Saturday 4/7

I had some trouble falling asleep, and was also awoken during the night by a combination of someone entering the building (the wardens, I guessed/hoped) and a loud cuckoo just outside. When morning came it was fair but somewhat chilly, with rather a cold wind, and the clouds remained by the peaks. The wardens had indeed returned after midnight, having gone east across both Vålån and Gråsjöån to the bridge on the Lunndörren trail – a neat little detour of about 7 km added to a stage that was already 24 km. I related my experiences and recommendations regarding the Gåsen trail and then sat down for breakfast, after which I had a look in the shop, which was noticeably more well-stocked than during my stint. It had now grown warmer and the wind was less chilling, so I decided to skip the wind jacket once more and left at 09:30.

After I had cleared Rovpe and come out on the open heath there were a few wet patches, but on the whole the path was dry and walking was comfortable. The weather was also very fair, and the views were summery and nice, with abunding flowers, so it was a perfect day out. The wind decreased at first, but reasserted its presence when I reached higher ground. I passed one of the night's occupants in the other cottage, who together with her dog was resting in the sun, and continued on dry ground to the trail split to Vålådalen, where the wind was quite strong.

Off I go

Dissipating clouds behind Gruvsmällen

Spire

Panorama over Smällhögarna and Ottfjället

Dry path

Passing

Pink

Fjelds behind

More of those

More of that

Kroktjärnarna

Cute ones

More of Kroktjärnarna

Nearing Smällhögsskaftet

Gråsjödörren back there

Pale shade

Last of Smällhögarna

Panorama southeastwards with Vålåvalen proper in the middle

Going around Smällhögsskaftet was somewhat wet, since there were melting snowfields higher up, but once I started descending on the other side it got dry again. I passed two campers at a distance who were out and about, and then Kyrkstensfjället and its neighbors came into view – and what a view it was. Great!

Some clouds remained in my direction of travel, but they were dissolving almost before my eyes. I heard Tvärån (Hilrehkenjohke) long before I saw it, since it runs in a sizeable but fairly shallow ravine, and as I approached it I noted that although it was quite swift it also didn't look too difficult. Another two people were looking for suitable crossing places further upstream, and I did some speedy checks as well in both directions, but quickly concluded that the trail constituted the best one. So, pants off, slippers on, and in I went. The water was about knee-deep, and the current quite manageable, so I was across in no time – quite the contrast to Härjångsån the day before.

Ptarmigans

Rounding the corner

Ottfjället

Lill-Stensdalsfjället

Kyrkstensfjället et al

The Tvärån ford

Also this time I sat down on the other side to eat and dry up, and as I did both the others returned down, and now I saw that they had a small dog with them too. The male half of the pair proceeded to perform no less than 7 crossings in order to get all packs, dogs and girlfriends safely across, and then they went straight on ahead. During this the other dog lady from before also came into the ravine, but she immediately started off upstream and didn't return. Myself, I extended my pause to a full hour, enjoying the warm noontime (and fending off a few flies and horseflies).

Not long after returning to motion I passed the other two, who had stopped on a crest with a good view of the surroundings, after which I came down into a very pleasant, mostly dry forest. It was sparse in places, and the views offered were continually far over on the positive side. Before very long I came to the next ford, this one over the more placid Stensån, and even though it also required a change of footwear it was much simpler, and this time I didn't have to take off my pants. On the far side the wind picked up again, and I covered the last bit to the cottages without further ado, stepping onto the deck of the newly erected building at 13:45.

Smällhögarna from the back

Nice view

This too

Panorama over Lill-Stensdalsfjället

Into the forest

Östra Bunnerstöten

Another view of
Lill-Stensdalsfjället

Simple ford over...

...Stensån

Wardens' cottage

The new cottage

I made a lap of the place, and when I came back to the front I was greeted by one of the wardens, who was inside with his two small children. I snooped around inside and then outside again, and then moved into one of the fresh-looking rooms facing the back. It was very comfortable outside, with the wind providing relief from the heat, and I walked around or sat in the sun while other guests started filing in – or, rather, also remaining out. Eventually it was time for dinner, something which some of the others had also thought of, and I ended up having mine out on the deck in the company of another group.

Deck

That cliff

Fat house

Another deck

Common room

Kitchen area

Relax

Bedroom

First one of these

Come the designated time I went down to the sauna, inside which I found the two dog-forders, and although it wasn't too hot yet it was quite nice (and I did my best to increase the power). The sauna had been renovated since my last visit, but not nearly as extensively as the Lunndörren one. A couple of others came and went, but I persevered for some time yet, and towards the end the temperature was much to my liking – save for the parts of my skin which had received the most sunlight and were now complaining of the heat. I made several visits to the stream, and would have sat outside for much longer had it not been for the mosquitos that had found their way there with the loss of the wind.

It was quite a wonderful evening, and I stayed outside on the main cottage's deck for a long while afterwards, having my evening snack in the very last rays of the sun – immediately following which the mosquitos launched a coordinated attack, so I returned inside. There were a few late arrivals, but most were already in bed, and I headed there too at 22:15 after standing outside for just a while longer.

The new cottage from the Stensån bridge

The cliff...

...and the bathing place at the sauna

Triple

Sunny evening

Light upon Lill-Stensdalsfjället