Traveling solo does not always mean you’re alone. Most often, you meet marvelous people along the way and make connections that last a lifetime. – Jacqueline Boone
I am in Sweden now and all I have been doing for the last few days is lazing around, hanging out on the couch a bit, going out occasionally and getting some sleep. This was not my plan. My plan was to cycle most of the St. Olavsleden in Sweden. I could leave the car with Lars and Kristina near Östersund, then take the train to Sundsvall and cycle back to the car along the St. Olavsleden in about three-four days.
And then I got sick.
By the way, this is not the reason why the newsletter took so long. I was just too busy and did not have the energy or time for a newsletter in the evening. At most a quick post on social media. Since the last newsletter, I have made a long journey. Mainly by car, and occasionally short trips by bike. Along the way I have visited many people. I rode along Gudrandsdalsleden southwards, until Oslo. From Oslo, I followed the route On the Way to St. Olav. And now I have arrived at the Swedish St .Olavsleden. See the map for an overview.
My bicycle and bags were ready to start cycling the St Olavsleden in Sweden. However, during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, I suddenly developed a fever and a runny nose. Just in case, I took a Covid test and it was positive.
I am on the mend, but not completely well yet, and in this newsletter I am taking the easy way out by copying and pasting bits and pieces I had posted on Facebook and Instagram. Tweaked here and there and added some information and photo's in between.
This is a lovely place to write a newsletter:
A nice place to get better anyway. These photos were taken before I became ill. In the nearby forest we picked wild strawberries, Smultron in Swedish.
Back to Norway...
I wrote the last newsletter in Voll. From there I drove south to Oppdal. Last year I stayed for a week at Halldis Prestegård, the pilgrim coordinator of Dovrefjell. That was an exciting week because Storm Hans was raging in Norway at the time. Now it was much more relaxing. I spent one night there and went to a concert with Halldis in the evening.
I didn't leave Voll until I had cleaned and organized the car:
And between Oppdal and Hjerkinn I cycled part of Vinstradalen. A small extra cycle route as a possible addition to the Gudbrandsdalsleden (see here for more information: Vinstradalen.
How do I get the best picture? Like this? Or like this? Or maybe like this?
Message from July 21
Today was a Dutch day along Gudbrandsdalsleden. I was finally able to pick up my Dutch again, and I haven't lost it yet.
1. Had a nice coffee this morning with Cyril and Annet from Vollheim Camping south of Dovre. This is where I had pitched my tent last night. From the campsite, I cycled a bit for a small route change.
2. Next I visited Annelien Budding in Kwam. She had recently contacted me to discuss the possibility of hosting (cycling) pilgrims in a caravan in their garden.
3. When I arrived at the Pilegrimssenter Dale-Gudbrand in Hundorp, there were no less than six Dutch pilgrims there, apart from one Swiss. One of them, Wietske, was a cyclist and used my guide.
4. And now I am staying with the Dutch Janke and her (Norwegian) husband Tom in Gildesvollen, a pilgrims' hostel opposite the stave church. And Janke put me to work right away: cleaning blueberries! Some berries just fell into my mouth. And look: the 'thing'! (See 3. Keys and berries).
Those last two photos are of the pilgrim hostel Klokkargården Halstad, Tom and Janke's neighbours. And as the name might suggest, this was the home of the bell-ringer of the nearby Ringebu Stave Church.
From Gildesvollen, I continued my 'Dutch' journey to the island of Helgøya, where I stayed with Renée and Hildwin. Renée Dekker works at the tourist office in Brumunddal and created the cycle route over Nes & Helgøya for the guide. They live beautifully by the water and I took the opportunity to go swimming. In the evening, we had dinner on the pier in the setting sun.
Last photo: late in the evening a wind spout on the other side of the water.
Message from July 25
Yesterday I went to Pilegrimssenter Granavollen to visit Jane Dahl, the pilgrim coordinator for the western route (Oslo-Lillehammer). I was able to stay the night and Jane arranged a private tour of Lunner kirke, a church dedicated to St Olav. An alternative cycle route also goes here, and I rode it this morning.
Opposite the pilgrimage centre are the Søsterkirkene (Sister Churches): Nikolaikirken and Mariakirken. The latter is under construction.
Lunner kirke is the only church in Norway that had a round stone tower. This was only discovered in the 1980s. There is now a glass floor over the foundations, and the pulpit is on top of it. Difficult to photograph, but I tried. The magnificent Steinway & Sons grand piano dates from 1887!
It is important that everyone feels at home in the church. So they have built in a special children's corner and made room for wheelchairs.
Photos of Granavollen, Steinhuset (the stone house), the sister churches:
(Last photo: Play time! It is so nice to be able to play (undisturbed) once in a while! And preferably I would do that with others, but that's hard to organize with a whole travel schedule).
Photos of the cycle route to Lunner Church and Lunner Church itself.
Last photo: Guidebokforfatter. In Norwegian, "guide writer" sounds much nicer.
When I arrived in Oslo, the first thing I did was visit Øyvind Wold. He created the cycle route through Oslo for the guidebook, and every year I meet him to catch up. Then I went on to visit a Dutch couple, Louis and Pieter-Jan, where I stayed for two nights. Great to have a place to stay every year! They were (unfortunately) on holiday themselves, but that gave me a chance to water the plants.
Message from July 26
The place where it all begins: the pilgrim centre in Oslo, the start of the pilgrim route to Trondheim. I spent most of the day there today, but when it rains, it might also be the nicest place in Oslo. Even when it's not raining, by the way.
Sweden
Message from July 29
I am currently in Sweden checking out the cycle route On the way to St Olav (Oslo - Selånger). The route is already completely finished, and I'm already writing it, but I wanted to check a few more places following feedback from test cyclists.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to cycle this route all over again, which is quite a shame because both the route and the weather are both beautiful. Besides, I have already cycled it twice, so there is no need.
Last night I stayed at the small Torp campsite, just south-west of Råda. The owner of the campsite told me that he had already had a few test cyclists on my route and was hoping for more next year when the guide comes out!
I took almost no photos along the way because I already have so many from my previous cycling trips. If you are curious about the route, you can have a look here. The guide will be published in early 2025. See On the Way to St. Olav (click on 'Photo's' at the top of the submenu to see photos).
Pictured here is a moose I spotted on a short walk from the campsite in the evening. There is also a great view of lake Lakenesjön from this spot.
Message from July 31
A lovely free afternoon at Lake Storsjön ('big lake') and a 'fika'* on the beach, together with Kristina, Lars, Emilie and Chidi. It was actually a dangerous venture, because the lake is home to Storsjöodjuret, the lake monster (the Swedish Loch Ness monster).
At least that is what the legends tell us. The snake-like monster with a dog's head and dorsal fins was first mentioned in 1635. Persistent, but still without convincing evidence. Around 1890, an attempt was made to systematically search the lake and catch the beast, but this too was unsuccessful. In 1986, Storsjöodjuret was even put on the endangered species list, but serious naturalists apparently thought that was too much, because the monster has since been taken off the list. As recently as 2008, there was a brief furore over an underwater video showing a snake-like shape in the water. Of course, the images were vague and open to many explanations. As with Nessie in Scotland, a monster that might exist makes more money than convincing evidence that it is not there and never was. There is an exhibition about Storsjöodjuret at the Jamtli open-air museum.
* For those of you who don't know the word Fika, it's nothing more than a coffee or tea break with some treats. But of course it sounds better than a coffee or tea break, and in Sweden it is an important moment of the day (but also in the Netherlands, in my opinion ;-)).
And after that lovely afternoon of kayaking, I fell ill. Of course, when you are ill, you want to be in your own bed, but luckily I am staying with Lars and Kristina, two incredibly kind (and practical, and down-to-earth) people, where I can stay as long as I need to. They are away for a few days now, and it is also nice to be alone for a few days. The neighbours know the situation and I can call them if there is a problem. But luckily that is not necessary.
I'm feeling a lot better since Saturday, and hopefully I'll be able to continue soon. And to get ahead of all the 'mothers': yes, I'm really not going to start too early, and listen carefully to my body ;-).
I suddenly realize that I am now on a route with several Olav springs, which, according to tradition, contain healing water! I suddenly get thirsty...
And finally this. This was posted on Facebook last Friday:
