The photo is lousy, but here it is: a picture of my first polar lights of this season. Taken handheld from the balcony with my mobile phone. You can see part of the roof. But of course – as soon my DSLR camera was attached to the tripod the aurora has already disappeared again.
The forecast was correct – the sky was blue the whole day today. At 9 o’clock I meet my friend Chris on a parking place and we start a mountain hike. The morning air is a bit chilly and some leaves even have frost on them.
After we have crossed the river Tromsdalselva we follow a path and some quiet residential streets and arrive at the way up to Sherpatrappa. That’s is a stone staircase of 1,203 steps leading up the mountain. Today is Sherpatrappa Opp – a competition where people run up the stairs. We however prefer walking and are lucky, that the competition will not start before eleven.
At the end of the stairs the terrain becomes less steep and you have a gorgeous view on the island Tromsøya and its beautiful surroundings. I see the island Håkøya that I circumvented by kayak two days ago. And today there is another competition: Tromsøya rundt, a 24 km long kayak tour round the island. From 400 metres up, we spot a group of kayakers passing below.
I assumed it was too late in the year for cotton grass – a clear sign for wet ground – but by a small and shallow pond we find a field of these candyfloss like flowers.
A lake always gives an awesome extra perspective in the mountainous landscapes, especially when it is as clear and blue as this one.
A white reindeer is grazing by the trail. It is not shy at all and ignores us while looking for food. On the way back we will meet it again.
I will never loose the fascination for the Norwegian landscapes, where sea and summits meet. I paddled to Grindøya – the island in the middle – several times. In the back lies mountain range on the island Kvaløya. This island is more than 1200 times larger than Grindøya and mainland Norways 5th largest island.
The weather has become warm and summery. Anyhow you can see the signs that the summer comes to an end. The colours have started changing.
On our way back we use Sherpatrappa again and get an awesome view on the town. Tromsø in a nutshell: Two Hurtigruten ships – the bridge Tromsøbrua – the iconic church Ishavskatedralen. And in the background the mountain Kjølen, where I’ve seen the midnight sun seven weeks ago (I and II).
Takk for turen, Chris!
Yesterday I finally had time to join the Thursday paddling in Tromsø again. The weather was calm and the tour leaders suggested to take a tour to the island Håkøya. After the usual preparations I entered the club’s kayak that I’d reserved – a Valley Etain 17,5 – waited for the others to be ready and off we went. Fourteen paddlers we were, including the tour leaders.
First we head west over the sound Sandnessundet. After 3 km we reach the northern tip of the island Håkøya.
First I was a bit disappointed about the gathering clouds after the clear and sunny day. Then I realised again, what wonderful light the combination of clouds and the low sun can produce. The houses and farms on the island look extremely picturesque in this light.
We slow down a bit and go on land to take a break. While sitting, eating, chatting we decide to circumvent Håkøya. Great – a new tour for me!
We enter the kayaks and continue our counterclockwise circumvention. Since I’ve been on Håkøya before I’m looking forward to some of the attractions such as the red sail boat anchoring near the shore and especially the 330-metre-long bridge Håkøybrua, built 1961 with its prominent wooden construction.
What however comes completely unexpected are the three catamarans anchoring on the southern side of the bridge. Huge, modern and probably ridiculously expensive sailing catamarans. What a contrast to the other sailing boats and the wooden bridge.
It is half an hour to sunset. The clear sky in the southeast has turned red and the light on the mountains is spectacular. Alas, My only camera on the water is my iPhone, so no telephoto shots.
When we reach the east side of the island the sea is getting rougher and choppier. The next photo is probably my favourite shot from the tour showing the sea, the evening light and some of my kayaking mates.
With the waves comes the wind and of course it comes right from the front. Together with the waves I have to focus more on paddling than on taking pictures on the last 3½ kilometres. Just two snapshots. On the second one you may see the lights at the kayaks. We’re in navigable waters with commercial traffic and we have to be seen. I have a light on the kayak as well and a second one attached to my life vest. And by the way, the clouds are vanishing.
After 13.5 km we arrive at the boat houses of the Tromsø Sea Kayakers Club at half past nine and it is pretty dark. Soon the kayak season will be limited not by temperature but by available daylight. Until then I’ll hopefully can join some more “Thursday paddlings”.
Here is a map of our route (including some zigzagging when taking photos.
I want to thank my paddling mates for good company and our tour guides for guiding and guarding. Takk for turen!
One month ago was the last polar day in Tromsø, where the sun did not set at all. Now it gets dark again in the night. Rain clouds may help as well to make it darker and I got a lot of help from them, when I made an evening stroll through the forests nearby yesterday evening.
It was still light when I set off and it was raining. The big leaves of the wood cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum) beside the forest paths had started to turn yellow.
The small, grass-covered bogs always look like autumn. The vegetation is just yellower and browner. Because of the recent rain they were pretty wet and partly covered with water.
There were still flowers in bloom, like the pink fireweed and the thistle in the next photo, but more and more it was the leaves bringing the colour—like the wood cranesbill, whose leaves turn a vivid red in autumn.
Most of the forest paths were mostly dry but some of them had turned into deep water puddles. Rubber boots came in handy.
Half past nine – it was getting darker. Now and then I caught a glimpse of city lights through the trees, but most of the time I was away from town—sometimes going cross-country through the forest, sometimes staying on the paths.
Another sign of autumn was starting to show. Various mushrooms have popped up beside the path. I don’t pick them—I haven’t got a clue about mushrooms—but I do enjoy spotting them.
When I came home at 22:20 my rain clothes were so soaking wet, that I hung them into the shower. Today was the first day after months, where I put on the electrical heating in the living room.
No matter whether I blog little or much, there are always photos left, that could be published but weren’t. Today I just show four photos from this month that comes to its end in less than two hours from now.
Just on the eve of my journey from Obbola to Tromsø, when my telephoto lens was already safely packed in the suitcase for next days travel the doe with its two fawns came back. This time they didn’t just passed by but all three stayed in our garden. First the fawns were frolicking around, running back and forth, then they joined their mother and grazed the long culms round the rock in our garden. Meanwhile I found my old telephoto lens and took photos through the window pane. That’s far from being ideal but I didn’t wanted to disturb our visitors peace.
One week later I walked home through the forests on top of Tromsøya. Four weeks ago there still had been deep patches of snow, now it was blooming everywhere. Fields of lilac cranesbills, patches of yellow globeflowers and where it was wet und muddy a favourite of mine, marsh-marigold with its bright yellow petals. There is still snow on the mountains, but on the island Tromsøya it is summer.
17 °C may not sound hot, but when the wind is calm and it is sunny it makes a summer day in Tromsø. A day Annika and I used for taking a bath in the lake Langvannet. There’s a sandy beach over there at this woodland lake and some quite curious ducklings. After the bath we took another way home that led us to another lake. Lillevannet is far from being a lake for bathing but it shows the beauty of Tromsøya’s nature.
A good friend will start a very special trip the following week. She will embark the three-master Statsraad Lehmkuhl and sail from Nuuk in Greenland through the Northwest Passage to Cambridge Bay in Arctic Canada. What a journey! Time to bid farewell with a barbecue in the forest, but before that another hike to Langvannet – 2 km from my place – to take another bath. We met an acquainted duck with three ducklings (last time one of them tried to nibble my toes all the time). Then another duck family arrived with much younger ducklings – still nestlings. While being less curious they were equally confiding and we could take some photos of them. This is my favourite.
That’s all for today. Perhaps I have some photo leftovers again in the end of August but I guess I’ll blog before that. See you soon in the digital world.
This afternoon I took my camera with a macro lens and strolled through the nature of Tromsøya looking for flowers. A lot of them grow on gravel, while others prefer the shady forest or boggy grounds. I’m not a biologist so I used AI tools to identify the flowers. I then checked in GBIF if these flowers have been found in Tromsø. Anyhow the scientific names may be plainly wrong! I do not provide any English names here, because there are too many synonyms for my taste. No wonder, that the English Wikipedia uses the scientific names as well. 30 blooming flowers I found today:
I slept better than expected in the shelter on top of the mountain Stor–Kjølen (790 masl) that I hiked up the previous day. At 7 o’clock I get up and enjoy strolling around the plateau under a deep blue sky. Thank you, DNT, for maintaining this shelter.
At half past seven I start my way back. The sun is high in the sky.
The plateau summit resembles a desert of stones with hardly any plant beside of lichens and some tufts of grass. The first plant that catches my eye when descending the summit is a flowering ground cover. If the AI is correct, it is silene acaulis, also known as moss campion or cushion pink.
Again I cross the huge snow field. I see footprints but no ski tracks. Skiing season seams finally to be over.
Navigation is easy. Sometimes I go astray, since there are so many parallel paths – this hike is quite popular. But with the help of the painted red dots it is easy to find back to the main track. The cairns – Scottish Gaelic for a man-made pile of stones – can be used for navigation as well. Great in fog! However, use them with caution. Tourists love to build these all over the mountains on random places.
While coming down the mountain the landscape slowly changes. The ground is more and more overgrown and to the right there are several lakes.
As the day before I pass a small valley. Now it lies in the sun. It looks very idyllic with its lakes, streams and its birch trees. One day I have to check how to go there.
Another stream to cross, another lake to view …
… and I’m on the home stretch. Soon I can see the gravel car park. One of the grey cars is mine. But still the terrain is hilly and in no time the car park disappears from view again.
By 9:45 I am back at the car. I was incredibly slow — a luxury you can afford when you’re hiking alone and stopping to take photos.
Later that day I stand on my balcony. The view is mostly blocked by large trees. Birches, willows, rowans. Through the gaps I can spot the mountains. And if you look carefully on the next photo, you may spot a tiny white dot on the top of a snowy mountain. That’s the radar station of Stor-Kjølen. I’ve been there last night.
Some of you may know, that I live in two places. In Tromsø in Norway, my “work home” and in Obbola in Sweden, my “home home”. Travelling is not so easy, since the distance is 940 km by car. Normally I take the bus Tromsø—Narvik and then the train Narvik—Umeå, but I happens frequently, that the Swedish train does not operate this route. Yesterday for example I took the plane. It’s like travelling through different worlds.
Friday 11:00 – I am taking a promenade in the forests nearby. While the snow in the forests will soon be soon, the mountains will stay white much longer.
Friday 17:00 – I am sitting in the airplane to Stockholm, now watching the snowy mountains from above until it gets cloudy below.
Friday 21:00 – I am waiting for my plane to Umeå, one of the last planes for today. Less and less people are present and the shops are closing.
Saturday 08:00 – I am home home. Compared to Tromsø everything is much greener . The weather is rainy and everything outside is soaking wet.
This is a photo from 28th April:
This a photo from yesterday, 3rd June:
Both photos show the same motive. The house where I have my apartment with its front garden. The bush in the front garden in about five metres high. In winter I could touch the top of the bush with my fingers, today the last remaining snow has melted away while I was working.
No, we didn’t have three metres of snow in Tromsø last winter. The maximum was “only” 120 cm. But my landlord and I use the front garden as a snow tip and so the amount of snow we put there accumulates in the wintertime. In spring it takes some extra weeks to melt.
And so it looks like if you step into the snow in front of the snow shovel and hop up and down several times …
Now I’m longing for summer but secretly I’m already looking forward to the next winter and the first snow ;-)
After a week in my hometown Bremen in Germany I returned to Tromsø yesterday. This morning I took a tour through the nature of the northern island. The landscape is mostly wooded hills, with a few bogs and lakes dotted around. I was curious about two things: how much snow is left and have the birch trees got their leaves?
More and more snow is gone. However some of the forest floor is still covered with dirty snow, sometimes up to half a metre and more.
You can still see last winter’s cross-country ski trails. The pressure of many thousand skiers has squeezed the snow making it more compact. Like white ribbons, these paths wind their way through the forest.
Other paths give no hint that winter ever touched that place.
The moorland with its spongy ground is completely clear of snow. And so are the lakes.
However, although it is already 1st of June the colours look more like late October. But if you look a bit closer you see the signs of springs such as the blooming marsh-marigold and the birch leaves that finally start to grow and unfold on some of the trees.
