Friday 28/8

Early during the night there was some light rain, and it was also fairly windy, but later on I awoke when more full-on rain hit. The rest of the night was on and off wind-wise, and also rather warm, and I slept in bursts. When I arose at 7 there was no precipitation, but massive drifting clouds obscured all vision through and across Holkendurrie, as well as atop Stora Härjångsstöten. I walked up onto the hilltop, from which it was clear that the sun was hanging just behind the ridgeline of the latter peak, and that the clouds were localized to the immediate area as the sky was mostly clear otherwise. I went for a little stroll as the sun slowly made its way above the cloud, making for a nice delayed dawn.

I made breakfast in the tent's vestibule since it was fairly windy, while the cloud billowing out of the valley expanded upwards. It never got far enough to envelop my location, however, but instead started oscillating back and forth, giving the sun repeated chances to shine upon me as I broke camp. There was also a cloud emissary sent out to Gåsen proper, which soon acquired a thick cap. Since it was still fairly warm I decided to forego the jacket in spite of the wind, especially as I would start out by going uphill, and set out after 09:15 just as the sun was swallowed up again, which made things somewhat chilly right from the start.

I held a course aiming straight for the highest point of the trail between (former) Gåsen and Vålåvalen, walking at quite a leisurely pace as I was in no hurry – and I also noted that my heels felt perfectly fine today. The sun soon started showing itself again, and the cloud clutching Gåsen was letting go as well. As I approached the next stream I found there to be nice campsites there too, and the view was clearly better – or would have been had the valley cloud not still been doing its thing – but it lay a fair distance away from where I had spent the night, so it would have meant a quite noticeably longer stage when I was already tired. Well, filed away for future reference.

Past the pools

Gåsen ahead

Glimpse of Sylarna

Silvery

Next stream

Good spots

The ground I walked upon was mostly very pleasant heathland strewn with collections of rocks, plus the occasional pool of water, and walking here was a joy. Sylarna were partially emerging as well, while Gåsen was pulling on another cap. Now that I was getting closer I could clearly see both the new Gåsen shelter, with newly rerouted lines of trail markers leading down to it, and what little remained of the previous Gåsen cottages – which apart from the old wardens' cottage/storage building now only amounted to the two privies. What a shame!

Lighter

Another stream

Dry

Billowing

Ex-cottages

Covered

Mix

Obscured

New shelter

I wound my way between some low hills and then found myself at the intersection point of a double ravine I knew I would have to pass from my many winter visits here. The slope was quite steep so I walked over to a shallow gulley which offered a simple way down, and the stream at the bottom was hardly worth mentioning. I then walked upwards in the northern ravine which was entirely dry at first, with just a little water higher up. Gåsen was shedding its cap again as I approached the sizeable tarn in the saddle point, where I crossed first the winter trail and shortly thereafter the summer trail, heading almost due north.

At the ravine

In the ravine

Through the ravine

Up the ravine

At the tarn

Östra Bunnerstöten ahead

The sun was now passing into clouds from time to time again, and the wind had increased. The ground in these parts was rather stony, but more heathy parts appeared as I slowly descended towards the next tarn, where I stopped for a bit of chocolate. I noted cloud caps on more peaks as I kept my distance to the water due to the rock distribution, which gave way to watery grass and then more heath. I also noted what looked like someone sitting up at the trail, but this turned out to be a heap of marking crosses leaning against a rock. The next hollow saw more of the not-quite-a-stream-on-grass type of terrain, after which I finally made my way over to the trail just at the summer/winter split, where I found both a table and more evidence that the county administration was in fact switching out the crosses for new ones.

Still at it

Härjångsdalen

Peaks over there

Västra Bunnerstöten

After the tarn

Markers and creatures

Hollow

Yet another tarn

Västra Bunnerstöten rising

Stream vale

Tjallingklumpen and
Västra Bunnerstöten

Reaching the trail

The sky remained clear ahead of me, but the clouds obscuring the sun were growing larger and more numerous. Just as I set out down the slope I met two Swedish guys in light attire which did not give off the traditional mountain hiker vibe. The path was somewhat stony going down, but then it got noticeably better so I stretched out my steps. After passing a very pretty little dell with a pretty double-armed stream in it – great place for a camp, that – the condition of the trail got markedly worse, with much more rocks and some wetness. When the sun wasn't shining the wind was also fairly chilly, and once again I found myself wishing for the midway shelter to appear. After a drier section crossing a corner in the terrain it did just that, and I covered the last hilly bit in shifting wind and sun, arriving at Stäntja right at noon.

Nice place

Östra Bunnerstöten's wall

Westwards

Northwards

Tjallingklumpen behind

Wetter

Drier closer to the shelter

Down to the stream

Arriving at...

...the Stäntja shelter

I had a look inside and then sat down on a large flat rock outside, putting the wind jacket on at once. As I had my lunch the sun was mostly out and about, and after a bit two other people arrived along the trail from the other direction. They just had a look around before pressing on, however, while I relaxed on my rock. In the sky the clouds were quick in their motion, but now they were all high enough not to obscure anything.

I removed the jacket again before leaving, walking across somewhat bumpy terrain on a slight upwards incline before pleasant heath took by and my stride increased once more. Shortly thereafter I met two ladies of somewhat advanced years who inquired about the proximity of the shelter, which was just hidden from view. The stretch that followed was a very nice one, with level ground and pretty colors, and there were longer periods of both sun and shadow. Behind me the view was growing quite dark due to thick clouds, but not threatingly so, but in front of me the sky remained mostly clear.

Off I go

Nice path

Glittering

The Cliff

Glitter and darkness

Crest

Another crest

Flat!

A substantial wind blew laterally, making the jacket tied to the rucksack flap around quite a bit, as I approached a striking crest of rocky hills. By now the sun was completely hidden, but as if to compensate the Stensdalen cottages came into view – and the distance felt quite long. I rested a bit on a rock (chocolate included) down on the flat expanse before the trail started descending the side of Tobbege, from where I had a great view of the very fair vale of Lill-Stensdalen. The way down was somewhat muddy, and there were very large quantities of blueberries.

Over the edge

Another edge

Stor-Stensdalsfjället

Dark wall

Stony

Downwards

Östra Bunnerskalet

Lill-Stensdalen

More of

Sunny again

Cloudy again

Both

Going down...

...to the fortest

Up-valley

Cliff passage

As I passed into the forest over a mire the feeling of autumn was strong, even though most of the trees were still green. Once among said trees the ground was dry, and the forest itself held a very pleasant character. I walked on upon the well-trodden but not at all stony path, noting the presence of many a blueberry, and made a little detour out onto a hilltop for a better view of Lill-Stensdalsfjället's signature cliff. Not long thereafter I thought I caught a glimpse of what I surmised must be the cottage site's sauna among the trees, and moments later I found myself at the Stensån bridge. There was no one outside as I walked up to the main cottage after 14:45, where one of the two wardens came out to greet me on the porch.

Down on...

...the floor

Lateral

On the path...

...through the pleasant...

...woodland

Familiar perspective

Sauna

Main cottage

Even more familiar

I checked in and chatted a bit with her and the only other guest present, who was another woman who had also camped at Gåsen the night before, but close to the saddle point I had passed earlier in the day. I looked around a bit and then bought some food in the shop, since I had no dinner for today. The clouds were breaking apart again so I spent some time outside on the porch while several smaller groups of people arrived, some of whom then continued on. I then went for a stroll around the neighborhood in the slippers, going down to the old stretch of the Vålåvalen trail, after which I spent some time reading in the cozy corner of the common room.

Fair afternoon

Wardens' cottage

Stensån

One of many mires

Light

Presence

I prepared my dinner and had it outside in weak sunlight, since it was fairly sheltered there while the common room was quite on the warm side. I then spent some quiet time in my room, which had acquired another occupant as well, and after a breather on the porch I read in the common room while speaking some with my roommate who was doing the same. Then, finally, it was our turn in the sauna, and after putting on more logs it was much to my liking. Several visits to the stream were included – which is much easier here than at Helags – and I brought in some more firewood before I returned up to the cottage in the oncoming dusk.

Above the stream

In the stream

I spoke some with the wardens and then relaxed in my bed for a while with the little window open, which felt rather good. After an evening snack in the common room I returned to bed to read for a bit before paying a final visit to the outside, where it was now rather dark but still possible to see without electric light. Everyone was going to bed or had already done so, and after another bout of reading I closed the window and surrendered to the very soft embrace of the bed around 22.