Tuesday 25/8

I mostly slept well and when the new day dawned the sky held high broken-up clouds apart from the southwestern sector which was clear, but there were still clouds around the nearest summits in my intended direction of travel. I got up at 7 and proceeded to have breakfast on the upstairs level, where the only other occupant there (a Swedish-speaking German) was just finishing up. As I packed up the school bus arrived to drop off a bunch of children of various ages at the adjacent school, and the remaining clouds lifted. I left at 08:45, eschewing the jacket in the cool and fresh air as the sun was now starting to warm things.

I walked the gravel road westwards, among more residential houses and fields, and the rucksack felt fine from the start. When I reached the paved road I realized I had walked a bit too far, but the trail I was supposed to break off onto was close by, so no real harm done. After crossing a sturdy-looking but somewhat worn and swingy bridge I started off on a wide path with clear ATV tracks going up into the forest, soon passing a woman with a dog. There were recurring muddy portions on the path which I endeavored not to get stuck in, but at the next much smaller bridge I just splashed across the stream.

Setting out

Bend in Ljungan

Habitation

Crossing

Dry

Less dry

On several occasions the path split in two, making newer detours through drier terrain. Once I got higher up and the forest grew sparser I could see parts of my intended route further along, and when the next of those detours deviated in an unwanted direction I instead walked out onto a large grassy mire; this was somewhat wet, but it carried well. A weak wind had picked up, which felt good after the climb up from the valley, and the views were growing all around. Eventually I reached a marked summer trail, and after comparing the map with the surroundings I came to the conclusion that I had missed a junction I was supposed to take, but the point where it landed wasn't far off – and in my defense I now saw that that path was not very clear at all.

Torkilstöten emerging

Across the valley

More open

Markers...

...across the mire...

...to a junction

After that I followed clear marking poles on a narrower, dry path cutting across the heath in the gentle incline. The wind increased somewhat in strength as I observed small clouds first forming and then dissolving around the heights off to the south. This path also split off several times, and I consistently chose the more northern arms. Before long this had me on a course aiming straight for the summit of Stötliden – and it did indeed look like there was a footpath all the way up, which hadn't been entirely clear from the maps – but after a short chocolate break I decided not to continue on it but rather aim directly for Lantmätartjärnen, which was not yet in view. This was because it was hidden behind a ridgeline, which I passed by way of a shallow gulley, and then I followed a weaker path around the northern tip of the water.

Wide

Heading up

Öjön

Lowlands

One of those

Heath close to...

...Lantmätartjärnen...

...which I rounded

I soon reached the winter trail markers which I followed over the saddle between this smaller lake and the much larger Stortjärnen. By this time the sky was clear with only a few high streaks of cloud, and Helagsfjället itself had no blemish. I followed an on-and-off path in a more or less straight direction, with a small circumvention among some hills. As I neared the trail from Torkilstöten I espied two people with two dogs walking west upon it, and before covering the last slope up to it I broke off in order not to gain unnecessary altitude, crossing some low shrubs and startling a ptarmigan.

Härjångsfjällen ahead

Panorama over Helags, Sylarna, Stortjärnen and Härjångsfjällen

Helagsfjället

Isles

Colors

Shed

Close to the trail

Looking back

Not going over there (yet)

Once on the trail I found it to be very well trodden, and it was easily walked. I observed more dog people on the hills off to the north, and then passed the first two by while they were seated for a break. There were some reindeer about and there was a definite tinge of autumn despite the warmth, with partially reddened ground cover. The views were grand indeed, as there was nothing at all in the immediate vicinity to block them, and I now started looking for a place to have a break myself. After filling my flask in a larger stream I went out to a large, flat rock before an extensive hollow while I still had Helags in view, and sat down on it at 11:30.

Upon the trail

One of several

Reddish

Nice view

The deliciously situated Himmelsrasta

Small one

Closer to Himmelsrasta

Lunch stop

I started out by taking off the boots and putting more anti-chafe adhesive on my heels, as I has begun to feel some affliction of the skin. While I was doing so the human/canine quartet walked past, and I then relaxed in a shifting weak wind before digging into my lunch. A single hiker passed by at a very leisurely pace – plus a field mouse at a considerably quicker one – and things were now quite warm.

Eventually I resumed my own motion, and the reduced weight in the rucksack was noticeable. I passed the single man before long and then met a couple going the other way before coming to a larger brook which I passed on rocks a bit upstream. The trail was very easy to walk here, with a sandy constitution, and I no longer felt anything in my heels. Suddenly a lone reindeer appeared and took it upon itself to scout ahead on the trail, which was now passing through a region of pools and sharply defined hillocks. As I was approaching the junction with the trail from Kesudalen I spotted a group of six people heading westwards upon it, and then I met the dog people from before again, who were now apparently heading back.

Wide path

Small tarn

Wide expanse

Pointy hill

Pretty

Desolate

More pointedness

More wetness

Larger one

The reindeer...

...which guided me

Next junction

Having reached the new trail I observed another two people down by a nearby tarn, and as I proceeded westwards through hilly terrain I met two single hikers in short fashion. There were both people and dogs sitting on the hillsides here and there on both sides of the path, and I met another group with light packs heading in the opposite direction. The path now had some stony sections, but its sides sported a good deal of flowers despite the somewhat late date. I was starting to feel the length of this first stage in my legs, and when the shifting wind wasn't in the "on" state it was very warm in the full sun. I had both heard and seen flying machines earlier, but now a helicopter came from the north with a hanging load and hovered behind a crest ahead, apparently unloading, and after a while it flew off. As expected the site in question was that of the Helags fjeld station, which suddenly rose into view as I passed a tarn, reaching the yard at 14:45.

Last section started

Teaser

More open land

Sylarna reappearing

Quite close now

Last tarn

Delivery

Arriving at...

...the Helags...

..fjeld station

Said yard, not to mention the front porch, held a number of people enjoying the pleasant afternoon, and there were more inside where I had a quick look. I then walked past the new (well, actually several years old already) service building and crossed the nearby stream – which constitutes the upper reaches of Handölan – by way of a dead simple ford close to the appointed bathing place. Several tents were pitched on both sides of the water, and more recent arrivals were looking around for good spots. After doing so myself I selected a fair one a short distance away from the stream, close to a red tent which was currently unoccupied.

Quite a few people were coming down from the Helags summit, and a few were actually starting to go up. I sat on a smallish rock and took it easy for a while in the ever-shifting but still weak wind, munching on some reindeer meat, before pitching my own tent – which several others were doing as well. I then headed over to the bath to have a quick wash, speaking to a girl just down from the summit who had submerged herself to cool off. More people were arriving from various directions and now that evening was approaching the sun's passage above the imposing ridgeline immediately above created an interesting play of shadows. I improved upon my rock seat by placing a couple of flat specimens on top of each other, and then sat down again for a good while in the pleasantly cool wind before starting to move inside the tent.

Camped

Little wall

Bigger wall

Bells

People were still filing in, and more tents were springing up, for which the other side of the stream seemed more popular. I prepared dinner sheltered by the tent opening and then sat down on my seat to eat just as the two owners of the neighboring tent returned from the summit. It was a splendid evening and I spent it outside, as did plenty of others. A bit later I put the slippers on and went for a walk, barely getting wet as I crossed the stream (no socks). I proceeded up onto the larger hills on the other side, noting the presence of what looked like a high-school class, with a degree of order to match. Back on my rock seat I watched the sun follow the ridgeline precisely, placing the penumbra just a few tens of meters away, before it finally disappeared.

Sun and shade

Bridge camp

Jumble of buildings

The neighborhood

Pair

Effect

Wool

Crowd

Sylarna et al

Station

Last bit of sun...

...over our tents

As it did so the temperature dropped noticeably, and I put the down jacket on. After reading for a bit outside I relocated inside, as the chill was now setting in, and after a while returned outside for my evening snack – and given said chill it was nice to have something warm. Eventually the setting sun put a cloud bank aflame, and I walked over to the bridge I had thitherto eschewed for a better angle of Sylarna. I remained there until the light faded, and then went to bed at 21:45 just as the full moon rose.