towards Tromsø…

We had a very lazy morning this morning - not getting up until after 9am.  We were surprised to find that the school children had packed up and left, we certainly didn’t hear them!  We gave Bert a good clean - now we have found the dustpan and brush, this is much easier.  I also gave the bathroom a clean as it was beginning to look grubby and not smell too fresh.  We haven’t been supplied with any cleaning substances, so I just used fairy liquid.  Seemed to do the trick.  We emptied the toilet and grey water tank and filled up with fresh water and were on our way.

Pleasant spot for the night

We didn’t have a huge distance to travel today - we are making our way up to Tromsø as we would like to enjoy what it has on offer before we leave.  We headed north but decided to try out some other roads back so we didn’t retrace our steps.  The scenery was as wonderful as always.  Problem now is that we are so used to grand scenery that we have almost become blasé about it all.  Unfortunately it wasn’t clear blue sky today, so everywhere was hazy, still it was very lovely.

Starfish on the slipway

We did some shopping at a supermarket and headed on around the fjords.  We had lunch by the side of a lake and then trundled on.  I took over the driving just after lunch.  We stopped at a lay-by where there were some Sami tents (what we would know as tepees) full of souvenirs - nothing new and everything more pricy than other places so we left empty handed.  

We carried on up north, we decided to go to Tromsø the ‘other’ way - ie up the other side of the fjord along some more minor roads.  This means we have left the big traffic behind which is good.  We looked at the map and our camping app and decided to head down a dead end road which ended on the shores of a fjord and looked like it would have spaces to wild camp near a church.  We got there - it is perfect - the scenery as always amazing, the church quaint and next door toilets with lights, toilet roll and steaming hot water.  What more could we want?  We parked up.

Tea outside

 Opposite us we found a walk (we discovered this when we stopped at the Sami lay-by as there was a map showing some local walks on it - which we took a photo of - digital technology really is very helpful sometimes).  Get this, the walk took us to see some ancient rock carvings.   They were 7,000 years old, on smooth rocks which have made their way up from the shore over thousands of years since the last ice age.  Does that sound familiar?  We saw men, moose, reindeer, and this time porpoises. 

The walk was only a couple of miles, but interesting none the less.  On the way we came across some sheep

Crystal clear waters

Another beautiful sunset

who were foraging in the forest.  We only knew they were there because they had big bells around their necks and so we could hear them clanging away.  Didn’t get close enough to them to photograph them though - the forest was very think with growth.  Never seen sheep with bells around their necks before.  

We walked back along the road which was very quiet - because it is a dead end, full of lovely big houses though.  We then spent some time playing frisbee and then headed down to the harbour at the end of the road to look at the water and scenery.  The water, as usual, is crystal clear and this time full of starfish. The reflections were awesome, the mountains huge.  Don’t know what else to say other than wow!  We’ve certainly seen lots of scenery, don’t think I could get bored of fjords.