband and they offered me a lift to a bus stop somewhere but I said the view was probably nicer where I was and they agreed! Having seen the bus stops I was right!
The 57 Bus came and I went back to Artun, waited half an hour. The next bus didn’t go back to Radhus despite being a No. 6 but I got off at the top of the road and walked back home.
Out again to the university cinema to see 2 parts of Der Turm (The Tower) which was good but part 1 ended at 9.30 and part 2 was due to start at 10.00 however the person doing the mechanics couldn’t make the DVD player work so it started at 10.25. I got out at midnight only to find I’d missed a 5 min show of the Northern Lights. Buggeration!! I went to behind the Marina Hotel now the Icelandair Hotel but nothing doing (David had said this was the best place to see them). Addie took some photos of the event. A and R also managed to get a good home for the spare Airwaves ticket which is great as it went to a woman who wanted to see her son playing drums.
Little Ted resting after the climb
Little Ted resting after the climb

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Mt. Esja
Mt. Esja
Mt. Esja
Mt. Esja
Mt. Esja from Artun
Mt. Esja from Artun
Tjornin
Tjornin
Tjornin
Tjornin

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Mt. Esja very much a part of city views
Mt. Esja very much a part of city views
Sunday 9th November
We had a restful day at home packing and eating.  I made a short foray to the shops.
Out to the cinema for Die Unberuhbare which was dire. Don’t even think about it.
We had just received a photo from Geraldine showing us a lovely bare table at home!
We had just received a photo from Geraldine showing us a lovely bare table at home!
Monday 10th November
Up at 4 a.m. The minibus arrived on time. It then stopped for ages in the town whilst the driver got a coffee. Eventually back to the bus station and into the coaches. Got to the airport and quite a slow performance through security. I was invited to have my flight case opened but this was because I had a large lump of cheese in it! To be honest I was so sleepy I didn’t really care. I was allowed to keep it that’s the main thing.
The flight home was fine and fab to see the sun coming up. Little Ted was dancing on Addie’s head, honestly he’d spent the whole week drinking whisky and beer and set himself up with a Facebook page. That bear is irrepressible!
White, blue and red
White, blue and red
Little Ted thinking about jumping on Nola's head
Little Ted thinking about jumping on Addie’s head

And finally

Thank you to Chris, because it was all your idea! I’m so sorry you couldn’t be with us and I missed you every day but you will get to go there. I loved Iceland and would like to do the round trip.

Thanks also to my great companeros who bravely went to something like 25 bands over the course of 5 days! And why have just one hat when you can have 6?! Here’s one for you which may or may not have been sung by Anna Calvi! See, I was listening!

Bruce Springsteen – Fire

Man in a hat (Bruce at the Hammersmith Odeon back in 1975, singing Thunder Road – an absolutely epic performance, enough to make grown men cry….)

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

MAPandCOMPASS

Llanfechain June 2014

Fri 13th

Journey to Llanfechain was long because of a pile up near Chester just under a roundabout over the A55. A very enterprising young man helped us to reverse back through all the accumulated traffic and we got onto the slip road and away. Good to see someone with a bit of nous.
After settling in we took a short stroll from the cottage, about 2 km and back.
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Sat 14th
To Dolanog and then along a bit of Ann Griffiths’ Way and a bit of Owain Glyndwr’s to locate a hill fort. Found it using contours only.
To Seeds in Llanfyllin for dinner.
I had dressed crab which was excellent, steak also good and a creamy thing. C had rack of lamb and huge piece of treacle tart.
From the hill fort
From the hill fort
Sun 15th
To Pontrobert and then all the way along Ann Griffiths’ way to the point at which we left it the day before so we have walked the whole of it. She was a hymn writer. I have now found another bit of it on the map so we didn’t do it all, oh well I am sure we will be back and can finish it off.
Can anyone identify this?
Can anyone identify this?
Cool, calm and collected
Cool, calm and collected
Mon 16th
To Welshpool very early for C to dialyse.
Strange knocking sound in car has been bothering me so drove to Kwikfit in Oswestry which also had the benefit of being opposite Skoda dealer in case I did need to do something urgently. Nothing was found to be loose. I then went for coffee and shops in Oswestry and back to Welshpool to collect C. Drove to a point on the Offa’s Dyke Path with the intention of walking a bit of it. C not well so brought her back to the cottage to sleep.
Went and put up blue balloons to guide Chris in.
She arrived and after waking Carol we went for the full circuit from the cottage. This was the first showing of Carol’s sun hat which gave her a surprisingly artistic appearance. All most fitting as there was a cook book in the cottage of Monet’s recipes. He wasn’t the most inspired of cooks and perhaps should have concentrated on the painting! Here he is in his hat: http://pinkpagodastudio.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/happy-birthday-claude-monet.html
Green Thai chicken curry with rice and broccoli.
Played 1980s quiz game, surprisingly hard, perhaps not, I don’t remember being very sober in that decade.
Imelda
Imelda
Early morning Oswestry
Early morning Oswestry
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The Monet hat makes its appearance
Tues 17th
We all drove to Lake Vrynwy. Went in all the gift shops (3) and the RSPB shop.
Walked a circuit which had a couple of steep sections. Chris not so good.
Back to cafe for yummy ice cream which picked her up a bit.
Farewell to Chris at lake.
We used the washing machine and put it all on the line to dry.
Set off a bit late to go to the Pen y Dyffryn hotel at Rhydycroesau. 2 AA rosettes.
Appetiser was a small coffee cup of veg soup. Tasty.
Starter, I had a goats cheese and tomato tart. C had mackerel pate.
Main, I had a pithivier because it sounds so silly to say. Not a good way to pick food as it was more pastry. C had guinea fowl which tasted like chicken to me.
Pud, we both had welsh cakes with berries and creamy blob of stuff.
I enjoyed dressing up and eating out but C says she would rather go for a pub meal in her jeans!
Claude and Chris
Claude and Chris
Straining tower at Lake Vyrnwy
Straining tower at Lake Vyrnwy
Crumbling Victorian concrete
Crumbling Victorian concrete
Weds 18th
Up horribly early to Welshpool for dialysis. I went off and walked up to Beacon Ring which is on the ODP. The ring isn’t exactly creepy but I didn’t feel like walking through the dense wood on the top so went round it. Which council gave the planning permission for not just 1 but 2 mobile phone masts on an important archaeological site? On the way back down I came across some people having sex in a car. He looked very hot with the windows shut and singularly unattractive with his bald head and straggly hair. I only saw his naked torso you understand.
After this excitement I drove down to Leighton and parked by the church (locked) for a while. Then into Welshpool for coffee and lemon drizzle cake. Not drizzled enough.
Then picked up C.
To Church Stretton for a wander round. Hot. Nice shops.
Back near Chirbury to walk some more of the ODP. Stayed on the flat as very hot. We saw a kite at very close quarters.
Back home, supper and stroll round the lanes.
Beacon Ring without
Beacon Ring without
Beacon Ring with
Beacon Ring with
Leighton church
Leighton church
Church Stretton
Church Stretton
Claude has been let out again
Claude has been let out again
Lovely line of trees
Lovely line of trees
The kite
The kite
Thurs 19th
Lazy start. Plumbers came and gave us lots of hot water.
Went up to Lake Vyrnwy and took road up west side that was closed when we were here in March. Mountain road across the passes and into the National Park. Very steep road almost as alarming as the Bealach to Applecross. Stopped at Pennant to walk in the mountain. Lovely path, saw no one. Practised belaying and felt starting to get the hang of it it with my other hand. Picnic lunch and back to drive home on the A roads.
Bad squirrels had got in the window and eaten Carol’s bread rolls this time. Also poo everywhere. Not nice.
Still straining
Still straining
Claude admiring the view
Claude admiring the view

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The artist resting
The artist resting

Friday 20th

We packed up and bade farewell to Nicky who told us a most amusing story of one of her old boyfriends and his false teeth. As we left we came across a giant 2″ wasp creature which appears to be an Asian hornet. After I posted it on Facebook I was advised to report it to the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology which I have duly done.

We drove to Rhydycroesau and took on a bit more of the ODP. We actually met someone doing it, a nice man with a beard and a dog and kind eyes.

Looking forward to the next trip!

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Asian hornet
Asian hornet
Hatching a bale
Hatching a bale

Lakes in April 2014

Tuesday 22nd April
I picked Chris up from Todmorden and we set off smartly, stopping at Lancaster services for supplies from M&S and coffees, Tebay services for more supplies, Penrith for diesel and Keswick for an anorak and a head torch for Chris to add to her collection. We ate our M&S salads in the car park. She had butternut squash and I had a beetroot and mint one, they were very tasty. 

We parked in Bowness Knot car park and then walked the 7 miles to Black Sail youth hostel which really does feel remote as that’s the only way to get there although the YHA does have a Land Rover which trundles up and down with duvet covers and bottles of beer. We were in a room on the left of the main room with 4 bunk beds in it. Chris very kindly took the top bunk as I was worried that if it was hot, the heat would rise which would probably melt me as I’m currently having thermostat problems. We made up our beds. There was one other occupant. We made our dinner of boiled mixed veg, rice and LWIF meatballs. C didn’t feel so well so I had some of hers too then yummy Simnel cake I had made.  We drank Jennings’ Cocker Hoop and Snecklifter. I liked the Cocker Hoop better. Early to bed.
Old YHA Land Rover at Black Sail
Old YHA Land Rover at Black Sail
Ennerdale Water
Ennerdale Water
On the road to Black Sail
On the road to Black Sail
Wednesday 23rd April
C snored and I sneezed but the woman we shared with from Birmingham was very forgiving or at least too polite to say we had kept her awake. I haven’t really slept for 3 weeks since my internal thermostat decided to go on the blink and give me the experience of random hot sweats at any time. The only good thing is that they don’t last very long but I do long to sleep through an entire night without either sneezing or sweating.
We had breakfast of yoghurt jam and granola pots. We tidied up and set off for Pillar. It soon became clear that Chris really wasn’t going to be able to go very far uphill so we changed our plans and walked a little further towards the head of the valley and then back to Bowness Knot along the south side of the river. This was a lovely walk going through different types of woodland. On the way we had pork pies for our lunch. We had planned to walk up Pillar and across to Steeple and down to Ennerdale YH but the walk we did do was still very pretty with the river burbling away.
Back at the car we went for a drive round to Wasdale and stopped at the Wasdale Head Inn for a pot of tea and shared a piece of cake.
Then drove back across the moor road to Ennerdale Bridge and stopped at the Fox and Hounds for supper. C had Cumberland sausage and mash and veg and gravy and I had sea bass and chips and veg and homemade tartare sauce. Washed down with Jennings beer on tap. The food was ok but not totally top notch. My fish was overdone.
We then drove back to Ennerdale YH for the night. I had asked by email if we could park here for last night while we walked to Black Sail but got a reply that we couldn’t. I then found that the woman from Birmingham had done so and she hadn’t even been staying there, Ggrrr! When I get time I will write a letter. However this reminded me that they never replied when the man in charge of Bryn Gwynant broke the noise curfew he was supposed to be implementing by playing rock music so loud it woke me up. Anyway it was lovely to shower and drink Moretti beer.
I watched the manager reverse the brand new YHA Land Rover in the dark towards the gate posts. Probably best to learn how to do this in the daylight IMHO!! I think it was unscathed but looked a close shave.
Early morning at Black Sail
Early morning at Black Sail
Chris at Black Sail
Chris at Black Sail
Head of the valley
Head of the valley
It was this big!
It was this big!
Mad woman on bridge
Mad woman on bridge
The heron
The heron
Ennerdale Water
Ennerdale Water
Wasdale in the gloom
Wasdale in the gloom
Thursday 24th April
We had a leisurely yoghurt breakfast again and then set off to drive across the mountain Whinlatter Pass to Keswick’s west side. We parked up and walked up Catbells. Chris found this hard work but I’m very grateful to her that she stuck with it and helped me reach my 61st Wainwright.  After all her efforts, we went into Keswick and had some food in the Square Orange cafe. C had a ciabatta and I had 2 tapas, a sort of omelette and some fresh tomato on bruschetta. Very delicious and a nice relaxing cafe.
Then we drove home.
Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.
Mountain Rescue bears Ted and Wally on Catbells
Mountain Rescue bears Ted and Wally on Catbells
Towards Skiddaw from Catbells
Towards Skiddaw from Catbells
Chris with Derwent Water after exertions on Catbells
Chris with Derwent Water after exertions on Catbells

Hebden Bridge circular 28th February 2014

Chris and I met up in the cafe at the station and took on liquid supplies. We walked the route I’d done in September for the Walk and Ride festival. This is the 5th time I’ve done this route or a variant of it and it still pleases.

The first section is a good warm up climb to the mobile phone mast through deciduous woodland. Then a short second climb across agricultural land sometimes with cows but not this day. Along Pinnacle Lane, past the goats and then up another short steep section at Kilnshaw Farm to reach the moor.

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How many goats?

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We stopped for a break and then crossed the moor without incident, finding a direct path to Broadhead Clough Nature Reserve, just by following a “rough” bearing and the relatively obvious path. Oh well, things clearly change underfoot according to the season.

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The nature reserve is managed by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and is a delight, completely unspoilt and just lovely.

We tracked along the edge of the wood, some new signage and fences have been put up which help to cross what was a quite tricky boggy section. Through the next wood and then down a coniferous wood to Daisy Bank. Down the stream and then onto the hard track which took us to Wood Top and back down to the station.

A lovely walk in springlike weather with the best of company.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

 

Snow Time in Finland February 2014

The photos in this post are a mixture of mine and Chris’s.

Sat 1st February

Chris picked me up and drove us to Gatwick stopping a couple of times on the way. Nice easy journey. Arrived at Sofitel, (perhaps a new venture for my dear cousin Sophy?!) We were met by a somewhat morose doorman in a long coat and a driver who took Chris’s car away. Mr Grumpy took us to reception in the grand atrium. Our room was fine and looked onto the central courtyard. We put the Prosecco in the fridge and wandered over the indoor walkway to the terminal to look at the shops which were a bit rubbish and to buy our breakfast in M&S.
An aperitif and then prepaid dinner in the hotel. We both had pasta mains, mine with funghi and Chris’s with carbonara, washed down with big glasses of Sauvignon. Nice young man from South Africa served us, very excited as he has not yet seen snow and was hoping it would come.
Back for après drinks. Read a bit and tried to sleep.
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Sun 2nd February
She snored and I sneezed and we both had terrible indigestion which I blame on the pasta.
At 3.20 we had to wake up fully to check out so that we could then check in at 4.10. All was fine and for once I didn’t get a good work over at security.
As we took our seats on the plane in a set of 3, I asked the girl on the end if she was with Exodus too and she said yes. She made no further remarks, so I thought she must be shy. I offered her a boiled sweet which she took but still didn’t say anything except thanks. And then another but still nothing. I was starting to think she was a bit lacking and wondering about a whole week in her company. As we landed I gave her another sweet. She thanked me and that was it, off we went. We didn’t land on snow, the runway had been cleared, a minor worry I’d had. Kuusamo is a tiny airport, ours was the only plane there. We were met by Bjorn aka Teddy. 25 of us onto a coach but not my sweet eating companion!
We set off and were immediately driving through forest on snow with no other cars hardly. Some more on the main road but not many. Past the turn into the town, past the ski resort of Ruka which is tiny and has the only big hill in the vicinity. The snow deepened as we went into the national park and the roads narrowed. Before long we got to Basecamp Oulanka (u not pronounced). Lunch of sweet potato soup and black bread. Pancake pudding. Very good. Then we were issued with equipment in a very hot room, we got 3 layers of legs and 3 of tops, boots, rucksack, sit mat, 2 pairs gloves, mittens and a hat. Later a headlamp and a flask. This took a long time. We had been given a double room and not a twin and this was not what we wanted or had paid for. The Basecamp staff sorted us out so that we had a double room each and they did this quickly but it was an Exodus cock up. We had to wait while my new double room was readied. I don’t know how those sharing a double room managed to fit 2 lots of the kit we’d just been given into one cupboard.
Bjorn gave us a long and complicated briefing for the week and we worked out what we wanted to do.
Unpacked, then dinner at  7 pm of salad and elk stew with potato. Choc cake for pud. We shared it.
At 8.30 went to Chris’s cabin for tea (her) and hot choc (me) with rum.
At 9 Carol rang, just coming off the machine so I rang her at 10, really flagging, so tired had lost ability to speak, only 8 pm at home.
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Mon 3rd February
Slept for hours and hours. Woke at 8.15. Breakfast of muesli and yoghurt, black bread, ham, cheese and salad. Coffee comes out of kettle on hot plate. Berry juice, water, tea and coffee available all the time in the big room.
Issued with snow shoes and walking poles. Out to the lake where we put them on, much easier design than when I last did this. Game of frisbee to warm up and gain confidence in running with them on. Into the forest. Walk on toes to go up and bounce like a trotting horse to go down (well that was my way of doing it). Also down slope on bum. Hugged a tree to hear the silence and feel the stillness. Went to viewpoint over frozen river, the rapids not frozen. Dipper dipping. To the mill and back to base.
Lunch of salmon and dill soup and black bread.
Some time later Chris and I went out on self guided walk on the Little Bear trail. The bears are currently hibernating. Went across suspended wobbly bridge over rapid river and later another bridge across frozen river, we heard it lapping underneath.
We went to a forest hut with lots of logs complete with hefty axe and saw. Also an outdoor compost loo which I made use of. Then back in the nearly dark. Sunset is at 3.30 but could still see when we got back at 4.45. Likewise I could see before sunrise at 9 this morning.
Change and then to the hot tub. Shower first. Hot tub not hot enough. Bit slippy on getting out onto ice. Eloise went for snow roll from hot tub (how brave) and came back in which possibly lowered the temperature!! Out and quick hot shower then back for shower in room but I picked a bad time as everyone was doing this so the water went off in the middle of hair conditioning but it all came right eventually.
G&T in Chris’s cabin. Dinner of chicken, veg and rice with curry sauce followed by salad. Pud was cake for Jenny’s birthday so she got up to blow out her candle and then Gary got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She said yes. Not a dry eye in the place!
Back to my cabin for tea and hot choc with rum.
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Tues 4th February
Didn’t sleep so well, itching and scratching and still too hot so turned the heating off which didn’t make much difference. Into plush minibus to Riisitunturi park about 45 mins away, stopping to drop off one lot of dog sledders and pick up another lot who have to exchange the 4th layer of clothing which is ski pants and coats. I’m sure they haven’t divided us up size wise so not sure how this works. The park has a small 380 m hill where the snow clumps very heavily on the trees and makes strange shapes out of them. Very like those in Stephen King’s The Shining which I’ve just read or Narnia if you prefer less scary.
Norra led us along with Tessa, a Finn and Lisa, a volunteer (I think) from the UK. Norra says she does feel Scandinavian which I asked because of an online conversation I’d had with one of my relations. Great walk although misty so no views but mysterious and quite magical despite having to join in the games for Exodus’ 40th birthday. We have a slightly disappointing packed lunch of fruit juice, energy bar, raisins, sandwich made by us and a heavy sweet bun.
Back at Basecamp we start to make a Sami drum out of reindeer skin. It is intricate and absorbing work and a bit like being back at school although Bjorn is a kind teacher.
We then go off for dinner in the dark in a shelter with a big fire pit. We have elk with mashed potato, pickled gherkins and lingonberry jam. Also juice. Then we make pancakes. By this time I feel I’m coming down with a cold. We go back and finish the actual drum making. Back to Chris’s  cabin for hot choc and rum.
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Weds 5th February
Woke up in the night feeling gruesome but on waking this morning I have a cold but feel OK.
We drive off with Anneka back to Riisintunturi wearing even more clothes to meet Lauri at the husky farm, he is a gentle giant Laplander. I have the first team behind him, Chris behind me and then the other 4 plus Lauri’s handsome but silent colleague. I have a team of 4, Chris has 6. We set off after instruction at quite a lick. The dogs crap on the go so it’s important to brake for this, brake for downhill slopes, brake when the one in front stops. My dogs were quite good and I would have liked them to go a bit faster, they went quite slowly on the flat stretches and then fast down hills. Cornering was fab. We went up through the snow covered trees into the park. Very exhilarating for 10 km. Lauri has 60 dogs and knows them all, they all know their names. They got a gravy drink at the end and eat in the evening. 500 g mix of meat and biscuit.
Back to Basecamp. Fish soup for lunch which I quite liked despite not being big on fish. Spicy bun for pud.
Bjorn gave us kick sleighs to play with which got us used to falling over and not having any control over direction.
Issue of shoes and skis.
On the lake we first practised moving around on skis, then scootering on one leg then the other leg then bringing it together. Bjorn is very long and thin and showed us the desired movements in slow motion which was a most amazing sight with the length of his legs!
We tried a few goes but when Bjorn suggested the round the lake trip Chris decided to go home. We went over to a settlement and then Bjorn brought us back across a short slice of lake rather than the whole enormous thing. We did about 3 km and I only fell off right at the finish line. It was nearly dark so we went into the wood with our headlamps on. We walked up a little slope and tried to go down it. Pippa was very good at all of it. Jonathan succeeded with some minor wobbles and I veered off to the left and had to fall over to avoid the trees!
Dinner of veg lasagna and salad and apple cake with vanilla sauce.
Finished off our drums. Rang home a bit late.
Rum in my cabin.
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Northerly Angel

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Thurs 6th February
Set off just after 10.30 and snow shoed by ourselves to the frozen waterfall and could see Castle Rock. Very glad we hadn’t paid an extra charge to walk this in a group. It was a lovely walk but perfectly manageable on our own. We ate some nuts and choc but the Picnic bar for Chris was rock hard and my water bottle froze. Got back to Basecamp for a clothing change and then onto the minibus taxi with Eileen and Jack to go to Ruka which is small tacky looking ski resort to pick up those who had been doing snowmobiling and skiing there. As we waited I looked out the window and the skiers appeared as if they were in mid air.
Then to the reindeer farm, which was quite high and much, much colder, I put on all my layers (5) which was only just enough.
Mika took us to see 2 reindeer and the sleigh. Chris and I got in and our reindeer was hooked in and off we went on a very small circuit at a very gracious pace, more stop than go and the complete opposite of the huskies. Everyone had a twirl round doing this.
Then we went into the female reindeer pen to feed them moss which looked more like lichen. They liked this alright. Mika showed us to a little barn with a blazing fire. We took our boots off and put our feet on reindeer skins. It was very dark in the shed and smoky. First Mika gave us reindeer sausages already cooked to warm on the fire. Delicious and good with mustard. Then a cup of kettle coffee and a pastry made by his partner Satu’s mother. Needed spices or at least sugar. He told us the work of the reindeer farmer’s year which is hard and how reindeer farming operates in a commune type system. Then he sold us some crafts and the bus came to take us back to Ruka. We picked up the rest who had waited nearly half an hour in the cold for us. Back to Basecamp. Dinner of rainbow trout, mixed roast veg. Salad. Ice cream and berry sauce.
We sat around with the rest of the group in the evening for a change.
Back to Chris’s cabin for rum.
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Fri 7th February
Terrible night with nose dripping all night meaning I had to blow it about every 15 mins. Finally managed about 3 hours unbroken sleep. Chris also hadn’t slept well.
We decided not to build a quinsee and joined the snow shoe group plus 2 other couples who had opted out. Norra led us on the whole of the Little Bear trail. Fabulous walk through the forests and across frozen lakes. 10 km in 5.5 hours total which is not bad on snow shoes with lots of stops for drinks and photos. We stopped at a woodshed for lunch. Chris and I had made a small sandwich from the black bread and I had an egg which we added to our copious supplies of sweet things. We didn’t pay for a packed lunch as we didn’t feel it was worth the price. Norra quickly lit a fire using firelighters and matches she had brought and wood from the shed which the government provides for free. Some toasted their sandwiches. On the return section we went up 252 steps which was hard work as they were mostly snow covered but some had been reduced to ice so the bear claw part of the snow shoe was very necessary.
Back for hot choc and a doughnut. Then we went to the hot tub for C and sauna for me. So hot I couldn’t put my feet down.
I have had 4 showers today!
Dinner of elk stew with rice and barley, salad and quark pud with fruit basically a creamy fruity dish and v good.
To my shed for rum and hot drink and early to bed to sleep more and get better.
Little Bear Trail
Little Bear Trail

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Chris and Paul
Chris and Paul
252nd step
252nd step

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The man in the merino mask
The man in the merino mask

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Sat 8th February
Dog day.
Early start but our taxi was late. Drove for quite a while to Jaksamontie where Lauri, Marika and the 60 dogs live. First we togged up in their home which was quite old fashioned Scandi bling and reminded me of the B&B in Koenigstein. I got to model an all in one snowmobile padded boiler suit suitable for Everest. We met some husky puppies. Then to our sleds. The solo sledders set off first with another quiet handsome man then Lauri, then us, me in the sled with Chris driving then 3 more doubles behind us. I was wrapped up with a duvet and a reindeer skin on top. We set off at the usual cracking pace through the forest and on up into Riisitunturi park. I was glad for all my 5 layers top and 3 bottom. Chris was a good driver. She had to push the 8 dogs up a hill and pulled a muscle in her groin doing this. At halfway to lunch we stopped for a drink and swopped over. Our dogs were pretty good although one seemed constipated and we had frequent stops to deal with his poo non events.
A complete stop for lunch at a forest shelter. The soloists had arrived some 20 mins before and helped to carry the pots and pans and light the fire. We sat on our reindeer skins, used the compost loo and warmed up. Lunch was a long, slow drawn out affair. First elk stew with lots of cheese in it. Then bread with cheese on it. Then hot berry desert with cheese sounds bad but it was very, very good. Then coffee mixed with a splash of water in the dessert cup. Back into the sleds, this time with a thicker longer reindeer skin over me, sorry to whoever got my little one instead. I took some videos as we went along on our 8 dog open sleigh. At one stop John and Eileen’s 2 front dogs came up alongside me. The nearest sniffed and licked my reindeer and then ripped a huge chunk out of it. I tried to stop him and Lauri said doggo mustn’t eat anything but he started growling at me so I gave up on this thankless task.
We swopped over again putting the headlamps on and skated back to Lauri’s dog farm. Very magical whizzing through the snow by torchlight all spread out.
Back to Basecamp for shower, return all the kit, dinner of salmon and fried potatoes, salad, sort of Bakewell tart pudding. Paid our bills. Bjorn gave us a slide show of what it’s like there in the summer and a film of our week which he will send us.
To Chris’s room for a last hot rum, then packing then sleep.

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Coming to get you...
Coming to get you…
Lovely snowmobile outfit
Lovely snowmobile outfit

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Chris and Liinu
Chris and Liinu
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Liinu

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[vimeo 86773805 w=500 h=375]

Oh To Be In Finland from Jak Radice on Vimeo.

Sun 9th February
Checked out, last breakfast and Bjorn took us to the mill to convene with silence, stillness and nature.
Bus arrived and Bjorn said we had arrived as guests and left as friends which felt very true despite the cynics!
Lisa with her broken arm said goodbye as not allowed to fly. Any excuse to stay longer.
To tiny airport, one tiny other plane there. Smooth procedures, no nagging about weight allowances, my case now lighter. Chris’s heavier. Eloise had 2 v small bags, I must look into lighter packing and holdalls.
Some small shopping and a coffee and onto plane.
I loved Finland, the food, the plumbing, the peace, the quiet, the wilderness, the people. And for Carol I did not see one single piece of litter all week.

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The dipper came to see us off.
The dipper came to see us off.

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wilderness group from björn lindell on Vimeo.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

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