Day 16

Skaun to Sundet Gard

Miles: 12.2

Cost: 400 kroner

We left early today, again a bit worried about the quality of our beds as the Germans were on the same schedule. 

We are getting closer!

A vein of soapstone. Most of the trail was filled with blue stone chips. It is easy to understand why they used this material in their churches.

The weather was ok, overcast and cool.

We were again first to our lodging so phoned our host to come pick us up on the river/fjord.

Our host approaches 

Scrambling onto boat with packs and sticks

He rowed us and our heavy packs across the river to his farm. He told us he has 160 pigs who are raised entirely indoors. Even though this is better than the industrial farms of America, it is not good. 

The lodging was charming and we were housed on the third floor. There were five beds, each double, with little privacy curtains. Very luxe. And there was water in the building, but on the first floor. There was also a toilet...a pit...just outside the cabin. The stairs to the third floor were next-level treacherous. By now we were used to the steep ladder stairs leading up to farmhouse sleeping lofts. But were downright dangerous. Remind me about a discourse on safety in Norway. While passing a school playground I cringed to myself on the possibilities of injury and lawsuits with the dangerous equipment. 

Climbing one floor of the ladder/stairs, second to first floor

Third to second floor stairwell 

The lodging included meals and our hosts served them in style with China and candles. We all (us, the Germans, plus an additional German pilgrim) ate together at a long table...very familiar part of farm life where you are serving multiple children and farm hands.

The table, in background, set for dinner

Our dinner was a tiny bit disappointing..we were hungry and they served boiled potatoes with a thin soup filled with tiny meatballs and flatbread. They said it was a local specialty and that the meatballs were purchased! Indeed we saw them at a grocery store the next night! The dessert was amazing though, preserved plums with star anise and whipped cream.

The dessert

Some of our German friends at dinner

The next two days are short walks before our arrival in Trondheim! It was nice to live in less rugged conditions for a night and the big city beckons.