Pilgrmsloftet Borkerud (outside of Trotten) to Mågålivegen Camping (outside Favang)
Cost: 500 NOK (divided 3 ways)
We spent a long time in the morning talking with Gertrude and visiting the chapel so that we didn’t set off until after 11:00 am. She told us that the walk today to Favang would be very easy, even though it was twenty km. We were optimistic.
It was a lovely day with temperatures in the 70s and everything was fine until we got off the pavement and hit what seemed like the tar pits coupled with multiple climbing challenges. We were walking through sheep and cow paddies and had to dodge mud pits seasoned with very wet cow pies so the mud was not only unsightly, but smelly. It took us an hour to go a single km in these conditions. On top of the mud, were the fences. They had little contraptions built so that you could easily climb over the fences rather than opening and closing gates. These often required a pretty high lift of the leg on one side, a straight-legged swing with the other, to reach the other side of the fence, and then a jump down with pack. Top this off with the fear of electrocution should the leg of your pants brush against the top of the fence, or at a minimum, a tear from the barbed wire.
After we finally escaped the mud pits, we found ourself on a road, hot sun beating down, and of course we were walking up. The trails only go down under dangerous wet conditions any more. We could not find the turnoff for the trail, although my gps clearly indicated there should be one. Laura stopped and asked a farmer, who sent us through a sheep paddock and told us there would be a sign and a bridge.
The sheep paddock was steep, steeper than one could safely walk down without toppling over and rolling down. I steadfastly refused to move when we lost the trail, but then backed down because I hadn’t the strength to walk back up. We ended up following a fence (something to hold onto) partway down the hill, although there were low overhanging trees, so we had to stoop down. This was a favorite resting spot for the sheep, so unfortunately we cleared the room.
We finally located another path that went across the paddock and then miraculously the tree with a sign on it. We followed the trail now and found the bridge. But what? The bridge was closed and boarded up. Signs said to follow the detour. what detour? No signs.
So we walked back across the paddock and down to the lower fence. We could see a campground below, but no way in. Finally we spotted a clothesline and then found a gate. We walked through some one’s yard, and found a road down to the street below. We weren’t certain what to do, but we were at a campground that was listed in the pilgrim book, and got a cabin. Our reservations were for a place many miles away which we were never going to get to, so we booked, and cancelled our original reservations.
The sheep paddock from below. It’s steeper than it looks.
Ugh.
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